Botswana bids farewell to its former president, Mogae, by displaying his body in parliament.

Written by: Mohammed Omran

In a solemn and official atmosphere in the capital, Gaborone, the farewell ceremony for the former president began. Festus Gontepani Mogai Inside the parliament, amid a large gathering of leaders, officials, and members of the public.

Gaborone: Botswana's President Mogae lay in state in Parliament for a final viewing.

The body of former President Festus Guntebeane Mogae will be laid to rest today inside the parliament building in the capital, Gaborone, as part of the official funeral ceremony for the late leader.

The ceremony to view the body was attended by a prominent official, as the family of the deceased, led by his widow Barbara Mogae, were joined by Acting President Ndaba Gawlathi, Speaker of the National Assembly Ditabelo Kyurabitse, along with members of the Cabinet, Parliament and senior government officials.

Authorities allowed the public to pay their last respects and bid farewell to the late president until 6 p.m.

The government of Botswana declared three days of national mourning for the death of former President Festus Mogae, who passed away at the age of 86, after a distinguished political career during which he led the country for a full decade and was known for his support of good governance and his efforts in combating HIV/AIDS.

During his ten-year rule of Botswana in southern Africa, Festus Mogae succeeded in establishing a model of good governance and combating HIV/AIDS. .

He served as Botswana’s third president from 1998 to 2008, before handing over power to his deputy, Ian Khama, in a smooth transition that highlighted Botswana’s reputation for political stability.

Festus Mogae rose through the ranks of government, serving as finance minister and vice president before taking over as Botswana’s third president after the resignation of Ketomil Masi.

He was known for his expertise as an economist, having worked to achieve economic growth during his two five-year terms in office.

Mogae left office after completing his two presidential terms, as permitted by the constitution, and was succeeded by Ian Khama, a former military commander and the son of Botswana’s first president.

The late Moga is credited with publicly tackling HIV/AIDS when, at a time when Botswana had the highest infection rates in the world, he worked to implement one of the most comprehensive programs in Africa to combat the virus.