Mr. Kitso Mokaila

Kitso Mokaila, who lost his seat in parliament in the recent polls, has come back to the National Assembly through Specially Elected ticket. He has also been given back his job as minister of Minerals, Energy and Water Resources.

 
As the political head of the ministry, he is responsible for coordinating development and operational activities in the minerals, energy and water sector and it also formulates, directs and coordinates the overall national policies and strategies on minerals, energy and water resources.
Mokaila lost his seat to an opposition candidate in Good Hope-Mabule constituency and his re-appointment by President Khama is a bid to continue with big projects under the ministry including the controversial Morupule B Energy Project.

 
Under ministry, the minister overlooks the mining portfolio, energy and water resources in the country. Water and power have been thorny issues for the government as billions of Pula have been spent on dams, but the Southern part of the country where most of the industry and people are based face water shortages while the northern side has more dams, but poor reticulation means it cannot be transferred to the South.

 
Energy on the other hand has been a big head ache for government ever since South Africa’s Eskom reduced exports to Botswana to meet own requirements. Botswana has been experiencing electricity difficulties as the P11 billion Morupule B Power Projects is not reliable.

 
Before, the general elections, Mokaila revealed that all the 4 units at the 600 MW facility were down on the back of boiler failures. Mokaila has often complained that the project was politicised.
The project was built by China National Electric Equipment Corporation (CNEEC) while Fichtner was the owners engineer.

 
James Mathokgwane of the youthful Umbrella for Democratic (UDC) party beat Mokaila in the General Elections that were held on October 24.