Background
Kebatlamang P. MORAKE was born on November 21,1930, at Tonota.
Kebatlamang P. MORAKE was born on November 21,1930, at Tonota.
Educated at Tonota School from 1939 to 1947, then took a teachers’ training course at Kanye until 1950. From 1951 to 1952 he studied at Tiger Kloof Institution, Vriburg, South Africa, where he obtained his junior certificate.
He began teaching at Tonota in 1953 and spent 11 years there, rising to be the head teacher. In 1965 he was sent to England for an advanced teachers’ course at the Institute of Education, Newcastle-on-Tyne. In preparation for a political career after independence on September 30, 1966, he was sent on political training courses to Britain, West Germany, Zambia, Tanzania and Kenya. On his return, he was appointed an executive secretary of the Botswana Democratic Party and editor of the party newspaper “Yherisanyo”. From January to March 1967 he was in the USA as a guest of the State Department studying political administration and organisation.
In October 1969 he became a specially elected MP to the National Assembly and was appointed Assistant Minister at the President’s Office with special responsibility for information services. He undertook assignments for Sir Seretse Khama, sometimes representing him at meetings. In 1970 he studied broadcasting services in a study tour of Britain. At the government reshuffle in April 1972, he was switched to Local Government and Lands as deputy to E. M. K. Kgabo.
Small, the nimble-minded teacher who showed enthusiasm for public service and was taken to the party headquarters. Earnest and hardworking, he is earmarked for greater cabinet responsibility once he has gained experience.