29th October 2025
Own Correspondent
Dr. Kegalale Jocelyn Gasennelwe, 84 a distinguished leader, public servant, and community builder who devoted her life to advancing education, health, and human development in Botswana, will be laid to rest on Friday in Kanye.
A trail blazer she was among the earliest group of students to study at Moeng College in the 1950s and was one of only 13 students who sat for the Cambridge Junior Certificate examinations out of an initial intake of around 80.
According to former minister David Magang, “Of the 13 who sat for the Cambridge examinations, only five were Batswana — Festus Mogae, Lebang Mpotokwane, Benjamin Makgole, Kagalale Gasennelwe, and I.”
These names later became synonymous with national service and leadership, and Dr. Gasennelwe’s presence among them stands as a testament to her role in Botswana’s formative years of education and nation-building.
A family statement announced that Dr. Gasennelwe passed away on Tuesday, October 21, 2025, surrounded by her family and loved ones.
National Service
Dr. Gasennelwe held several key leadership roles in government and public service, including Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, where she later served as Acting Permanent Secretary until her retirement in 2000. She also served as Chairperson of the National Council on Population and Development (NCPD) and Deputy Board Chairperson of the Interim Board of the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC).
Her work was instrumental in shaping Botswana’s policies on education, gender equality, and human resource development.
Memorial Service
A well attended memorial service was held in her honour on Tuesday, October 28, 2025, at 4 pm at the SDA Gaborone Central Church next to Extension 2 Clinic. The symbolism of the promixity of the public health facility to her final church service was not lost to many.
