Botswana Appoints 26-year-old Beauty Queen Youth Affairs Minister

By Tata Mbunwe

Very few people become cabinet ministers or parliamentarians at the age of 26. That is the age of Botswana’s beauty queen-turned politician, Lesego Chombo, who has been appointed Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs.

The former Miss Botswana was appointed by newly elected president Duma Gideon Boko, who also nominated her as member of parliament.

Lesego Chombo is the youngest cabinet minister in Botswana. She wears many caps. Apart from being a lawyer, Chombo is a renowned fashion and beauty star, not only in her country but in Africa at large.

She was crowned Miss Botswana 2022 and represented her country at the Miss World contest in India earlier this year where she emerged 4th.

This earned her the Miss World Africa 2024 title, cementing her status as one of the continent’s most beautiful women.

She is also an Attorney and has championed several humanitarian initiatives in her country through her Lesego Chombo Foundation.

Despite being very young, Lesego Chombo is confident in her ability to steer the Youth and Gender Affairs Ministry.

She accepted her appointment as though she had been expecting it.

“As of today, I am blessed with a role that gives me a greater opportunity to serve young people, and be part of the movement striving towards a new and better Botswana,” she wrote on her Facebook page after being appointed.

“I am grateful to be appointed as the incumbent Minister of Youth and Gender Affairs. All I have ever really longed for was to make people’s lives better, in all that I do. Now here is active and meaningful change!”

On her first day at work as Minister, Lesego Chombo met with officials of the Ministry, shared her vision and expressed the desire to learn from them.

She said her goal is to empower youths and children, and ensure their voices are heard.

She is among newly appointed Ministers in the cabinet of President Duma Boko, whose party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), won Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in the October 30 elections.

Boko said he is building an inclusive government where everyone is represented.

“We are saying to young people, make yourself visible,” he said.

Other young people in his government include 37-year-old Bogolo Kenewendo, the new Minister of Minerals and Energy.