Botswana president starts farewell tours, rallies support for successor

GABORONE, Dec. 14 (XINHUA) -- Botswana President Seretse Khama Ian Khama started his countrywide farewell tours on Thursday morning in Moshupa village, some 50 kilometers from Gaborone, capital of Botswana.

Khama is expected to bid farewell to communities in all 57 constituencies before ending his ten-year term on April 1, 2018.

In his address on Thursday, Khama assured that he would not stop serving the nation after retirement.

Khama also said he has no doubt that the man to succeed him, Mokgweetsi Masisi, is the right person to take the country forward. The vice president will succeed Khama next year before the national election in 2019.

"After these years working with him I have never regretted appointing him vice-president and the next president of this country," Khama said, urging Botswanians to support Masisi when he ascends power in April next year. Enditem