Gaolese Kent Koma facts for kids

Gaolese Kent Koma (born December 7, 1918 – died March 9, 2006) was an important Botswana politician and businessman. He served in the National Assembly as a Member of Parliament for Mahalapye village. He held this position for a long time, from 1965 to 1994.

Early Life and School Days

Gaolese Kent Koma was born on December 7, 1918, in Shoshong. Later, he moved with his family to Serowe village in the Central District of Botswana. His father, Nkgabong Dintwe, was a farmer and a local leader. His mother, Gabataelwe Dintwe Koma, was a housewife who spent much time working in the fields.

Koma was the youngest of four children. As a young boy, he spent a lot of time at the cattle post, helping to look after livestock. He started school at Central School in 1930 when he was 12 years old. After that, he went to Khama Memorial School.

In the early 1940s, he traveled to South Africa for his secondary education. This was common for students from Botswana at that time. He studied accounting and business at Endeleni High Institute in Pietermaritzburg, which is in the KwaZulu Natal province. In 1949, he started working for a bank in Cape Town.

In 1951, he returned home to Mahalapye. He started a family business called Koma Brothers. This was a supermarket he opened with his brothers and cousins. It aimed to offer local people credit at lower rates. He married Mable Pinnie Koma (born Mpa) in October 1953 in Mahikeng, South Africa. She was a nurse at the time.

His Political Journey

Gaolese Kent Koma became involved in politics in 1955. He was part of the first meeting that created the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). He worked with other important leaders like Seretse Khama, who became Botswana's first president, and Quett Masire, who later became the second president.

Koma became the first Member of Parliament for Mahalapye in 1965. This was right after Botswana gained its independence. He also led the BDP in the Central District as its chairperson from 1965 to 1985. He served on many Parliament committees, including those for treasury and local government.

He traveled to different countries for official business. These included the United States of America, Austria, and many towns in the United Kingdom. Koma helped guide and introduce many future leaders of the Botswana Democratic Party. Among them were Daniel Kwelagobe and Botlogile Tshireletso. He retired from politics in 1994.

Later Life and Legacy

In his final years, Gaolese Kent Koma faced health challenges after having a stroke in 1997. He showed a strong fighting spirit until he passed away on March 9, 2006. He continued to be a well-known cattle farmer and cultivator until his death.

Koma is remembered for helping Mahalapye grow. He helped turn it from a small village into a semi-town by 1994. He did this by helping to build roads and other important structures. He also created chances for small farmers in the area to sell their goods.

He and his wife founded a private primary school in Mahalapye called Montsamaisa Primary School. This school helped many young people who had struggled in their earlier schooling. Within the BDP, he was seen as one of the leaders who served the party without expecting personal rewards. He played a big part in the party's early days, helping to sign up new members and campaign across Botswana.