I was introduced to accounting in high school and discovered I was very good at it, consistently scoring 100% in my tests. Really, finance chose me, as I knew it was what I was meant to do. My grandfather had also been a bookkeeper.
After high school I attained my AAT qualification, and then my ACCA qualification. It was then that I began my career at the Office of the Auditor General and, nearly eight years later, I am still passionate about accounting. I truly believe that accountability is the foundation of good governance.
What I enjoy most about my job is the variety and responsibility. No two audits are the same, as one engagement might deal with a government ministry but the next a statutory body. So, I’m always learning about different industries and the many ways public money is used. I am proud of how my role means my work goes into reports that are tabled in parliament and feeds directly into how Botswana manages its public resources. I also enjoy the craft itself, as I like building audit working papers that stand on their own for the downstream users.
Every reform needs people who understand both the numbers and the rules
I stepped out of my comfort zone when I was deployed to a remote area with minimal resources and still delivered my job well. Auditing away from the office, without the systems and support you normally take for granted, teaches you to plan carefully, improvise and rely on your own judgment. It was a demanding time, but it confirmed that the quality of an audit lives in the auditor, not in the tools.
Botswana faces many pressures, with an over-reliance on diamond revenue, high youth unemployment and an urgent need to diversify the economy. However, there are opportunities, too, as the country is strengthening public financial management, growing agriculture and tourism, and building a digital economy. Professional openings are emerging in data, fintech, professional services and governance, especially as the economy diversifies. Auditors have a front-row seat, as every reform in public financial management needs people who understand both the numbers and the rules.
This is my mantra: ‘It’s never too late to start over and be the best version of yourself; you can recalibrate as many times as possible.’ That is how I approach exams, fitness and my career alike, as every stage of life allows a fresh start, provided you are willing to do the work.
Our work is only valuable when findings translate into change
If I had law-making powers, I would strengthen the enforcement of public financial management. All audit recommendations from the Auditor General’s reports would be tracked and implemented, with real consequences for any failures. Our work is only valuable when findings translate into change, and a law that improves that outcome would multiply the impact of every audit we do.
My biggest achievement was completing my MSc while also being nominated to be on the ACCA Botswana member network panel. Juggling postgraduate study with a demanding full-time audit role also required great discipline, and it remains the accomplishment I am proudest of.
If I wasn’t an accountant, I’d definitely be a doctor. Like auditing, medicine is about investigation, evidence and diagnosis, so I would simply have been examining patients instead of financial statements.
In my own time, I love fitness. I train during the week and run marathons on weekends. Long-distance running and audit both demand the same things: endurance and consistency. I am also an avid reader, and time with a good book is how I relax.
