ry , ▁Wild life ▁and ▁Tour ism ▁from ▁ 2 0 0 2 ▁to ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁She ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Communic ations , ▁Science , ▁and ▁Technology ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 4 . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁cabinet , ▁V enson - Mo ito i ▁was ▁appointed ▁Minister ▁of ▁Communic ations , ▁Science ▁and ▁Technology , ▁and ▁later ▁she ▁was ▁appointed ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Education . ▁ ▁On ▁ 1 7 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁V enson - Mo ito i ▁announced ▁that ▁she ▁would ▁contest ▁the ▁party ▁presiden cy . ▁President ▁M ok g weet si ▁Mas isi ▁s ack ed ▁her ▁from ▁Cab inet ▁the ▁following ▁day . ▁ ▁On ▁ 5 ▁April ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁she ▁wrote ▁a ▁letter ▁to ▁Secretary ▁General ▁of ▁the ▁B ots w ana ▁Democratic ▁Party ▁stating ▁that ▁she ▁was ▁withdraw ing ▁from ▁the ▁president ial ▁election , ▁alleg ing ▁that ▁the ▁election ▁was ▁" rig ged ▁from ▁the ▁beginning ." ▁The ▁previous ▁day , ▁the ▁High ▁Court ▁had ▁ruled ▁against ▁her ▁request ▁to ▁have ▁the ▁elect ive ▁con gress ▁post pon ed , ▁agreed ▁with ▁opposition ▁law y ers ▁that ▁she ▁had ▁not ▁proved ▁if ▁her ▁citizens hip ▁was ▁by ▁birth ▁or ▁descent . ▁Her ▁candid acy ▁had ▁been ▁supported ▁by ▁former ▁President ▁Ian ▁Kh ama , ▁who ▁sl ammed ▁the ▁r uling ▁party , ▁acc using ▁them ▁of ▁" che ating , ▁int ol er ance ▁and ▁int