Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO) Chairperson’s Keenese Katisenge-Tizhani has been appointed to the African Union Sports Council (AUSC) Women and Girls in Sport Working Group (WGWG), a subcommittee of the Technical Committee on Sport for Development.
Her appointment was made by the African Union Sports Council Region 5 (AUSC Region 5), where she currently serves as Chairperson of the AUSC Region 5 Women in Sport Committee. The appointment recognises her longstanding contribution to sport development, women’s leadership, inclusion, governance, and empowerment across Botswana, the Region and the African continent.
The AUSC Women and Girls in Sport Working Group serves as a technical and advisory mechanism to advance the African Union’s priorities on gender equality, women’s empowerment, leadership, safeguarding, inclusion, and participation in sport. Its mandate is aligned with key AU frameworks, including Agenda 2063, the AU Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Strategy, the AU Policy Framework for the Sustainable Development of Sport in Africa (2018–2028), the Maputo Protocol, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, and the African Union Convention on Ending Violence Against Women and Girls (2025).
The Working Group aims to create an enabling environment in which women and girls can access, participate in, lead, and benefit from sport across Africa.
Katisenge-Tizhani brings to the Working Group a rich and diverse sport leadership profile that spans local, continental, and international platforms. Her journey in sport began in chess, where she transitioned from player and club administrator to national sport administration at the age of 23. She went on to serve the Botswana Chess Federation in several leadership roles between 2008 and 2017, including Clubs Secretary, Additional Member, Secretary General, and Public Relations Director.
Her influence in chess extended beyond Botswana. She served as a Councillor on the International Chess Federation Commission for Women in Chess and as Secretary for the African Chess Confederation Women’s Commission, contributing to the advancement of women’s participation and leadership in the sport.
Beyond chess, Katisenge-Tizhani has played an active role in the development of sport in Botswana. She served as Head of Marketing for the Gaborone International Meet, now known as the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, and has contributed to key national sport structures, including as a Member of the Botswana Football Association Club Licensing Committee and a Member of the Botswana Volleyball Federation Marketing Commission.
She also chaired the Botswana Sport Volunteers Movementfrom 2019 to 2021, further demonstrating her commitment to strengthening volunteerism, community participation, and structured support systems within sport. As the founder of Limitless Minds, an inclusive chess academy, she has helped advance access to chess and promote inclusion through sport and mind games in Botswana.
Currently, as Chairperson of Women and Sport Botswana (WASBO), Katisenge-Tizhani continues to champion women’s participation, representation, leadership, and visibility in sport. Her role within AUSC Region 5 further positions her as a key voice in regional efforts to strengthen gender equality and create more opportunities for women and girls in sport.
Her outstanding contributions have earned her notable recognition. In 2015, she was named Sports Administrator of the Year at the Botswana Sport Awards. In the same year, she represented Botswana and Africa at the United Nations Office on Sport for Development and Peace Youth Leadership Summit in the United States. She is also a 2019 Mandela Washington Fellow, a former YALI Influencer, and has previously been nominated for the Diamond Service Awards in recognition of her professional excellence.
In addition to her sport leadership, Katisenge-Tizhani is an accomplished International Trade and Business Development professional. She holds an Executive MBA, a Bachelor of Business Administration, a Postgraduate Certificate in Enterprise Risk Management, and professional certificates in Corporate Governance, Digital Transformation, and PRINCE2 Foundation.
Her appointment to the AUSC Women and Girls in Sport Working Group is a significant milestone that reflects her dedication to using sport as a tool for empowerment, inclusion, leadership, and sustainable development. It also strengthens Botswana and AUSC Region 5’s representation in continental efforts to ensure that women and girls are not only participants in sport, but leaders, decision-makers, and beneficiaries of Africa’s sport development agenda.
