[2][3] After receiving his secondary education at Moeng College, Merafhe joined the then Bechuanaland Protectorate Police Force in 1960 and gradually rose through the ranks.

[3] Merafhe was a widely-respected commander of the BDF, working closely with his second-in-command Ian Khama to develop its ability to police the borders, deter poaching of the country's wildlife resources, and to establish an air arm.

[citation needed] Due to his success in building up the nascent BDF into an effective and well-respected force, President Quett Masire decided to entice him into politics in 1989.

Masire viewed Merafhe as a potential successor, but the former general's continued involvement in factional party infighting meant that he was bypassed for the vice presidency in 1992.

[3] He was first elected to the Central Committee of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in 1991 and remained on the body until ill-health forced his retirement in 2012.