"A nation without a past is a lost nation,
and a people without a past is a people without a soul."
Sir Seretse Khama, 1921 - 1980,
first President of the Republic of Botswana.
Botswana - Independence
After 80 years as a British protectorate, Bechuanaland attained self-government in 1965, becoming the independent Republic of Botswana on September 6, 1966, and maintaining a position of stability and harmony ever since. Sir Seretse Khama was elected the first president and served until his death in 1980.
Relatively little development took place under during the Protectorate period, and it was intended that Bechuanaland would eventually be incorporated into the Union of South Africa. The rise of the National party in South Africa in 1948 and its pursuit of apartheid turned British opinion against the incorporation of Bechuanaland into South Africa, and South Africa’s at- tempts at annexation were countered by British insistence that Bechuanaland’s inhabitants first be consulted. Eventually it was acknowledged that Bechuanaland would become independent, and there was some belated investment in social and economic infrastructure from the mid-1950s onwards.
In World War II, 10,000 Botswanans volunteered for the African Pioneer Corps to defend the British Empire. At the end of the war, the heir to the Ngwato tribe’s throne, Seretse Khama, left to study in England. While there, he married an Englishwoman, causing a scandal and his exile to Britain from 1950 to 1956. He was allowed to return on the condition that he renounce his claim to the throne.
Other young men educated in foreign universities were returning to Africa with ideas about independence and nationalism. Political parties started to form in the 1950s and 1960s with these first stirrings of nationalism throughout Africa. In 1960, refugees from the Sharpeville Massacre in South Africa formed the Bechuanaland People’s Party (BPP). In 1962, Seretse Khama and Quett Masire, a Kanye farmer, formed the more moderate Bechuanaland Democratic Party (BDP). They were soon joined by the chief of the Ngwaketse tribe, Bathoen II.
In 1963 all the political parties and all the important groups which were represented in the talks that took place in Bechuanaland came to unanimous agreement on the constitution which should be introduced in March 1965. The independent and self-governing constitution was intended to be one which would lead gradually to independence. During 1963, and 1964, a series of constitutional discussions took place to determine proposals for internal self government based on universal adult suffrage and a ministerial form of government. Early in 1964 the first census was conducted as a basis for delimitation of constituencies. In June 1964, Britain accepted proposals for democratic self-government in Botswana. By the end of the year voters had been registered in all the 31 constituencies the country had been divided into. In February 1965, the transfer of the country's capital from Mafeking, South Africa to Gaborone in Botswana commenced.
Towards the end of 1965 Bechuanaland sought agreement on the date for independence, and it was announced in October last that the British Government had agreed that Bechuanaland should become independent towards the end of 1966. It was accepted that steps would be taken to enable independence to be achieved by 30 September 1966.
The constitution provided Bechuanaland with a form of self-government and provided for 31 members to be elected on a common voting roll plus four elected members chosen by the Assembly itself. Her Majesty's Commissioner had special responsibility for external affairs, defence and security, and from 01 May 1966, also had discretionary powers in relation to the public services. He is, however, required to obtain the advice of the Bechuanaland 1635 Cabinet in the exercise of his responsibility, and in all other matters is required to act in accordance with the Government's advice, subject to reserve powers.
Chiefs could not be elected to the Assembly, but there was a separate House of Chiefs, which is a consultative body, particularly in relation to tribal affairs. It is interesting to note that the 1965 constitution brought about a situation in which there was a completely nonracial state in Bechuanaland where the European and the African electors had complete equality on the basis of one man one vote. This was a complete change, but it was achieved unanimously and very smoothly indeed.
Before the COntitutional proposals were debated in the Assembly and the House of Chiefs, more than 150 public meetings were arranged throughout the country at which the proposals were explained to the people, and the meeting of the House of Chiefs was postponed to permit the Chiefs to hold their own kgotlas to explain the proposals to their people. These were attended by Ministers in Bechuanaland. The proposals of the constitutional conference approved Bechuanaland's proposals subject to certain small amendments. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has been in power since the first democratic elections in 1966, and continued to draw support from a wide range of Botswana's population. Seretse Khama, a leader in the independence movement and the legitimate heir to traditional rule of the Bangwato, was elected as the first president. He was re-elected twice before his death in 1980. The presidency passed to the then sitting Vice President, Ketumile Masire, who was elected in his own right in 1984 and re-elected in 1989 and 1994. Ketumile Masire served as Botswana's second president, taking over from the late Sir Seretse Khama in July 1980 and continuing a tradition of good governance. This eloquent former journalist ruled Botswana for 18 years, during which time it became one of the richest countries in Africa.
Sir Ketumile Masire voluntarily retired from office in 1998 at the age of 72, and was succeeded by his vice president and former finance minister, Mr. Festus Mogae. Headed by President Mogae and Vice-President Ian Khama, son of the country's founder president, the ruling BDP swept to victory in the democratic election held during October 1999, securing 33 of 40 seats in the nation's Parliament. The current president H.E. Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama is serving his second and last term after being re-elected in October 2014.
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