Baitlotli Community Junior Secondary School

TODAY WE REMEMBER SIR SERETSE KHAMA

Profile of the Late Sir Seretse Khama (1921-1980), NYB, KBE, LLD, D.LITT, PHD, MP, First President of The Republic Of Botswana (30/9/66 -13/7/80)

Today, as we approach the 50th Anniversary of Botswana’s independence, we are celebrating the 95th Anniversary of the birth of our nation’s, the late Sir Seretse Khama.

At the time of independence, Seretse Khama became the leader of an impoverished and internationally obscure state. When he passed away 14 years later Botswana was a democratic and increasingly prosperous nation playing a significant role in the Southern Africa region.

Seretse Khama was born on the 1st of July 1921 at Serowe in what was then the Bangwato Tribal Reserve of the Bechuanaland Protectorate. He was the son and heir Sekgoma Khama and Tebogo (nee Kebailele). In 1923 his father succeeded his grandfather as the Kgosi or ruler of the Bangwato. His reign, as Kgosi Sekgoma II was, however, short as he died in 1925. With the death of his mother, in 1930, Seretse remained in the care of his uncle Tshekedi Khama, who ruled the Bangwato as his regent

Seretse received his higher primary and secondary education in South Africa, at two prominent mission schools, Lovedale and Tiger Kloof, before earning a Bachelor of Arts degree at Fort Hare College. Thereafter he studied law at the University of Witwatersrand and Balloil College, Oxford, before taking up further Barrister Studies at Inner Temple in London.

In June 1947, while in London, Seretse first met Ruth Williams, who was then pursuing a career in the financial sector. Their in*******al marriage in September 1948 ultimately threw the British Empire into turmoil. Initially it was uncle, Tshekedi, who ordered Seretse home to demand a divorce. But, after a series of public meetings in Serowe, Seretse was popularly recognised as Kgosi together with his wife. Tshekedi then gave way and went into self-exile.

The proclamation of a black chief with a white wife, in a territory strategically located between South Africa and the Rhodesias, caused outcry among white settler politicians. South Africa had come under the control of white Afrikaner nationalists in 1948. The then Labour Party government in Britain was desperate to secure its economic as well as political ties with the new apartheid regime. It therefore quietly agreed to bar Seretse Khama from chieftainship.

A judicial enquiry was set up to try to prove Seretse's personal unfitness to rule. But, instead it concluded that Seretse was eminently fit to rule. The Commission’s report was therefore suppressed by the British government, while Seretse and his wife were exiled to England.

The persecution of Seretse and Ruth Khama received extensive international press coverage and outrage was expressed by a wide range of people around the world. Eventually, in 1956, the British finally allowed Seretse and Ruth to return to Botswana as private citizens. What the London authorities had not expected was the political acclaim that six years exile had given him back home, where Seretse Khama was acclaimed as a nationalist hero.

The story of the persecution of Seretse and Ruth is the subject of a forthcoming major motion picture “A Unitied Kingdom”, which is scheduled to premier this coming October.

From 1957-62 Seretse Khama was involved in the reform of local and territorial Government leading to the establishment of a Legislative Council as key steps towards decolonisation. In 1962 he founded the Bechuanaland Democratic Party (BDP). With its call for reform leading to a non-racial independent republic the BDP was able to draw overwhelming support. It won the first universal franchise elections in March 1965, allowing Seretse Khama became the first prime minister of a self-governing Bechuanaland Protectorate before leading the country to full independence a year later.

At independence Botswana was entirely surrounded by white racist regimes. It was, therefore, widely but falsely assumed that the country had no option but to sell-out to its neighbours, South Africa (including South-West Africa) and Southern Rhodesia.

The new government, moreover, could not cover the costs of administration from taxes, and was continually indebted to Britain. The first task was to lay the groundwork for an export-oriented economy, based on beef processing and copper and diamond mining.

Between 1966 and 1980 Botswana had the fastest growing economy in the world. It also came to be seen a remarkable state with high principles, upholding liberal democracy and non-racialism in the midst of a region embroiled in civil war, racial enmity and corruption. State mineral revenues were invested in infrastructural development, education and health, and in subsidies to cattle production. The result was a great increase in general prosperity, in rural as well as urban areas.

Seretse Khama also used his unique authority to develop local democracy and curtail the powers of traditional chiefs, to develop citizen administrative capacity without over-bureaucratization, and to promote the rule of law in the operations of the state.

As Botswana progressed, Seretse Khama was also able to turn more of his attention to foreign policy, finding key early allies in Presidents Kaunda of Zambia Nyerere of Tanzania. In his final decade he played and increasingly prominent role as a Pan African statesman. He was one of the "Front-Line Presidents" who negotiated the future of Zimbabwe and Namibia. In the face of the terrorist activities of the Smith regime in particular, the Botswana Defence Force was created to guard Botswana’s borders, protecting growing numbers of refugees as well as the citizenry.

During this period Seretse Khama articulated a clear vision of the future of Southern Africa after colonialism and apartheid, as a peaceful, democratic and prosperous region. He was thus the key founder of what has since become the Southern African Development Community.

The rigours of constant travel for international negotiations, leading up to the independence of Zimbabwe, finally exhausted Seretse Khama. But he had the final satisfaction of witnessing both the independence of Zimbabwe in March 1980 and the launching of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference in April, before his death on the 13th July 1980.

Khama is fondly remembered for his intelligence, integrity, and sense of humour. Of his lasting legacy it can said that the perpetual democracy, socio-economic development, political stability and unity that Batswana experience today are what Sir Seretse Khama always stood for.

KHAMA GRANTS 10 YEAR OLD KAO PRESIDENTIAL AMBITIONS

The 10 year- old -Kao Moremong’s desire to become President of the Republic of Botswana rather came earlier than expected on Friday June 3 when President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama gave her the honor to take his place at a ceremony held in Sojwe to celebrate the 600th milestone of the Presidential housing appeal. Although the top position in the land only lasted for a while, for Kao it was a day she will never forget in her entire life.

Kao together with her friends raised P2,000 as their contribution towards the housing appeal initiative and the money was used to buy Ms Mmamphake Tshobowe clothing items and kitchen utensils. Ms Tshobowe is the 600th beneficiary of a house constructed under the initiative. When presenting the donation before President Khama and the multitudes of people who had come to celebrate the milestone, Kao used the opportunity to express her wish to become president and asked them to rally behind her in support.

Upon hearing her persistent desire to be President one day, President Khama was moved by the dream of the young girl. He then honored her by giving her an opportunity to occupy his seat at the top table, a gesture that she enjoyed for the rest of the proceedings. Kao also got to wave to the crowd as she temporarily wore the crown of power, authority and admiration on the President’s chair. Not only that, “Her Excellency” got to cut the ribbon of the 600th house and planted trees for the beneficiary alongside President Khama.

Overwhelmed with excitement, Kao said, “I will never forget this day.” Her story would perhaps be a lesson to other young people that if you badly want something, it gravitates towards you. Whether Kao will become president, only time will tell. Her wish to become president was motivated by President Khama’s philanthropic deeds towards fellow citizens. Consequently, when she was asked to write a composition last year about what she would like to become she then saw an opportunity to express her future ambition of becoming president. She scored nine out of 10 in that composition.

Kao says she took the composition to the President’s office before his birthday and read it out to him and gave him a birthday card. The President, she said responded by saying, “If I keep on working hard I will become a president.”
Those words have since shaped the little girl’s world in a whole new dimension.

Quizzed about her daughter’s bold ambition, her mother Ms Kaelo Moremong said that the young girl has always demonstrated leadership qualities from an early age. She also said that her daughter was inquisitive about everything and had big aspirations to be an influential person. Her mother further said that after visiting the President at his office, she came home and told her, “Mummy you have made my day.” Ever since then, there has been a remarkable improvement in her academic performance and generally the way she carries herself around other people.

The mother intends to start a charitable foundation for her daughter since she likes sharing and giving to others.

INTERPRETATION OF COAT OF ARMS

Three wavy blue bands in the centre representing Botswana's reliance on water.

Three cog-wheels in mesh representing Industry.

At the base a bull's head symbolising the cattle industry.

Two Zebras, one supporting an Elephant's tusk,representing the natural fauna of the country.

A head of sorghum representing Agriculture.

The motto "P**a" means "let there be rain".

Botswana’s Golden Boy: John Mwangi Gitonga “If you can see it in your mind you can surely see it in your hands” – John M. Gitonga.