History History

The San (or Bushmen), then the Khoi (Hottentots) arrive in the Kalahari. The San way of life is typical of the nomadic hunter-gatherer, highly adapted to the harsh environment of the arid lands of this area. The Khoi, on the other hand, are more likely to be associated with livestock.

Arrival of the first Bantu-speaking farmers and pastoralists. Under the influence of these peoples from Ethiopia and West Africa, agriculture and animal husbandry became widespread among the San and Khoi thanks to the importation of iron tools

The Bantu peoples settled in successive waves. Both breeders and farmers, they are stronger and larger than the Khoisan, probably because they are better fed. They dominate in war the peoples still settled in the stone age. However, with certain ethnic groups, cohabitation is peaceful and based on mutual exchange. Mixed marriages are even frequent.

The Tswana people reached Botswana and the Transvaal. Conflicts between dynasties, often linked to periods of drought and therefore the need for expansion, gave rise to a series of splits and migrations. Three Tswana tribes emerged: the Bakgalagadi, the Batswana and the Basotho. The first ones left to settle in the west of the Transvaal and in the east of the current Botswana, on the edge of the Kalahari. The others occupied the east and centre of the Transvaal as well as the region corresponding to present-day Magaliesburg. Later, the Basotho migrated again and settled in the Drakensberg Mountains, the Orange Free State and the south-western Transvaal where they are still found today.

The increase in population and the succession of droughts led to new tribal conflicts. In addition, the aggressive expansion of the Cape Colony to the south-west and the strong development of trading posts (slaves, gold and ivory) on the coast of present-day Mozambique aggravated the tensions between rival peoples. Thus, in 1818, the Difaquan or "dispersal" wars were started by the Zulu king Shaka I. The Tswana tribes then fled from the north of South Africa to gradually settle in Botswana, and established their power over the whole territory, at the expense of the other peoples living in the region.

From 1820, British Protestant missionaries settled among the local populations. They peacefully converted the tribal chiefs who then spread the Christian religion among their people. To the detriment of the local culture, the missionaries brought their know-how by building schools and dispensaries, and by introducing modern agriculture. Having considerable political influence, they helped the tribal chiefs to obtain British protection against the advance of the Boers from the Transvaal, which was becoming increasingly oppressive for the Tswana

A Scottish doctor, Protestant missionary and explorer, David Livingstone first arrived in Bechuanaland in 1841 at the request of Robert Moffat, also a member of the London Missionary Society, with the primary objective of evangelizing the people. After marrying Moffat's daughter Mary in 1845, Livingstone settled among the Bakwena and baptized their king Sechele (1829-1892). He also rubbed shoulders with the Bamangwato of the Ngwato dynasty then settled in Shoshong. He thus established friendly relations with the tribes, observed their customs and created Bible schools. Moving north to found new missions, he explored lands little known to Europeans. In 1849, he left on an expedition to Lake Ngami, then to the Victoria Falls, and did not return to evangelize Botswana. He died on May^1, 1873 of dysentery on the shores of Lake Bangwelo, in present-day Zambia.

Botswana is declared a protectorate of Bechuanaland and its present boundaries are broadly defined. The suspicious Tswana chiefs negotiate that the British government shall not influence their laws and authority in any way. Similarly, none of the Tswana territories could be sold. Once these conditions were agreed upon, administrative procedures were implemented, including the introduction of a hut tax to be paid in exchange for the British management of the protectorate. This form of taxation had a significant impact on the daily life of the inhabitants and brought about many social and economic changes. In order to pay this fee and also to earn cash to buy western products, the men went to work in the South African mines, leaving their wives, parents and children to look after the livestock. At the same time, the local chiefs became richer as they received 10% of the revenue from the collection of the tax.

Wealthy businessman and English politician, Cecil Rhodes planned to colonize Bechuanaland and the current Zimbabwe, with the aim of creating a great British Africa. In 1888, he was part of the De Beers consortium, owned part of the Kimberley mine (South Africa) and in 1889, in order to establish his plan, founded the British South Africa Company (BSAC), whose aim was to get his hands on the region's mineral wealth. As Prime Minister of the Cape Colony in South Africa from 1890 to 1896, he influenced the British crown to annex some territories of Bechuanaland and exploit its wealth, but this attempt ended in failure, and was opposed by the Tswana chiefs. However, economic interests could not be abandoned, so the British government eventually ceded to Rhodes the exploitation of some of the lands that were diplomatically called the Crown Blocks, notably those of the Tuli Block. The blocks of Gaborone, Tati, Ghanzi and Lobatse remained under the control of the Protectorate.

While much wealth was being discovered in the region, England passed a law authorizing companies and individuals to colonize the territories where African chiefs ceded concessions. Rhodes, who wanted to get his hands on Bechuanaland for many reasons, negotiated with the British government to annex the protectorate to the BSAC. The latter agreed on condition that the Botswana chiefs agreed to the project

The Tswana chiefs sent several petitions against this project to the Queen, which remained without response. They then decided to go to London to plead their case to the government. When they failed, they went on a campaign around England to rally public opinion to their request. Influential businessmen, seeing the risk of a costly war in the colony, sided with them. Fearing a political setback at the next elections, the government agreed to their request, while negotiating for the BSAC the construction of a railway to Rhodesia and new taxation to finance the protectorate

After the 1895 campaign, Khama the Great established his authority over the country. With his conversion to Christianity and his good understanding with the authorities of the protectorate, his influence grew. The capital of the Bamangwato is transferred from Palapye to Serowe. From his new capital, Khama continues to administer his people and remains vigilant to the fate that England reserves for his protectorate.

Creation of the Union of South Africa. Among other things, England wanted to include Bechuanaland in this union, which the Tswana chiefs categorically refused. The Tswana chiefs, aware of the difficult fate of the Botswana people working there and the segregationist policy that was being implemented, once again fought for their political autonomy and fiercely resisted this new desire to subjugate them.

With Chief Khama the Great gone, it was the son of a second marriage, Tshekedi Khama, who took the regency of the Bamangwato people. Indeed, his grandson Seretse, although a legitimate chief, was only four years old.

Temporary heir to the throne of the Bamangwato tribe after the death of Khama the Great, Tshekedi Khama was a pragmatic and wise ruler. With an emphasis on education and the public good, he promoted the construction of primary schools and sent young people to South Africa for education. In the course of time, several primary schools were opened and a college was established. Tshekedi found a remarkable balance between the cultural heritage of the Botswana people and Western culture. In addition, Tshekedi imposed a rule at Serowe College that was unheard of in southern Africa: equal treatment of white and black teachers who shared the same facilities. At a time when the Union of South Africa was moving towards apartheid and America was still in the throes of segregation, Botswana was imposing racial equality in its education system. However, the announcement of Seretse's marriage to an Englishwoman upset him and he strongly opposed it. The British government took a dim view of the union and ousted him from power, replacing him with a chief of its own choosing

To prepare him for his task as a leader, Tshekedi sends his nephew to receive the best possible education abroad, in London and Oxford in particular. One year, he is surprised to receive a letter informing him of his plan to marry an Englishwoman, Ruth Williams. Not accepting this project, Tshekedi explains to his nephew that as a future chief, he must put the interests of his people before his own. Seretse opposes and evokes the right to marry whom he wishes. However, the British government subtly intervened in this story and declared Seretse unfit for the chieftainship, exiling him for six years, while inviting him to London. The British also banished Tshekedi and replaced him with a chief of their choice. The Bamangwato, as usual, resisted peacefully, campaigning in England and refusing to pay taxes. But they were then subjected to a wave of severe repression by the British authorities

Tshekedi and Seretse met again in London and settled their dispute. Seretse was then able to return to Botswana, agreeing not to take the chieftainship. He was triumphantly welcomed back with his wife and children on 26 September

Creation of the Bechuanaland People's Party (BPP), with nationalist aims. KT Motsetse was the founding chairman and later wrote the national anthem, Blessed Be These Noble Lands. The BPP immediately demanded independence, pointing out that the British administration had made no attempt to develop Bechuanaland during its protectorate.

Seretse Khama founded the Botswana Democratic Party and was appointed its chairman. This more moderate party aims to establish a democratic, multi-racial society with a multi-party political system.

Constitutional talks were held, initiating the process of independence. In July, the Lobatse Agreement provided for Bechuanaland's autonomy, including the election of a National Assembly and the formation of an executive cabinet. The capital was moved from Mafikeng in South Africa to Gaborone in the Eastern Corridor.

In March, very peaceful elections were held on the basis of the 1963 Constitution. The BDP won 28 of the 31 seats in the National Assembly and Seretse Khama became the first elected Prime Minister of the first government of Botswana. He then immediately applied for independence

Decided at the London Constitutional Conference a few months earlier, Bechuanaland's independence was officially proclaimed on 30 September 1966. On the same day, Seretse Khama, elected as the first President of the Republic, was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II of England. The republic then took the name of Botswana.

Born into the Bamangwato royal family, Seretse Khama was not only the political leader who guided Botswana to and from independence in 1966, but also a pioneer in social welfare and a great promoter of human rights. Founder of the Bechuanaland Democratic Party, Seretse Khama built an almost exemplary political and economic model at independence. While the country was one of the poorest in the world, he organized an economic revival based on the export of beef and copper. The discovery of the Orapa diamonds in 1967 also greatly favoured his programme. Until his death in 1980, Seretse Khama tried to lead the country according to his principles: equality of men and welfare state.

Discovery of the first diamond deposits at Orapa. Botswana, then a relatively undeveloped country, embarks on a rapid economic transformation. It goes from being one of the poorest nations in the world to one of the richest states on the African continent

Creation of a new currency, the Pula, which replaces the South African Rand. At the same time, Ian Khama, Seretse's eldest son, was made Kgosi (chief) of the Bangwato tribe.

Death of Sir Seretse Khama. He was replaced by the Vice-President, Quett Masire, who was returned to power several times until 1994. The BDP continues to hold a majority in Parliament. Botswana experienced rapid economic growth.

President Quette Masire resigns due to age; Festus Mogae, former Vice President and Minister of Finance, acts as interim President until the next elections in 1999, when he is elected President

According to the United Nations, the country has the highest rate of adults with AIDS in the world: 36%, or one in four working people. In December, President Mogae launched a vast HIV prevention programme.

Parliamentary and presidential elections. The BDP won its ninth consecutive victory, taking 44 of the 57 seats in the National Assembly. President Mogae was re-elected.

Historic court ruling in favor of the San against the government that must respect their rights to live, hunt and gather on Kalahari land.

Parliamentary and presidential elections. Ian Seretse Khama, who took over the presidency in 2008 after the planned resignation of Festus Mogae, was elected with an absolute majority of the BDP.

The son of Seretse Khama, who liberated the country from the British protectorate in 1966, he has been chief of the Bamangwato tribe, one of the largest of the eight Tswana tribes, since 1979. After serving as commander of the Botswana Defence Forces, he was elected head of state in 2008 and became the fourth president of the Republic. A symbol of miscegenation and leader of the Botswana Democratic Party, founded by his father, he was re-elected in October 2014 for a second term. The election saw the largest number of seats won by the opposition since the country gained independence in 1966. The BDP won only 37 of the 57 seats in parliament, about ten fewer than in 2009. With the Botswana Constitution limiting the maximum term of a sitting president to ten years, Ian Khama resigned in 2018. He was replaced by his vice president Mokgweetsi Masisi, who was elected in 2019 by the National Assembly. Following the authorization of elephant hunting, he tore up his BDP membership card in the middle of the election campaign and created a new party, the Botswana Patriotic Front. The latter, chaired by Biggie Butale, won only three seats in the National Assembly in the 2019 general election.

A court ruling, after a landmark tribunal, finds the government's treatment of Bushmen to be "degrading" and unconstitutional, giving Bushmen access to running water in the Kalahari Game Reserve.

The ruling BDP is celebrating its 50th anniversary. In an attempt to curb this political domination, three opposition parties decided to make common cause by creating the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).

Despite a stronger opposition, the BDP once again won the parliamentary elections, taking 37 of the 57 contested parliamentary seats. This victory allows the incumbent president Ian Khama to be re-elected for five years.

After a decade in power, President Ian Khama handed over to Vice-President Mokgweetsi Masisi. The following year, the BDP won the parliamentary elections with an absolute majority, which allowed Mokgweetsi Masisi to be confirmed as president.

One of the world's largest diamonds, 1,758 carats, was discovered in the Karowe mine by Canadian Lucara Diamond. Named sewelô, which means "rare discovery" in Setswana, it has been purchased by the luxury goods company Louis Vuitton.

The Botswana Court of Justice decriminalized homosexuality, which had been punishable by up to seven years in prison since 1965. This historic judgment was hailed internationally, particularly on the African continent where homosexuality is mostly forbidden. In October 2021, the government of Botswana appealed the decision, but the court rejected the request and confirmed the decriminalization in the country.

The first cases of coronavirus are declared in the country on March 30, 2020. Botswana protects itself and closes its borders. It is little affected by the virus unlike its neighbor, South Africa. In December, 14,877 cases were reported, including 42 deaths.

Diamond producer Debswana announced on June 1 the discovery of a 1098-carat diamond, one of the largest in the world, in the Jwaneng mine. Ten days later, the Canadian company Lucara unearthed a 1174-carat diamond in the Karoy mine, which is now considered the^third largest in the world