Back Seretse Khama Afrikaans سيريتسي خاما Arabic سيريتسى خاما ARZ Seretse Khama AST Серэтсэ Кхама Byelorussian Сэрэтсэ Кхама BE-X-OLD Seretse Khama Breton Seretse Khama Czech Seretse Khama Danish Seretse Khama German
His Excellency Sir Seretse Khama | |
|---|---|
 Khama in 1965 | |
| 1st President of Botswana | |
| In office 30 September 1966 – 13 July 1980 | |
| Vice President | Quett Masire |
| Preceded by | Himself as Prime Minister[1] |
| Succeeded by | Quett Masire |
| 1st Prime Minister of Bechuanaland | |
| In office 3 March 1965 – 30 September 1966 | |
| Monarch | Elizabeth II |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Himself as President[1] |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama 1 July 1921 Serowe, Bechuanaland Protectorate |
| Died | 13 July 1980 (aged 59) Gaborone, Botswana |
| Resting place | Royal Cemetery, Serowe, Botswana |
| Nationality | Botswana |
| Political party | Botswana Democratic Party |
| Spouse | |
| Children |
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| Alma mater | |
| Profession | Barrister |
Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, GCB, KBE (1 July 1921 – 13 July 1980) was a Botswana politician who served as the first President of Botswana, a post he held from 1966 to his death in 1980.[2][3][4]
Born into an influential royal family of what was then the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, he was educated abroad in the neighbouring country of South Africa[3] and then in the United Kingdom.[3] While in Britain, he married an Englishwoman named Ruth Williams, a decision opposed by the white-minority government of South Africa and which led to a controversy resulting in the British government making him stay in England in exile so as to not sour U.K.-South African relations.
After the end of his exile, Khama led his country's independence movement and the transition from British rule into an independent nation. He founded the Botswana Democratic Party in 1962 and became Prime Minister in 1965. In 1966, Botswana gained independence and Khama was elected as its first president.[5] During his presidency, the country underwent rapid economic and social progress.[6] Khama served as President until his death in 1980, and was succeeded in office by Quett Masire. His son, Ian Khama, served as Botswana's fourth president from 2008 to 2018.[7]
- ^ a b The President and Vice President. Chapter 4, Part I, Constitution of Botswana
- ^ "Sir Seretse Khama | president of Botswana | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ a b c Ramsay, Jeff (1 July 2021). "Seretse Khama Centenary: A profile of our first president". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 22 May 2022.
- ^ Henderson, Willie (January 1990). "Seretse Khama: A Personal Appreciation". African Affairs. 89 (354): 27–56. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.afraf.a098278. ISSN 1468-2621.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "The Presidency – Republic of South Africa". Archived from the original on 20 July 2009.
- ^ "Botswana issues arrest warrant for ex-President Ian Khama". AP NEWS. 2 January 2023. Retrieved 16 June 2023.