Seretse II
| Seretse Khama | |
|---|---|
Sir Seretse Khama, KBE
|
|
| 1st President of Botswana | |
|
In office 30 September 1966 – 13 July 1980 |
|
| Vice President | Quett Masire |
| Preceded by | Himself as Prime Minister |
| Succeeded by | Quett Masire |
| 1st Prime Minister of Botswana | |
|
In office 3 March 1965 – 30 September 1966 |
|
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Himself as President |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama 1 July 1921 Serowe, Bechuanaland |
| Died | 13 July 1980 (aged 59) Gaborone, Botswana |
| Resting place | Royal Cemetery Serowe, Botswana |
| Nationality | Botswana |
| Political party | Botswana Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) |
Ruth Williams Khama (1948–1980; his death) |
| Alma mater |
University of Fort Hare Balliol College, Oxford |
| Profession | Barrister |
Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, GCB, KBE (1 July 1921 – 13 July 1980) was the first President of Botswana, in office from 1966 to 1980.
Born into one of the most powerful of the royal families of what was then the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, he was educated abroad in neighbouring South Africa and in the United Kingdom. He married a British woman, Ruth Williams, who initially was controversial because of her English ancestry. She became popular among his people. Khama led his country's independence movement.
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. During his presidency, the country underwent rapid economic and social progress.
Seretse Khama was born in 1921 in Serowe, in what was then the Bechuanaland Protectorate. He was the son of Queen Tebogo and Sekgoma Khama II, the paramount chief of the Bamangwato people, and the grandson of Khama III, their king. The name "Seretse" means “the clay that binds". He was named this to celebrate the recent reconciliation of his father and grandfather; this reconciliation assured Seretse’s own ascension to the throne with his aged father’s death in 1925. At the age of 4, Seretse became kgosi (king), with his uncle Tshekedi Khama as his regent and guardian.
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