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The Batswana
(plural of "Motswana"), a term also
used to denote all citizens of Botswana, refers
to the country's major ethnic group (called the
"Tswana" in South Africa). Prior to
European contact, the Batswana lived as herders
and farmers under tribal rule.
In the late
19th century, hostilities broke out between the
Shona inhabitants of Batswana and Ndebele tribes
who were migrating into the territory from the
Kalahari Desert. Tensions also escalated with
the Boer settlers from the Transvaal. After appeals
by the Batswana leaders Khama III, Bathoen and
Sebele for assistance, the British Government
on March 31, 1885 put "Bechuanaland"
under its protection. The northern territory remained
under direct administration as the Bechuanaland
Protectorate and is today's Botswana, while the
southern territory became part of the Cape Colony
and is now part of the northwest province of South
Africa; the majority of Setswana-speaking people
today live in South Africa.
When the
Union of South Africa was formed in 1910 out of
the main British colonies in the region, the Bechuanaland
Protectorate, Basutoland (now Lesotho), and Swaziland
(the "High Commission Territories")
were not included, but provision was made for
their later incorporation. However, a vague undertaking
was given to consult their inhabitants, and although
successive South African governments sought to
have the territories transferred, Britain kept
delaying, and it never occurred. The election
of the National Party government in 1948, which
instituted apartheid, and South Africa's withdrawal
from the Commonwealth in 1961, ended any prospect
of incorporation of the territories into South
Africa.
An expansion
of British central authority and the evolution
of tribal government resulted in the 1920 establishment
of two advisory councils representing Africans
and Europeans. Proclamations in 1934 regularized
tribal rule and powers. A European-African advisory
council was formed in 1951, and the 1961 constitution
established a consultative legislative council.
In June
1964, Britain accepted proposals for democratic
self-government in Botswana. The seat of government
was moved from Mafikeng in South Africa, to newly
established Gaborone in 1965. The 1965 constitution
led to the first general elections and to independence
on September 30, 1966. Seretse Khama, a leader
in the independence movement and the legitimate
claimant to the Ngwato chiefship, was elected
as the first president, re-elected twice, and
died in office in 1980. The presidency passed
to the sitting vice president, Ketumile Masire,
who was elected in his own right in 1984 and re-elected
in 1989 and 1994. Masire retired from office in
1998. The presidency passed to the sitting vice
president, Festus Mogae, who was elected in his
own right in 1999 and re-elected in 2004.
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