01 Jul 2019

Botswana’s founding leader Sir Seretse Khama held close to his heart the ideal of peace, Kagisano and the fundamental principle of unity, popagano ya setshaba.

The late iconic statesman believed these two concepts amongst others could hold his people together when they threatened to break apart.

Sir Seretse Khama’s unwavering commitment to unity and Kagisanyo earned him the adoration of his own nation and the rest of the world. He had always advocated for a united world.

During the ninth conference of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in Molepolole Sir Seretse Khama said unity in Botswana, if it was to be enduring, must be based on recognition of the fact that Botswana was a nation made up of different races and tribes.

“I have also argued that there must be room for different political views, providing our fundamental principles are not undermined. In the same way within Africa and the rest of the world as a whole there must be room for diversity in political viewpoints,” he said.

He noted that Botswana in common with other African nations would make progress towards the ultimate goal of world unity if it made clear its conviction that differences in ideology must not be allowed to plunge the world into chaos and war.

He reiterated his stance in Maun during the tenth-anniversary conference in 1971 that Botswana was indeed blessed with peace.

“ Now Batswana can often be heard to boast’ we are a peaceful people’. There is a tendency to congratulate ourselves rather smugly on avoiding the instability and tension which has occurred elsewhere in the world. It is true that we have been blessed with peace.

But to some extent, the calm of the past fifty years or so has been that of a stagnant pool. Changes did, of course, take place during the period of the protectorate. No society stands still and we were profoundly affected by developments in neighboring territories,” he said.

He emphasized that his party would not uphold the ideal of Kagisanyo if it was lulled into inactivity in the face of the challenge of development. He told them to ensure that BDP be a national party that represented the aspirations of all the people of Botswana.

“We are often accused by our opponents of seeking to create a one-party state.

I want to repeat formally that we have no such intention. Such arrangement may well be perfectly suited for other African countries, but in view of the BDP it would not provide Botswana with the political framework we need to preserve and implement our principles and further develop our national ethic.

Unity in Botswana will not be achieved by legislation but by consultation and consensus. Our national unity will be stronger if it remains based on diversity, mutual tolerance and consent,” he said.

Ten years after independence Seretse Khama told the nation his aspirations of a united and peaceful nation.

At the tenth anniversary celebrations in Gaborone in 1976, he explained that Botswana was a democratic country founded on the ideal of kagisano- harmony.
 

“This ideal is neither foreign nor new. It is rooted in our past- in our culture and traditions. On the whole, the past generations of Batswana always lived together in peace and harmony.

The sense of community and the spirit of mutual belonging which continue to pervade our generation are some of the most cherished legacies of our past,” he said.

Seretse has been credited with creating a nonracial society in the heart of racism and apartheid. Batswana of different cultural backgrounds and racial origins learning to live together in the true spirit of kagisano giving no room to the racist belief that there can be no harmony among people of different races, cultures and colour.

He inherited an impoverished nation from British rule and left it as a democratic and rapidly prosperous state.
Seretse became part of the history of this nation. In 1961 he saw the foundation of his party the BDP. In 1965 he led the country to self-governance after the BDP’s sweeping electoral victory that year.
That was followed by independence in 1966.1969 saw the return of the party in the first general election and has laid a firm grip to state power up to date.

Overcoming political resistance to his interracial marriage, he became the country’s first post-colonial leader and served from 1966 to his death on July 1980.

Seretse was born in Serowe on July 1, 1921. His grandfather, Khama III was paramount chief of the Bangwato.

The latter had traveled to London in 1885 leading a delegation which asked for Crown protection to be given to Bechuanaland, foiling the empire building ambitions of Cecil Rhodes and incursion of Boers. Seretse is the father to Botswana’s fourth president Lt Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

He is best remembered as an eloquent orator full of good humour. He also attracted affection from across the borders making close friends to the likes of Dr Kenneth Kaunda and Mwalimu Julius Nyerere among others.

He also had a role to play as one of the founding presidents of the ‘Frontline States’ negotiating the future of some of the countries in the region.

Seretse was gratified to witness the independence of Zimbabwe in March 1980 and the launch of the Southern African Development Coordination Conference (SADCC) in April before he took his last breath on the 13th of July same year.  ENDS