28 Jun 2021

“We recognise that democracy is part of the way of life of the people of this country and we intend to do all we can to ensure that it remains so. For to do otherwise, would be to do a grave disservice to our people and our country.” On the country’s independence celebrations September 1974

“People speak of capitalism and socialism but neither of these two terms has a great deal of meaning….rather than engage in theoretical discussions about whether we are moving to capitalism or socialism, it is more portable to promote constructive debates within the framework of the four generally accepted national principles of Democracy, Development, Self-Reliance and Unity.” Addressing one of the Parliament sessions in 1970

“Democracy, like a little plant, does not grow or develop on its own. It must be nursed and nurtured if it is to grow and flourish. It must be believed in and practiced if it is to be appreciated. And it must be fought for and defended if it is to survive. Opening of the fifth session of Botswana’s third National Assembly in November 1978.

“It is not enough to vote every four years and leave everything to politicians and civil servants in between . . . It is essential that the people, including the workers, should at all times be able and ready, not only to put their views to government but to make an active and constructive contribution to building our nation.” On laying the cornerstone of the Botswana Trade Union Education Centre, July 10, 1971.

 “The various nations of the African Continent may very well envisaged the ideal of the United Africa, but the vastness alone of the continent suggests an interest diversity of view, attitudes and consequently different methods of attaining this idea, hence the need to acknowledge the existence of differences which must be appreciated for better mutual understanding.” On regional integration meeting in 1968

“We in Botswana are a young nation lately born, seeking first and foremost to shape our destiny, to shoulder our responsibilities and improve the socio-economic condition of our people; to work towards a viable economy and the fulfilment of our hopes and aspirations, making this country a better place to live in.” (1968)

“The aims and objectives of our different political parties are in the final analysis unmistakably the same to help Batswana get the best out of life, sometimes it appears a bit ridiculous that we should be having so many political parties, but ‘mmualebe o bua la gagwe’ we shall run along with this kind of political system.” Addressing Oodi residents in October 1974

“…The basis of our co-operation, built on concrete projects and specific programmes rather than on grandiose schemes and massive bureaucratic institutions, must be the assured mutual advantage of all participating states.”  Lusaka SADCC summit April 1980

“African unity must be a result of a common awareness on the part of the people of Africa as a whole of their common interest and destiny. For such spirit of brotherhood and oneness to develop amongst the people of Africa will take some time. Those of our critics who think that African unity is impossible are thus over-pessimistic while those who expected African unity to be achieved within the first ten years of the OAU’s existence clearly expected too much too soon.” On the country’s 7^th independence anniversary September 1973 

“We are a poor country and we desperately need that measure of investment in agriculture, commerce and industry which will enable us to increase our national wealth and so raise the standard of living of all our people.” 1967

“It should be our intention to try to retrieve what we can of our past. We should write our own history books to prove that we did have a past and that it was a past that was just as worth writing and learning about as any other. We must do this for the simple reason that a nation without a past is a lost nation, and a people without a past is a people without a soul.” 

On the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland graduation ceremony May 1970.