Botswana
 

21 May 1884 - 30 Sep 1966	1907 - 1931  flag of the High Commissioner	1931 - 30 Sep 1966  flag of the High Commissioner
Adopted 30 Sep 1966

Map of Botswana Hear National Anthem "Fatshe leno la rona" (Blessed Be This Noble Land) Text of National Anthem Adopted 30 Sep 1966 Constitution (30 Sep 1966) Capital: Gaborone (Gaberones Feb 1965-Dec 1969; Mafeking 1885-Feb 1965) Currency: Pula (BWP); 1961-1976 South African Rand (ZAR) National Holiday: 30 Sep (1966)  Independence Day (Botswana Day) Population: 2,249,104 (2018) GDP: $39.01 billion (2017) Exports: $5.93 billion (2017) Imports: $5.00 billion (2017) Ethnic groups: Tswana (or Setswana) 66.8%, Kalanga 14.8%, Ndebele 1.7%, Herero 1.4%, San (Bushman) 1.3%, white 1.3% (2000) Total Active Armed Forces: 24,000 (2018) Merchant marine: None (2017) Religions: Christian 79.1%, Badimo 4.1%, other 1.4%  (includes Baha'i, Hindu, Muslim, Rastafarian), none 15.2%,  unspecified 0.3% (2011) International Organizations/Treaties: ACP, AfCFTA, AfDB, APM, AU, BTWC, C, CCM, CD, CTBT, CWC, ESCR, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICRM, ICSID, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, IRENA, ISA, ISO, ITSO, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, NPT, NTBT, OPCW, OST (signatory), SACU, SADC, UN, UNCLOS, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFCC, UNFCC-KP, UNFCC-PA, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Botswana Index Chronology 21 May 1884                British protectorate (Bechuanaland).  1 Sep 1885                Area south of the Molopo River becomes a                               crown colony (see under South Africa).  9 May 1891 -  3 Oct 1963  Part of the High Commission Territories.  1 Aug 1964                Bechuanaland colony  3 Mar 1965                Self-rule achieved. 30 Sep 1966                Independence from Britain (Republic of Botswana). Traditional States Tati District (1893-1965) High Commission Territory of Southern Africa (1884-1964)

Deputy Commissioners
Apr 1884 - 30 Jul 1884     John Mackenzie (1st time)          (b. 1835 - d. 1899)
30 Jul 1884 - Sep 1884     Cecil John Rhodes (acting)         (b. 1853 - d. 1902)
1884 - Jan 1885            John Mackenzie (2nd time)          (s.a.)
Special Commissioners
23 Jan 1885 - 24 Sep 1885  Sir Charles Warren                 (b. 1840 - d. 1927)
24 Sep 1885 - 30 Sep 1885  Frederick Carrington               (b. 1844 - d. 1913)
Administrator
 1 Oct 1885 -  9 May 1891  Sidney Godolphin Alexander         (b. 1837 - d. 1901)
                             Shippard (from 21 Jun 1887, Sir 
                             Sidney Godolphin Alexander Shippard)
Resident Commissioners
(subordinated to the High Commissioner for South Africa to 3 Oct 1963)
 9 May 1891 - 19 Nov 1895  Sir Sidney Godolphin Alexander     (s.a.)
                             Shippard 
19 Nov 1895 - 21 Dec 1897  Francis James Newton               (b. 1857 - d. 1948)
21 Dec 1897 - 1900         Hamilton John Goold-Adams          (b. 1858 - d. 1920)
Aug 1900 - 28 Sep 1900     William Henry Surmon (acting)      (b. 1835 - d. 1900)
Jan 1901 - 1906            Sir Ralph Champneys Williams       (b. 1848 - d. 1927)
1906 - 1916                Francis William Panzera            (b. 1851 - d. 1917)
May 1916 - 1917            Edward Charles Frederick Garraway  (b. 1865 - d. 1932)
1917 - 1920                James Comyn MacGregor (1st time)   (b. 1861 - d. 1935)
1920                       Jules E. Ellenberger (1st time)    (b. 1871 - d. 1973)
                             (acting)
1920 - 1923                James Comyn MacGregor (2nd time)   (s.a.)
                             (from 25 Jul 1923, Sir James Comyn Macgregor)
1923 - 1926                Jules E. Ellenberger (2nd time)    (s.a.)
1926                       Rowland Mortimer Daniel (1st time) (b. 1873 - d. 1957)
                             (acting)
1926 - 1927                Jules E. Ellenberger (3rd time)    (s.a.)
1927 - 1930                Rowland Mortimer Daniel (2nd time) (s.a.)
                             (acting)
1930 - Sep 1937            Charles Fernand Rey                (b. 1877 - d. 1968)
                             (from 1 Jan 1932, Sir Charles Fernand Rey) 
1937 - Aug 1942            Charles Noble Arden Clarke         (b. 1898 - d. 1962)
Aug 1942 - Nov 1946        Aubrey Denzil Forsyth Thomson      (b. 1897 - d. 1982)
1946 - 1950                Anthony Sillery                    (b. 1903 - d. 1976)
Nov 1950 - 1953            Edward Betham Beetham              (b. 1905 - d. 1979)
1953 - Sep 1955            William Forbes Mackenzie           (b. 1907 - d. 1980)
Oct 1955 - 1959            Martin Osterfield Wray             (b. 1912 - d. 1991)
15 Jan 1959 - 1963         Sir John Primatt Redcliffe Maud    (b. 1906 - d. 1982)
Commissioners
16 Oct 1963 - May 1965     Robert Peter Fawcus                (s.a.)
                             (from 13 Jun 1964, Sir Robert Peter Fawcus) 
May 1965 - 16 Jul 1965     Arthur John Alexander Douglas      (b. 1920 - d. 1995)
                             (acting)
16 Jul 1965 - 30 Sep 1966  Hugh Selby Norman-Walker           (b. 1916 - d. 1985)
                             (from 1 Jan 1966, Sir Hugh Selby Norman-Walker)
Presidents
30 Sep 1966 - 13 Jul 1980  Sir Seretse Khama                  (b. 1921 - d. 1980)  BDP
13 Jul 1980 - 31 Mar 1998  Quett Ketumile Joni Masire         (b. 1925 - d. 2017)  BDP
                             (from 4 Dec 1991, Sir Ketumile Masire)
                             (acting to 18 Jul 1980)
 1 Apr 1998 - 31 Mar 2008  Festus Gontebanye Mogae            (b. 1939)            BDP
 1 Apr 2008 - 31 Mar 2018  Seretse Khama Ian Khama            (b. 1953)            BDP
 1 Apr 2018 - 31 Oct 2024  Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi   (b. 1962)            BDP
 1 Nov 2024 -              Duma Gideon Boko                   (b. 1969)            BNF+UDC

Prime minister
 3 Mar 1965 - 30 Sep 1966  Seretse Khama                      (s.a.)               BDP
                             (from 23 Sep 1966, Sir Seretse Khama) 

Assistant Commissioners for the Northern Protectorate
(at Old Palapye, from 1903/04 at Francistown)
1892 - 1895                John Smith Moffat                  (b. 1835 - d. 1918)
1895 - 1901                John Anchitel Ashburnham           (b. 1865 - d. 1939)
1902 - 1906                Francis William Panzera            (s.a.)
1907 - 1923                Rowland Mortimer Daniel            (s.a.) 
Assistant Commissioners for the Southern Protectorate (at Fort Gaberones)
1892 - 1902?               William Henry Surmon               (s.a.)              
1902 - 1923                Jules E. Ellenberger               (s.a.)

International Disputes: None; Namibia has long supported, and in 2004 Zimbabwe dropped objections to, plans between Botswana and Zambia to build a bridge over the Zambezi River at Kazungula crossing, thereby de facto recognizing the short, but not clearly delimited, Botswana-Zambia boundary. 

Party abbreviations: BDP = Botswana Democratic Party (conservative, traditionalist, to 1966  named Bechuanaland Democratic Party, est.1961); BNF = Botswana National Front (social-democratic, center-left, est.3 Oct 1965); BPP = Botswana People's Party (progressive, to 1966 named Bechuanaland People's Party, est.1960); UDC = Umbrella for Democratic Change (social democratic coalition of BNF, BPP, Alliance for Progressives, est.Nov 2012)

1866                       Gold is discovered in the Tati River area, then part of the
                             Matabeleland.
15 Nov 1888                Concession granted by Lobengula to the Tati Concession Mining and
                             Exploration Company Limited (from 14 Mar 1895, Tati Concessions
                             Limited; and from 1917, Tati Company Limited).
21 Jan 1893                Tati Land is detached from Matabeleland and placed under the
                             the jurisdiction of the Resident Commissioners of
                             Bechuanaland Protectorate (s.a.) under Tati Concessions Ltd.
                             under control (Francistown [Tati] District).
13 Nov 1893                General Manager Kirby proclaims British annexation of Tati Land,
                             denied by Tati Concessions Ltd. and the British government.
 3 Aug 1894                British government agrees Tati Concession should remain an
                             independent authority.
21 Jan 1911                Part of Bechuanaland colony as Francistown District, with the
                             Tati Company having complete ownership over the district.
1966                       Francistown District renamed North-East District.
1969                       Tati Company control over North-East District ended.
  
Special Justices of the Peace in the Tati in the Tati district
1891 - 1897?               Hamilton John Goold-Adams             (b. 1858 - d. 1920)
1898 - Sep 1899            H.J.R. Kinsman      
21 Sep 1899 - 1903         Umfreville Percy Swinburne            (b. 1868 - d. 1931)
Assistant Commissioners for Northern Protectorate and
Resident Magistrates, Francistown (Tati) District
1903 - 1906                Francis William Panzera               (b. 1851 - d. 1917)
1906 - 1926                Rowland Mortimer Daniel               (b. 1873 - d. 1957)
                             (from 1923, only magistrate)
1928 - 1929                G.B. Moseley (acting)
District Commissioners, Francistown
1930 - 1932                Gerald Enraght Nettelton              (b. 1894 - d. 1950)
1933                       William Edward Mangan (1st time)
                             (acting)
1934                       Allan Leckie Cuzen                    (b. 1882 - d. 1948)
1935 - 1942                William Edward Mangan (2nd time)
1943 - 1944                John Wilfred Potts
1945 - 1946                Alistair John Tindall M. Macrae
                             (acting)
1946 - 1947                John Walter Joyce
1948 - 1950                Rowland Alan Robertson Bent           (b. 1914 - d. ....)
1950 - 1951                Thomas George Moore   
1952 - 1954                John Forster Millard (1st time)       (b. 1911 - d. 2004)  
                             (senior district officer)
1953 - 1956                George J.L. Atkinson                  (b. 1923 - d. 1990)
1956 - 1958                John Forster Millard (2nd time)       (s.a.)
                             (divisional commissioner north)
1958 - 1959                Arthur Norman W. Matthews
1959 - 1960                Charles Eustace Clark                 (b. 1912 - d. ....)
1960 - 1963                Roy S. King (district officer)
1960 - 1964                Norman Bruce Rutherford               (b. 1909 - d. 197.)
                             (from 1963, senior district officer)
1963 - 1964                Philippus Laurens Steenkamp           (b. 1911 - d. 1972)
1964                       Phineas P.M. Makepe  
1964                       Alexander C. Campbell 
1963 - 1965                Robert Gilkes (district officer)

General Managers & Mining Managers of the Tati Concession
May 1893 - 16 Jul 1894     William Frank Kirby                   (d. 1894)
1894 - Mar 1895            Samuel H. Edwards (acting)
Mar 1895 - ...             Charles Robert Vigers                 (b. 1852 - d. 1932)

Chairmen of the Tati Concession Mining and Exploration Company Limited
(14 Mar 1895 - 1917, Tati Concessions Limited; from from 1917, Tati Company Limited)
c.1900 - c.1902            Alexander O. Murray
c.1905 - c.1910            E.H. Flux
c.1914 - 1940?             Andrew Dodds Fairbairn                (b. 1859 - d. 1940)
c.1940s                    T.P. Patterson

18 Mar 1884                High Commission Territories in Southern Africa 
                             (Basutoland and U.K. possessions in Southern Africa).
 9 May 1891                Addition of Bechuanaland.
Jun 1902                   Addition of Swaziland (confirmed 1907).
31 May 1910                Office of High Commissioner was attached to that of governor-
                             general of the Union of South Africa.
 6 Apr 1931                Statue of Westminster separates the posts of governor-general of
                             Union of South Africa from the office of High Commissioner for
                             the Union of South Africa and the High Commission Territories. 
31 May 1961                South Africa becomes a republic, the High Commissioner becomes an
                             ambassador to South Africa who as well held the office of
                             High Commissioner of the three territories.
 3 Oct 1963                Swaziland and Basutoland no longer subordinated to
                             the High Commissioner.
 1 Aug 1964                Post abolished.

High Commissioners for Southern Africa (from 1878, in and for South Africa)
27 Jan 1847 -  6 Mar 1901  the governors of the Cape Colony
High Commissioners for South Africa (from 1910, the Union of South Africa)
 6 Mar 1901 - 31 May 1910  the governors of Transvaal
31 May 1910 -  6 Apr 1931  the governors-general of South Africa
 3 Sep 1920 - 20 Nov 1920  Beresford Cecil Molyneux Carter    (b. 1872 - d. 1923)
                             (acting)
11 Dec 1923 - 21 Jan 1924  Sir Rudolf Bentinck (acting)       (b. 1869 - d. 1947)
High Commissioners to South Africa and for Basutoland, the Bechuanaland
Protectorate and Swaziland
 6 Apr 1931 -  6 Jan 1935  Sir Herbert James Stanley          (b. 1872 - d. 1955)
 1 Aug 1933 -  1 Dec 1933  Edward Ratcliffe Garth Russell     (b. 1880 - d. 1957)
                             Evans (acting for Stanley)
 7 Jan 1935 -  3 Jan 1940  Sir William Henry Clark            (b. 1876 - d. 1952)
 3 Jan 1940 - 24 May 1941  Sir Walter Clarence Huggard        (b. 1883 - d. 1957)
                             (1st time)(acting)
24 May 1941 - 13 May 1944  William George Arthur Ormsby-Gore, (b. 1885 - d. 1964)
                             Baron Harlech
13 May 1944 - 23 Jun 1944  Harold Eddey Priestman (acting)    (b. 1888 - d. 1956)
23 Jun 1944 - 27 Oct 1944  Sir Walter Clarence Huggard        (s.a.)
                             (2nd time)
27 Oct 1944 -  1 Oct 1951  Sir Evelyn Baring                  (b. 1903 - d. 1973)
 2 Oct 1951 -  2 Feb 1955  Sir John Helier Le Rougetel        (b. 1894 - d. 1975)
 4 Mar 1955 - Dec 1958     Sir Percivale Liesching            (b. 1895 - d. 1973)
15 Jan 1959 - May 1963     Sir John Primatt Redcliffe Maud    (b. 1906 - d. 1982)
 6 Jun 1963 - 31 Jul 1964  Sir Hugh Southern Stephenson       (b. 1906 - d. 1972)