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.

In April 2008, Vice President Lt. Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama ( Ian Khama ), son of Seretse Khama the first president, succeeded to the presidency when Festus Mogae retired.

* 1921 – Seretse Khama, Batswana politician, 1st President of Botswana ( d. 1980 )

* Sir Seretse Khama Day ( Botswana )

His efforts were eventually successful and the Bechuanaland Protectorate, which was later to become the independent nation of Botswana in 1966 under the leadership of Khama ’ s grandson Seretse Khama, was established.

Sekgoma II reign lasted only a year or so, leaving his son Seretse, who at the time was an infant, as the rightful heir to the chieftainship ( Tshekedi was not in line to be chief since he did not descend from Khama ’ s oldest son Sekgoma II ).

The transfer of responsibility from Tshekedi Khama to Seretse Khama was planned to occur after Seretse had returned from his law studies overseas in Britain.

By now though, Seretse Khama saw his destiny not as chief of the Bamangwato tribe, but rather as leader of the Botswana Democratic Party and as President of the soon-to-be independent nation of Botswana in 1966.

The first president, Sir Seretse Khama, was the grandson and heir of Khama III and his first son from Ruth Khama, Seretse Khama Ian Khama, would succeed Seretse Khama as the paramount chief of the Bamangwato and go on to become the commander of the Botswana Defense Force, as a Lieutenant General.

Air Botswana Corporation is the national airline of Botswana, with its head office on the grounds of Sir Seretse Khama International Airport in Gaborone.

It is also the birthplace of Seretse Khama, Botswana's first President, and the traditional center of the Bamangwato tribe.

The town also has a rich history in the Botswana Government, with Sir Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana, current president, President Lieutenant General Ian Khama, and former president, Festus Mogae, all having been born in Serowe.

The deposed chief of the Bamangwato, Seretse Khama, was soon to become the first President of independent Botswana.

Ruth Williams Khama, Lady Khama ( 9 December 1923 – 22 May 2002 ) was the wife of Botswana's first president Sir Seretse Khama, the Paramount Chief of its Bamangwato tribe.

* Dennis Alaba Peters – Sir Curtis Seretse ; listed as Dennis Alba Peters in first series credits

On April 1, 2008, Seretse Khama Ian Khama, son of Sir Seretse Khama, and former Vice-President of Botswana, was sworn in as the fourth President of Botswana.

Ndelu Seretse a cousin of President Seretse Khama Ian Khama is the current Minister of Justice of Defense and Security in the Government of Botswana.

President Seretse Khama Ian Khama was elected for a full term as President of Botswana on October 16, 2009.

* * H E Sir Seretse Khama Ian Khama ( born 27 February 1953 at Chertsey ) is a Botswana politician who has been the President of Botswana since 2008 ; he is also the Paramount Chief of the Bamangwato tribe.

As Mogae was out of the country, arrangements were made for Phatswe to speak to Vice President Seretse Ian Khama, who expressed willingness to speak to the pilot.

This fundraising campaign formally known as the Botswana University Campus Appeal ( BUCA ) was spearheaded by the late President Sir Seretse Khama in 1976.

At times she suffered mental health problems and on one occasion put up a public notice making bizarre and shocking allegations about then President Sir Seretse Khama, which led to a period in Lobatse Mental Hospital.

Sekgoma II ’ s eldest son was named Seretse.

So in keeping with tradition, Tshekedi acted as regent of the tribe until Seretse was old enough to assume the chieftainship.

Tshekedi Khama's regency as acting chief of the Bamangwato is best remembered for his expansion of the mephato regiments for the building of primary schools, grain silos, and water reticulation systems ; for his frequent confrontations with the British colonial authorities over the administration of justice in Ngwato country ; and for his efforts to deal with a major split in the tribe after Seretse married a white woman, Ruth Williams, while studying law in Britain.

Seretse would not budge in his desire to marry Ruth ( which he did while exiled in Britain in 1948 ), and tribal opinion about the marriage basically split evenly along demographic lines-older people went with Tshekedi, the younger with Seretse.

Eventually, once emotions had had enough time to subside, Seretse and Ruth were allowed to return to the Protectorate and Seretse and Tshekedi were able to patch things up a bit between themselves.

He succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998 and was reelected in October 2004 ; after ten years in office, he stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Ian Khama.

* Led by President Ian Khama, in office since 1 April 2008

The brothers were some of the first members of the tribe to take this step ; a step that would soon be joined by a fairly large percentage of Khama ’ s followers.

On the first of April 2008, Ian Khama ascended to the presidency as the fourth President of the Republic of Botswana, as a result relinquishing his chairmanship of the Botswana Democratic Party.

In 1966, Botswana gained independence and Khama became its first president.

The Bamangwato people, under Khama III, are widely believed to be the first people to have settled down near present-day Palapye.

Ian Khama son of a Botswanian leader and a white mother is the President of Botswana and the paramount chief of the Bamangwato people.

BDP candidate Ian Khama is the current President of Botswana.

The A Team was formerly led by President Festus Mogae and his Vice-President Ian Khama.

The Khama Rhino Sanctuary is a charitable game reserve established in 1992 by the Ballentines and Watsons ( local families ) and Ian Khama ( the current President ) that lies 25 km north of Serowe itself.

After appeals by the Batswana leaders Khama III, Bathoen and Sebele for assistance, the British Government on 31 March 1885 put " Bechuanaland " under its protection.

Khama III ( 1837 ?- 1923 ), also known as Khama the Good, was the kgosi ( meaning chief or king ) of the Bamangwato people of Bechuanaland ( now Botswana ), who made his country a protectorate of the United Kingdom to ensure its survival against Boer and Ndebele encroachments.

Somehow ( this episode is not explained by Bessie ), they held on, and by the time of Chief Khama III ’ s reign ( between the years 1875 – 1923 ), the Bamangwato had grown ( both through natural population increase and the influx of refugee tribes from the South Africa and Rhodesia ) to become the region ’ s largest tribe.

Khama III ( or Khama the Great as he was more affectionately known ) is perhaps Botswana ’ s most memorable chief.

In his early twenties, Khama was baptized into the Lutheran church via the London Missionary Society ( LMS ) along with five of his younger brothers.

It was no small step for Khama.