The scope of a mephato ’ s work responsibilities would later expand considerably under the rule of Khama ’ s son Tshekedi into the building of primary schools, grain silos, water reticulation systems, and even a college named Moeng located on the outskirts of Serowe, which under Khama ’ s reign had become the Bamangwato capital.

One of his wives, Semane, birthed a son named Tshekedi Khama.

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.

At the age of four, Seretse became kgosi ( king ), with his uncle Tshekedi Khama as his regent and guardian.

On being informed of the marriage, Khama's uncle Tshekedi Khama demanded his return to Bechuanaland and the annulment of the marriage.

Admitting defeat, Tshekedi Khama left Bechuanaland, while Khama returned to London to complete his studies.

He was the Resident Commissioner of the Bechuanaland Protectorate between 1937 and 1942 ( later Botswana ), a time at which the ruling regent Tshekedi Khama was in violent conflict with the British authorities.

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.

In the end, British authorities exiled both men ( Tshekedi from the Bamangwato territory, Seretse from the Protectorate altogether ).

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.

Her sons Ian and Tshekedi became prominent politicians in Botswana.

The party contested the 2010 by-election in the Tonota North parliamentary consituency, fielding Mbayani Tshekedi Phalalo as its candidate.

Tshekedi opposed the marriage on the grounds that under Tswana custom a chief could not marry simply as he pleased.

Khama ’ s eldest son from his marriage with Mma Bessie was named Sekgoma II, who became chief of the Bamangwato upon Khama ’ s death in 1923.

He was the son of Sekgoma Khama II, the paramount chief of the Bamangwato people, and the grandson of Khama III, their king.

The conflict included its share of intrigue – an attempted assassination ( of Khama by Sekgoma ), Khama ’ s marriage to a Christian woman named Mma Bessie and his subsequent refusal to take a second wife according to the custom of polygamy, Khama ’ s withstanding of Sekgoma ’ s sorcery, Khama ’ s forced exile with the tribe ’ s Christian followers into the hills surrounding the village of Shoshong, and finally Khama ’ s return to Shoshong after Sekgoma ’ s second botched assassination attempt and the concomitant installing of Sekgoma ’ s brother, Macheng, as the new chief of the beleaguered tribe ( Sekgoma headed into exile ).

After Khama became king in 1875, after overthrowing his father Sekgoma and elbowing away his brother Kgamane his ascension came at a time of great dangers and opportunities.

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 )

Seretse Khama takes office as the first President.

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.

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.

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

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.

Sheila Khama, a distant relative of Seretse Khama Ian Khama is the CEO of De Beers Botswana, the largest mining company in Botswana, and part of the largest mineral mining company in the world.

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 ( 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.

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.

* * 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.

Some 20 km ESE of Palapye, close to the village of Malaka, are the remains of Phalatswe, also called Old Palapye, the capital of the Bamangwato people under Khama III from 1889 to 1902.

BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana.

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.

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.

Khama converted to Christianity, which moved him to criminalize sectarianism and to deprecate the institutions favored by traditionalists.

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.

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

Khama did return to Serowe but after a series of kgotlas ( public meetings ), was re-affirmed by the elders in his role as the kgosi in 1949.

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

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.

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

* 1 November-Seretse Khama and his British wife Ruth were declared forbidden by the Union government in South Africa

The party soon became an opposition party to the traditionalist Botswana Democratic Party, led by Seretse Ian Khama.

* A piece by Susan Williams, author of Colour Bar: The Triumph of Seretse Khama and His Nation ; Penguin Books