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President of the Republic of Botswana
Tautona wa Botswana
Presidential flag
Incumbent Duma Boko since 1 November 2024
Style	Mr President His Excellency
Residence	State House
Seat	Gaborone
Appointer	Parliament of Botswana
Term length	5 years, renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Botswana
Inaugural holder	Seretse Khama
Formation	30 September 1966
Deputy	Vice-President of Botswana
Salary	P 1,075,056

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The president of the Republic of Botswana is the head of state and the head of government of Botswana, as well as the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, according to the Constitution. Sir Seretse Khama was the prime minister from 1965 to 1966, however he later became president of Botswana, and as of 2024 there have been no prime ministers since.

Presidential term

The president is elected to a five-year term that runs concurrently with the term of the National Assembly. Previously, a president could be reelected any number of times. In 1997, under the second president, Quett Masire, term limits were imposed on the office for the first time. Since 1998, the president has been limited to a total of 10 years in office (equivalent to two full terms), whether successive or separated. The first president for whom the term limits applied was Festus Mogae, who was required to leave office for good in 2008. Each president gets a guaranteed pension.

Election

The president is elected by the members of the National Assembly following a general election. All candidates for the National Assembly declare whom they endorse for president when they lodge their nomination papers, and the candidate who receives a majority of endorsements from the elected members of the National Assembly is automatically elected. If no candidate receives a majority of endorsements, the National Assembly elects the president by simple majority, before it co-opts the specially elected members. If no president is elected after three ballots, or if the Speaker determines that no candidate has enough support to be elected, the legislature is automatically dissolved for fresh elections. In practice, the president is the leader of the majority party or alliance in the Assembly. Also, given the first-past-the-post system for the National Assembly, majority governments have been the rule in Botswana since independence.

Presidents of Botswana (1966–present)

Political parties

Symbols

Died in office

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elected	Term of office			Political party (Coalition)
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Seretse Khama (1921–1980)	1965 1969 1974 1979	30 September 1966	13 July 1980	13 years, 287 days	BDP
2		Quett Masire (1925–2017)	1984 1989 1994	18 July 1980	31 March 1998	17 years, 256 days	BDP
3		Festus Mogae (born 1939)	1999 2004	1 April 1998	1 April 2008	10 years	BDP
4		Ian Khama (born 1953)	2009 2014	1 April 2008	1 April 2018	10 years	BDP
5		Mokgweetsi Masisi (born 1961)	2019	1 April 2018	1 November 2024	6 years, 214 days	BDP
6		Duma Boko (born 1969)	2024	1 November 2024	Incumbent	51 days	BNF (UDC)

Timeline

See also

• Politics of Botswana
• First Lady of Botswana
• List of commissioners of Bechuanaland
• List of heads of government of Botswana
• Vice-President of Botswana

References

1. "Salaries" (PDF). 2019. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
2. "Botswana 1966 (rev. 2016) Constitution – Constitute". www.constituteproject.org. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
3. ^ "Countries Ba-Bo". www.rulers.org. Retrieved 5 June 2024.
4. "Botswana: Freedom in the World 2023 Country Report". Freedom House. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
5. ^ Padnani 2017.
6. ^ "History". www.parliament.gov.bw. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
7. Cook & Siegle.
8. "PRESIDENTS (PENSIONS AND RETIREMENT BENEFITS)". Botswana Laws. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
9. Chaudry 2009.
10. ^ "Constitution of Botswana 1966". www.commonlii.org. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
11. Ntuane 2006.
12. "About us". www.parliament.gov.bw. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
13. "President Seretse Khama | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
14. ^ "65. Botswana (1966–present)". uca.edu. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
15. Zuber, David (4 April 2022). "Seretse Khama (1921–1980) •". Retrieved 29 May 2024.
16. "The "Unfortunate Marriage" of Seretse Khama | Inner Temple". www.innertemple.org.uk. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
17. "Seretse Khama (1921–1980) | The Presidency". www.thepresidency.gov.za. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
18. "President Festus Mogae". KnowBotswana. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
19. Nkala, Gideon (31 March 2008). "Mogae: portrait of a democrat(Mogae Legacy)". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
20. "Reflections on a Presidency: 10 Years at Botswana's Helm | Wilson Center". www.wilsoncenter.org. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
21. "Ian Khama (Seretse Khama Ian Khama) | Profile | Africa Confidential". www.africa-confidential.com. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
22. "Ian Khama". The Brenthurst Foundation. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
23. "Human Rights Defender barred from entering Botswana". Civicus Monitor. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
24. "Botswana: Mokgweetsi Masisi takes over presidency – DW – 03/31/2018". dw.com. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
25. "Botswana swears in Mokgweetsi Masisi as president". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
26. "Duma Boko sworn in as Botswana's new president". www.aa.com.tr. Retrieved 1 November 2024.

Works cited

• Padnani, Amisha (29 June 2017). "Ketumile Masire, Who Shaped and Led a Vibrant Botswana, Dies at 91". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
• Ntuane, Batsalo (22 May 2006). "Democratic forces must safeguard presidential term limits". Mmegi.bw. Archived from the original on 23 June 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2024.
• Chaudry, Serena (18 October 2009). "Botswana's President Khama wins new term". The Independent. Reuters. Retrieved 28 May 2024.
• Cook, Candace; Siegle, Joseph. "Circumvention of Term Limits Weakens Governance in Africa". Africa Center for Strategic Studies. Retrieved 28 May 2024.

v t e Presidents of Botswana
Seretse Khama Quett Masire Festus Mogae Ian Khama Mokgweetsi Masisi Duma Boko

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