Ian Khama is a Motswana politician who has been the President of Botswana since 2008. After serving as Commander of the Botswana Defence Force, he entered politics and served as Vice-President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008, then succeeded Festus Mogae as President on 1 April 2008. He won a full term in the 2009 election and was re-elected in October 2014.
Background
Ian Khama was born on the 27th 0f February 1953. He is the first-born son and second child of Sir Seretse Khama, who was the country's foremost independence leader and President from 1966 to 1980, and Lady Khama. He was born in Chertsey, Surrey during the period in which his father was exiled to the United Kingdom due to the opposition by the colonial government and the emergent apartheid regime in South Africa to his marriage to a white woman.
He is also the grandson of Sekgoma II (1869–1925), who was the paramount chief of the Bamangwato people, and the great-grandson of Khama III (1837–1923), their king; and the great-great grandson of Kgosikgolo Sekgoma I, the Chief of the Bamangwato people (1815–1885). The name "Seretse" means “the clay that binds together,” and was given to his father to celebrate the recent reconciliation of his father and grandfather; this reconciliation assured Seretse’s Khama's own ascension to the throne with his aged father’s death in 1925. Seretse Khama Ian Khama is named after his father to continue this historical legacy. He is also known simply as Ian Khama to differentiate between himself and his father. Tshekedi Khama II, Ian Khama's brother, was named after their great uncle, Tshekedi Khama who was the regent and guardian for Kgosi Seretse Khama, the first President of Botswana.
Education
Seretse Khama Ian Khama began his primary schooling in Serowe in 1960. He thereafter did his secondary education at White Stone school in Bulawayo, in what is now Zimbabwe, and Waterford School Swaziland, Geneva, with further studies Switzerland and Chichester, England.
Thereafter, Khama embarked on what would become a military career. For his tertiary education he attended the prestigious Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst, England. After graduating he enrolled for further training at the Nigerian Police Academy at Ikeja. He also underwent flight training, in Gaborone and thereafter Antwerp, Belgium, in 1974-75., and has since maintained his status a qualified pilot.
In 1973 Khama joined the paramilitary Police Mobile Unit, which was the forerunner of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF). With the formation of the latter, in April 1977, Khama assumed the responsibility of Deputy Commander. Formed in the face of rising regional tensions, which were then being driven by the racist regimes of Apartheid South Africa and rebel Rhodesia (liberated as Zimbabwe), who then encircled Botswana, at its formation the new army consisted of a mere 132 Police Mobile Unit veterans. This small force was immediately confronted with the task of countering stepped up cross border aggression by the then Rhodesian Security Forces. As both its Deputy Commander and Commander, from 1989 and 1998, Khama went on to play a central role in forging the BDF into a modern professional fighting force, which has won widespread respect for its record in such areas as international peacekeeping, disaster relief and anti-poaching activities, as well as defensive capabilities.
In April 1998 Lieutenant General Khama retired from the Botswana Defence Force and joined politics. As a member of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party, he was appointed Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration. In July that year, he won the Serowe North Constituency by-election and became its Member of Parliament. He was thereafter nominated for Vice President by President Festus Mogae; his nomination being subsequently endorsed by Parliament. In addition to being Vice President Khama retained his Ministerial Portfolio at Presidential Affairs.
In the October 1999 general election, Khama again contested the Serowe North Constituency and won; he was again nominated and endorsed by Parliament as Vice President. In October 2004 he contested the General Elections in the Serowe North West Constituency and was the only parliamentary candidate unopposed. He was also once more endorsed as Vice President. In July 2003 Khama was further elected Chairman of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party. he defeated the previous Chairman, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, receiving 512 votes against 219 for Kedikilwe. Khama had been backed for the post by President Mogae, and the outcome was viewed as crucial, paving the way for Khama to eventually succeed Mogae as President.
Mogae stepped down, as he had long said he would do, on 1 April 2008; Khama succeeded him as President. At his swearing-in ceremony in Gaborone, Khama said that there would be continuity in policy and no "radical changes", although he said that "a change in style and special emphasis on a number of issues" might be evident, and he emphasized his commitment to democracy. He immediately undertook a major cabinet reshuffle, and he appointed Mompati Merafhe, who had been Foreign Minister, as the new Vice-President.
Upon becoming President, Khama left his post as Chairman of the BDP; Daniel Kwelagobe was chosen to replace him
Achievements
He got international and regional kudos for his stance against the Zimbabwean government, particularly Robert Mugabe. He did so by not recognizing the government unless and until it included members of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) headed by Morgan Tsvangarai[citation needed]. Khama also condemned the action of Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir in the region of Dafur and became a vocal critic of despotic governments in Africa along with President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania and President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia.
Religion
On 12 March 2015, president Ian Khama touched on a number of contentious issues when speaking at a state banquet hosted in honour of Ghana President John Dramani Mahama on Monday. Notably, while he hit out at Boko Haram and ISIS for their terrorist acts, President Khama also called for tolerance and respect of other people’s religious beliefs. Concerning a religious sect "Boko Haram," he said:
"We continue to witness peace and security problems confronting many parts of our region. We have witnessed the atrocities committed by Boko Haram who are bent on using the name of religion to further their murderous objectives. Due to the security situation in Nigeria they were entirely justified to postpone their election. Elsewhere on the continent, conflict and humanitarian situations in a number of countries have all left a mark of insecurity on our continent. Interventions from countries like those of France must be welcomed.??Collectively, Africa should continue to stand united in directing a strong message of condemnation of perpetrators of violence and terrorism, and any constitutional action to influence political change. We must do more to address these challenges, as together nothing should be too large to overcome in order to ensure the unity and prosperity of the African people.??"
Politics
Even though Ian Khama was not elected to the presidency, which some political commentators such as Kenneth Good see as a flaw in the electoral system in Botswana, he governed as if he was elected and proceeded to make some fundamental changes to the way that Botswana was governed during his "interim term". President Khama first articulated his desire to impose a 70% alcohol levy, meant to combat the scourge of excessive drinking in Botswana which had become a real problem, especially amongst the youth. Although the idea was laudable, the practical effect of such a levy was soon seen to have a deleterious effect on the brewing industry, who resisted the imposition of such a levy, along with bars and other drinking establishments. The President shifted his policy to focus on prevention and education but later imposed a 30% levy after consulting with industry leaders.
Under Khama, the government has also established the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (DISS) with police powers, which is seen as the Botswana equivalent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the United States. Although this type of organization is not new and is found in many countries, it has critics in Botswana who charge that there are very few domestic or transnational threats that the police and the military could not handle. Some have argued that the institution, headed by President Khama's close friend Issac Kgosi, could easily be manipulated and used against political enemies or others who criticize the President or his administration. There have been reports of extrajudicial killings in Botswana, linked by many to the DIS. One such high-profile killing was that of John Kalifatis, whose death resulted during the course of a robbery investigation, in which it was believed that Kalifatis was armed and dangerous
Views
Quotations:
"In this respect they have been frustrated by nothing more than the simple fact that generations of Batswana have continued to entrust us to lead our country forward. It is not by chance that we continue to enjoy the support, trust and confidence of the overwhelming majority of Batswana. Good governance, development, sustainable economic growth, care and management of our natural and financial resources, investment in education and human capital, social justice, peace and political stability, which has been the bedrock that have guaranteed the supremacy of our existence achieved through many successive victories at the polls in free and fair elections."
"For our part let us continue to be humble in our dedication to build on the legacy of those who laid the foundations of our progress over the past fifty years. All in all, even from challenging periods that the BDP has gone through, we have learnt that we cannot fail if there is a strong commitment to serve the country and the people, and our leadership as a party continues to treat people with utmost care and respect, and unite them all behind one common purpose."
"My fellow Democrats, we have come a long way in the decades since. All of us cannot help but have noticed that Batswana have become accustomed to progress under the BDP. We have built a strong, solid and sustainable foundation even when challenges are heaped upon us, as we march forward towards another electoral victory in 2014."
"It is this visionary leadership of ours that reminds us that it was five decades ago that what was initially a small band of patriots began to come together with a shared vision of launching a movement that would transform what was then a colonial Protectorate of tribes into a proud nation of citizens."
Membership
He is Vice Chairman of the Kalahari Conservation Society.
Honorary Member of the Game Rangers Association of Southern Africa.
Board Member of the USA based Conservation International.
Personality
To his critics, the retired army general, whose Botswana Democratic party is widely expected to retain the grip on power it has held for almost half a century, is an ascetic and increasingly authoritarian figure with a particular antipathy towards journalists and a callous disregard for the Kalahari Bushmen, who, he says, have an “extinct” and backward way of life.
Tshekedi Khama II, Anthony Khama, Jacqueline Khama
Friend:
Issac Kgosi
References
Ian Khama - World Leaders Biography
Take a closer look at the path and politics of Ian Khama along with the impact created as the nation's powerful leader. Each page is packed with intriguing details on the life and times of his presidency. Great leaders build strong nations and the success of a nation is a reflection of how great their leader is.
2015
100 Facts about Ian Khama That Even the CIA Doesn't Know
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