According to Neil Parsons's online "Brief History of Botswana": "From around 1095 south-eastern Botswana saw the rise of a new culture, characterized by a site on Moritshane hill near Gabane , whose pottery mixed the old western style with new Iron Age influences derived from the eastern Transvaal (Lydenburg culture). (2008). Their nomadic hunter-gatherer lifestyle has left few traces except rock paintings (there are some 3,500 paintings at 350 sites in the Tsodilo Hills). Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966. The terms were that Khama retained control of administration, law and justice, while Britain was responsible for security.The territory south of the Molopo river was annexed to the Cape Colony in 1895 while the rest remained under British protection as Bechuanaland. It is also an economic success story, rising from its status as one of the poorest countries of the world to the middle-income level, with sound financial institutions and plans to reinvest its natural resource income. Its policy sought a non-racial and democratic but traditional society in which chiefs and traditional courts still had a role.In 1960 a representative legislative council was set up; there was now a formal negotiating mechanism and independence was achieved in a series of peaceful moves. The first Setswana-speaking group, the Bakgalagadi, arrived sometime in the 14th century. A capital was chosen at Mafikeng, a town settled almost exclusively by Tswana-speaking tribes. Its border with Zambia to the north near Kazungula is poorly defined but is, at most, a few hundred metres long. In 1885, this area was declared to be within British jurisdiction. Since then, it has maintained a strong tradition of stable representative democracy, with a consistent record of uninterrupted democratic elections and the best perceived corruption ranking in Africa since at least 1998. It’s a typical tale of family discord, where three brothers – Kwena, Ngwaketse and Ngwato – broke away from their father, Chief Malope, to establish their own followings in Molepolole, Kanye and Serowe respectively. A. Mougeot, ed. AD 200; Bantu-speaking farmers begin arriving on their great migration from the north. The local people were scattered and forced into more arid lands.The upheavals of the region were greatly exacerbated when, from around 1836, the Boer Trekkers, escaping British rule, began to arrive and displace other groups. History. Botswana has a history dating back millions of years with the majority of information from this time being gathered through rock paintings and archaeological finds that are still being discovered today. Afterall, afterall... it has lately been determined that Botswana is actually the place of origin for all human life. The result was an eleventh straight victory for the Botswana Democratic Party, which won 37 of the 57 elected seats. The country achieved independence as a republic on 30 September 1966 with Seretse Khama as President.Seretse Khama led the country from 1965 until his death in 1980, when he was succeeded by Dr Quett Masire, formerlyVice-President, who was knighted as Sir Ketumile Masire in 1991.Although the BDP had easily won every election since multiparty democracy was established in 1965, in the general election of 1994 the main opposition party, the Botswana National Front (BNF), won 13 seats (37 per cent of the vote) as against the BDP’s 27 seats (54 per cent), with the smaller parties failing to win any seats.In November 1997 at the age of 73, President Masire announced he would retire in March 1998.
The only new member of Mogae’s first cabinet was Ian Khama (son of former President Sir Seretse Khama), who retired as commander of the Botswana Defence Force to take up the key post of Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration and was appointed Vice-President in July 1998.General elections were held in Botswana on 24 October 2014. Central authority was strengthened, the position of the chiefs and African courts defined. He also became leader of the BDP. The seat of government was transferred from Mafikeng to Gaborone. Three-year-old Seretse Khama then inherited the leadership, with his uncle, Tshekedi Khama, as Regent.Seretse Khama’s accession in 1950 changed the tone of Bechuanaland politics.