Botswana is a parliamentary republic in which the President of Botswana is both head of state and head of government. The nation's politics are based heavily on British parliamentary politics and on traditional Batswana chiefdom. The legislature is made up of the unicameral National Assembly and the advisory body of tribal chiefs, the Ntlo ya Dikgosi. The National Assembly chooses the president, but once in office the president has significant authority over the legislature with only limited separation of powers.
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 of Botswana. 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.
Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, GCB, KBE was a Botswana politician who served as the first President of Botswana, a post he held from 1966 to his death in 1980.
The Botswana Defence Force Air Arm is the air force of the Botswana Defence Force. The Air Arm was formed in 1977 and squadrons are designated with a Z, meaning "squadron".
Air Botswana Corporation is Botswana's state-owned national flag carrier, with its headquarters located in Gaborone. It operates scheduled domestic and regional flights from its main base at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport. Air Botswana has been loss-making for several years, and there have been various attempts to privatise the company, and frequent changes to the corporation's management and board, so far without reducing the losses.
Unity Dow is a Motswana lawyer, author, human rights activist and Member of parliament for Kgatleng West since November 2024. She formerly served as a judge on the High Court of Botswana and in various Botswana government ministries. Born in the Bechuanaland Protectorate to a seamstress and a farmer, who insisted on their children obtaining an education, Dow grew up in a traditional rural village before modernisation. She earned a law degree in 1983 from the University of Botswana and Swaziland, though her studies were completed in Swaziland and University of Edinburgh, Scotland, as Botswana had no law school at the time. After her graduation, Dow opened the first all-woman law firm in Botswana and in 1997 became the first woman to be appointed as a judge to the country's High Court.
Phandu Tombola Chaka Skelemani is a Botswanan politician who is the current speaker of the National Assembly of Botswana. He served in the government of Botswana as Minister of Foreign Affairs from 2008 to 2014. A member of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Skelemani is a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly of Botswana and a member of the Pan-African Parliament from Botswana, and he served as Attorney-General of Botswana from 1992 to 2003.
Seretse Khama Ian Khama is a Botswana politician and former military officer who was the fourth President of the Republic of Botswana from 1 April 2008 to 1 April 2018. After serving as Commander of the Botswana Defence Force, he entered politics and was 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.
The Botswana Ground Forces is the army of the country of Botswana, and the land component of the Botswana Defence Force.
Dorcas Makgato is Botswanan businesswoman. She was born in Serowe, Botswana and grew up in the capital city Gaborone. She served as a Minister in the Cabinet of Botswana. She was also one of the young hopefuls that marked the 10th anniversary of Botswana's independence with a march past for the first President in 1976. From 2019 she has been serving as Botswana's ambassador to Australia.
Gladys Keitumetse Theresa Kokorwe is a Botswana politician who was the Speaker of the National Assembly from 2014 to 2019. She is a member of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
The Ministry of Justice, Immigration and National Security of Dominica provides legal advice and representation to the federal government and its departments, as well as administers justice, protects intellectual property rights, and ensures that financial crimes are properly analyzed and investigated. The divisions of the ministry include the following:
Thapelo Matsheka is a Motswana politician and economist who served as the Minister of Finance and Economic Development from November 2019 to April 2021. He was elected as the Member of the National Assembly for Lobatse in October 2019. He is a member of the Botswana Democratic Party. Matsheka is the former Managing Director of Fiducia Services.
Odirile Ishmael Sento, popularly known as Vee or Vee Mampeezy , is a tswana singer, songwriter and the CEO of Lamalanga and Black Money Makers records.
Botswana continued to address the COVID-19 pandemic in 2022, including the discovery of the COVID-19 variant Omicron BA.4 and BA.5, with COVID-19 restrictions being relaxed in October. Continued disputes took place regarding the Botswana–Namibia border, though an open border was established in September. The rivalry between President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his predecessor Ian Khama escalated in 2022, accelerated by firearms charges against Khama and a warrant for his arrest. The government also saw controversy for its support of bills that would grant it additional espionage powers and regulate journalists.
Thomas Kagiso Mmusi is a Botswana politician and businessman that has served as the Minister of Defence and Security since 2022. Prior to this, he was the Minister of Defence, Justice and Security from 2019 to 2022. He is the son of Peter Mmusi, Vice President of Botswana from 1983 to 1992.
The Ministry of Lands and Water Affairs (MWLA) is a ministry within the Cabinet of Botswana. It is composed of 12 Land Boards, 41 Sub Land Boards, 8 Departments and 2 Parastatals being Water Utilities Corporation and Real Estate Advisory Council, being the Department of Lands, the Department of Town & Country Planning, the Department of Surveys & Mapping, the Department of Water and Sanitation the Project Management Office, the Land Tribunal, the Deeds Registry, and the Department of Corporate Services. The current minister is Kefentse Mzwinila in the second cabinet of President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
The Ministry of Minerals and Energy is a ministry within the Cabinet of Botswana. The current minister is Mmusi Kgafela. His assistant is Beauty Manake.
Mmusi Kgafela is a Botswanan politician and educator. He is the current Minister of Trade and Industry in Botswana, having been appointed to the position in 2019 by the current president of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi. His term began on 13 February 2022.He is also a member of parliament for Mochudi West Constituency.
