President of Botswana

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 Botswana Defence Force, according to the Constitution.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> The president is elected by the National Assembly, the sole house of the Parliament, and is usually the leader of the largest party. The Constitution limits the president's tenure to two five-year terms. The first president to be elected under the constitution was Sir Seretse Khama, who was the prime minister from 1965 until 1966, after which he served as president until his death on 13 July, 1980.<ref name=":3">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Sir Seretse was the subject of the 2016 film "A United Kingdom", which highlighted his fight against Apartheid-style policies that sought to prevent him from assuming his role as Chieftain of his tribe while Botswana was still the Protectorate of Bechuanaland. The most recent incumbent is Duma Boko, who was elected by the National Assembly on 1 November 2024 following the 2024 general election. The president may be removed by a motion of no confidence.

Presidential term

The president is elected to a five-year term that runs concurrently with the term of the National Assembly.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> 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.Template:Sfn<ref name=":0">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> Since 1998, the president has been limited to a total of 10 years in office (equivalent to two full terms), whether successive or separated.<ref name=":0" /> The first president for whom the term limits applied was Festus Mogae, who was required to leave office for good in 2008.Template:Sfn Each president gets a guaranteed pension.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

Election

During the general election campaign, all candidates for the National Assembly declare whom they endorse for President when they lodge their nomination papers. If a party or alliance secures an absolute majority of elected MPs in the legislative elections, its presidential candidate, always the party or alliance's leader, becomes the new president immediately without the need for an investiture vote.<ref name=":1">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>Template:SfnTemplate:Sfn In practice, since legislative elections are conducted through first-past-the-post voting, elections have always produced single-party majority governments ever since the first general election in 1965 and thus a presidential election by Members of Parliament has never happened.

The president is elected by the members of the National Assembly following a general election that produces a hung parliament. In the event that no candidate secures a simple majority, the National Assembly elects the president through secret ballot, with a simple majority of the total number of MPs (excluding 'specially-elected' MPs) required to win. This election is limited to candidates whose party at least 10 MPs. If, after three rounds of voting, no candidate is elected, two additional rounds may be authorized by the speaker, if it is deemed that a successful election remains possible. Should these rounds also fail to produce a winner, or if the speaker declines to authorise further rounds, the National Assembly will be dissolved and snap elections will be held.<ref name=":1" />

The president's survival in office is dependent on whether their government enjoys the confidence of a majority of the National Assembly. They can be removed by a motion of no confidence, prompting their resignation or if not, the dissolution of parliament if the president refuses to do so, which triggers a snap election.

Presidential powers

The president is the head of state, head of government and commander-in-chief of the Botswana Defence Force. The rights, responsibilities and remuneration of the president are enumerated in Chapter III of the Constitution and subsequent acts passed by the National Assembly.

The executive powers of the republic are vested in the president, who appoints various officials to positions listed in the Constitution, the most significant of which are the cabinet ministers and Justices of Appeal of the Court of Appeal. The president should consult the Cabinet on respective matters of policy. The president could assent or withhold his assent on bills passed by the National Assembly. If the National Assembly passed the bill again the President shall assent or withhold his assent within 21 days, or could dissolve the National Assembly. The president is accorded the constitutional powers to declare state of public emergencies and grant pardons or commutation with the advice of the Advisory Committee of Prerogative of Mercy.

List of officeholders

Political parties

Symbols

Template:Note label Died in office

Template:Abbr	Portrait	Name Template:Small	Elected<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name=":2">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Term of office			Political party Template:Small
				Took office	Left office	Time in office
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 1	File:Seretse Khama during Independence Talks 3x4 portrait.png	Seretse Khama Template:Small<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1965 1969 1974 1979	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> || 13 July 1980Template:Ref label<ref name=":2" />	Template:Age in years and days	BDP
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 2	File:Masire 1980 3x4 portrait.jpg	Quett Masire Template:SmallTemplate:Sfn	1984 1989 1994	18 July 1980<ref name=":2" />	31 March 1998<ref name=":2" />	Template:Age in years and days	BDP
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 3	File:Festus Mogae 2009-06-23.jpg	Festus Mogae Template:Small<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	1999 2004	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> || 1 April 2008<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Age in years years	BDP
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 4	File:Ian Khama (2014) (cropped) (cropped).jpg	Ian Khama Template:Small<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2009 2014	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> || 1 April 2018<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	Template:Age in years years	BDP
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 5	File:Mokgweetsi Masisi May 2023.jpg	Mokgweetsi Masisi Template:Small<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	2019	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> || 1 November 2024	Template:Age in years and days	BDP
style="background:Template:Party color; color:white;" | 6	File:Duma Boko 2025 (cropped).jpg	Duma Boko Template:Small	2024	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> || Incumbent	Template:Age in years and days	BNF Template:Small

Timeline

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bar:Mogae
bar:IKhama
bar:Masisi
bar:Boko

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bar:SKhama
 from: 30/09/1966 till: 13/07/1980 color:bdp text:"Seretse Khama"
bar:Masire
 from: 18/07/1980 till: 31/03/1998 color:bdp text:"Quett Masire"
bar:Mogae
 from: 01/04/1998 till: 01/04/2008 color:bdp text:"Festus Mogae"
bar:IKhama
 from: 01/04/2008 till: 01/04/2018 color:bdp text:"Ian Khama"
bar:Masisi
 from: 01/01/2018 till: 01/11/2024 color:bdp text:"Mokgweetsi Masisi"
bar:Boko
 from: 01/11/2024 till: $today     color:bnf text:"Duma Boko"

</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

Works cited

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