President Sir Seretse Khama’s Botched Localisation of the Botswana Police Service, 1965-1975

Abstract

Despite concerted efforts by his government and the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, Seretse
Khama’s localisation of the Botswana Police would ultimately fail in its objective during the period under
study. Using archival material obtained from the National Archives of the United Kingdom and some
secondary sources, this article explores the localisation programme in the Botswana Police, placing it
within the context of similar projects in other African police and military forces during the decolonisation
and immediate post-independence periods. It argues that the localisation programme of the Botswana
Police was undermined by two factors. Firstly, the absence of adequately trained Africans in the force,
which was the result of the Colonial Office’s lack of foresight while preparing Botswana for independence.
Secondly, the response of some British expatriate officers following the President’s announcement of the
localisation exercise were counterproductive.