Botswana Notes and Records

Fred Morton — 2024-12-23

Challenges of Bridging Africa: The History of the Kazungula Bridge in Botswana

Bongani Glorious Gumbo — 2024-12-23

On 10 May 2021, the Kazungula Bridge across the Zambezi River was officially opened to the
public, directly connecting Botswana and Zambia and, by extension, the southern African
region to the hinterlands of the African continent, making it a transnational transport corridor.
Measuring 923 meters long and 18.5 meters wide, the iconic bridge has been viewed as a
strategic facility that wields huge potential for the integration of regional economies into the
global market with minimum delays at the one-stop border across the Zambezi, which forms
the international border between Botswana and Zambia. The bridge is also important for its
aesthetic value and is touted to draw tourists to the nearby Kasane, the tourist bastion of
Botswana. To appreciate the significance of the bridge, it is important to understand the history
of the crossing at Kazungula. This article examines the socio-economic impact at national,
regional, and also on informal and small business (for the riparian communities (of the
Kazungula and the greater Chobe District) levels. It reveals how, from time immemorial, cross
border trade was carried out across the Zambezi, which could have been a barrier, but through
their indigenous knowledge systems, they were able to mitigate the challenge and therefore
engage in social and economic activities with their counterparts across in Zambia. Drawing on
the qualitative approach, the article utilises primary and secondary sources.

Presidential Succession Politics in Botswana: An Appraisal Khama-Masisi Transition

Batlang Seabo — 2024-12-28

Peaceful presidential transitions have been the hallmark of Botswana’s democracy since the
country’s independence in 1966. This was in stark contrast to other African countries where
leaders overstayed in power and transitions were often conflictual. For most of the post
independence era, Botswana and Mauritius were exceptions to the trend, and Botswana was
held in high regard as an exemplar of democracy in Africa. Political power transitions occurred
seamlessly between presidents, albeit under one-party dominance. This paper revisits
succession politics in Botswana and argues that the long-established practice of smooth
presidential succession was interrupted by General Ian Khama’s quest to preserve the Khama
dynasty after his mandatory 10-year presidential term ended in April 2018. The paper shows
that the preservation of a Khama dynasty was to be founded on Khama’s reign, which was akin
to hyper-presidentialism but aided by the country’s Constitution. Khama deviated from the
practices of other former presidents by choosing not only to openly and strongly criticize his
successor but also to remain actitively engaged in party politics in a bid to dislodge his chosen
successor, Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Meaningful Engagement and Participation of Youth in Health Programmes in Botswana: Challenges and Prospects

Kabo Diraditsile — 2024-12-28

This paper highlights the importance of fostering meaningful engagement and active
participation of youth in health programmes within the context of Botswana. Recognising the
unique challenges and opportunities that the youth population faces, this study explored
strategies to empower and involve youth in shaping and benefiting from health initiatives. The
study adopted a descriptive research design; cluster sampling was used, and data were collected
from 180 participants. The paper emphasizes the development of youth-friendly health
services, ensuring accessibility, confidentiality, and effective communication. Education and
awareness campaigns are proposed to inform young people about available health resources
and to promote the use of various media platforms for maximum reach. Moreover, the
establishment of youth advisory boards is recommended to integrate the perspectives of youth
into decision-making processes related to health programme development and implementation.
Furthermore, the research encourages policy advocacy, urging the active involvement of youth
in shaping health policies that directly impact their well-being.

Quality Parameters of Seed Oil of Moringa oleifera Lam. Grown in Gaborone, Botswana

Tuelo Nelly Diranyana — 2024-12-28

This study was conducted to characterise the physicochemical properties of the seed oil of
Moringa oleifera grown in Gaborone, Botswana. The Moringa seeds used for oil extraction
were collected from the backyards of different households in Gaborone city. The cold press
technique was used to extract oil from Moringa seeds. Quality parameters of Moringa seed oil
were compared with a commercial virgin olive oil using the student’s T-test. The Moringa seed
oil had an average refractive index, density, acid value, peroxide value and saponification value
of 1.4675 ± 0.000, 0.9085 ± 0.001(g/cm3), 0.670 ± 0.313 (mg KOH/g), 0.15 ± 0.710 (mEq
O2/kg) and 134.08 ± 7.140 (mg KOH/g), respectively. The Moringa oil had comparable
physicochemical characteristics with virgin olive oil except for refractive index, peroxide value
and colour. The results showed that the values for the physicochemical parameters of M.
oleifera seed oil fall within the recommended limits for edible oils. This suggests that M.
oleifera seed oil grown in Botswana could potentially be used as edible oil for human
consumption.

Botswana’s Sister-in-Law: The Letters of Muriel Sanderson, 1965-2002

Modise Molaakgosi — 2024-12-28

Muriel Sanderson (neé Williams) is well known as the person who introduced her younger sister Ruth to Seretse Khama at Nutford House, London, in 1947.

As you will see in the following letters, this famous encounter also led to Muriel’s long relationship with the Khama family and Botswana.

Michael Kitso Dingake and the Association of South Africans Living in Botswana

Douglas Tsiako — 2024-12-28

Speaking as a representative of the Association of South Africans in Botswana (ASABO)
at the funeral of the African National Congress (ANC) stalwart Dr Michael Kitso
Dingake in Gaborone on 14 April 2024, editorial consultant Douglas Tsiako took a
sweeping view of Botswana as the most frontline of the Frontline States during South
Africa’s tortured struggle for freedom and democracy and cast a harsh light on what he
calls ‘eclipses of history over interstices of time’ to find much in the shadows behind the
scenes.

A Note on the Circumstances, Challenges and Opportunities in the Origins of the University of Botswana

Jack Parson — 2024-12-28

This Note was inspired by a talk I gave to the Botswana Society on 3 September 2024 at the
University of Botswana campus in Gaborone. It is based on my memory of circumstances and
events when I was employed by the progenitors of the University of Botswana –the University
of Botswana, Lesotho, and Swaziland (UBLS) and the University College of Botswana (UCB),
a constituent of the University of Botswana and Swaziland (UBS). The key events during that
time (1973-1978) were the creation of Part I campuses in each of Botswana and Swaziland
teaching the first two years of the UBLS degree in 1972, Lesotho’s withdrawal from the UBLS
in 1975 and resulting establishment of full four-year programmes in both Botswana and
Swaziland under the umbrella of the UBS. Ultimately in 1982 the University of Botswana (UB)
was created as the flagship public institution of higher education in Botswana, an event after
my time. Subsequent to that talk I came across several memos I wrote at the time related to the
issue of the future of the University. This Note therefore is based on my recollection of these
events and the documents I retrieved.

My Academic Career at the University of Botswana and Beyond

Andy Chebanne — 2024-12-28

One day, not so many years ago, a colleague retorted to a secretarial staff member who had called me Dr. C: ‘Why do you call Prof. Chebanne, Dr. C?’

To which, with composure, she said, ‘There is no one called Prof. C!’ And that response settled the argument. This is how a certain section of the Faculty staff called me.

I, even myself, accepted it without protest. This, I assumed, was how fondly they preferred to call me. In philosophy, when time flies, it is always relative to our existence or our plans.

Sooner our present becomes our past, and the rest is the history of a man.

The Cattle People: The Tswana

John Wright — 2024-12-28

Mokolodi

Christian John Makgala — 2024-12-28

How Academics Get Published: Demystifying Book Publishers’ Expectations of Academic Authors

Joseph Tsonope — 2024-12-28

Marriage is a Risk: Navigating the Legal and Emotional Gambles of Matrimony

Joseph Tsonope — 2024-12-28