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Botswana

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Botswana Politics, sometimes defined as the art and science of government. ... This image depicts a seal, an emblem, a coat of arms or a crest. ...

President Festus Mogae Vice-President Seretse Ian Khama Parliament House of Chiefs National Assembly Political parties Elections: 2004 Foreign relations

List of Heads of State of Botswana (Dates in italics indicate de facto continuation of office) Affiliations:- Sources http://www. ... Festus Gontebanye Mogae (born August 21, 1939) is the president of Botswana. ... The Vice-President of Botswana is the second-highest executive official in the Government of Botswana. ... Lt. ... The Parliament of Botswana consists of two chambers: The House of Chiefs (Upper Chamber) The National Assembly (Lower Chamber) This politics-related article is a stub. ... Botswanas House of Chiefs (Setswana: Ntlo ya Dikgosi) is the advisory, upper chamber of the countrys bicameral Parliament. ... The National Assembly of Botswana is the lower chamber of the countrys bicameral Parliament. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... Politics of Botswana Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Botswana ... Politics of Botswana Categories: Election related stubs | Politics of Botswana | Elections in Botswana ... Botswana has put a premium on economic and political integration in southern Africa. ...

Botswana has a flourishing multiparty constitutional democracy. Each of the elections since independence has been freely and fairly contested and has been held on schedule. The country's small white minority and other minorities participate freely in the political process. There are two main rival parties and a number of smaller parties. In national elections in 1999, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) won 33 of 40 contested National Assembly seats, the Botswana National Front (BNF) won 6, and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) won 1 seat. An additional 4 seats are held by individuals appointed by the President; all 4 are currently held by the ruling BDP. The opposition out-polled the ruling BDP in most urban areas. The openness of the country's political system has been a significant factor in Botswana's stability and economic growth. General elections are held at least every 5 years. 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana, led by president Festus Mogae. ... Botswana National Front is the main opposition political party in Botswana. ... The Botswana Congress Party is a social-democratic political party in Botswana, founded in 1998 as split from the Botswana National Front, led by Otlaadisa Koosaletse. ...

The president has executive power and is chosen by the National Assembly following countrywide legislative elections. The cabinet is selected by the president from the National Assembly; it consists of a vice president and a flexible number of ministers and assistant ministers, currently 12 and 3, respectively. The National Assembly has 40 elected and 4 appointed members; it is expanded following each census (every 10 years).

The advisory House of Chiefs represents the eight principal subgroups of the Batswana people, and four other members are elected by the subchiefs of four of the districts. A draft of any National Assembly bill of tribal concern must be referred to the House of Chiefs for advisory opinion. Chiefs and other leaders preside over customary, traditional courts, though all persons have the right to request that their case be considered under the formal British-based legal system. TSWANA (singular Motswana, plural Batswana) is the name of a Southern African people, and of its Bantu language. ...

The roots of Botswana's democracy lie in Setswana traditions, exemplified by the Kgotla, or village council, in which the powers of traditional leaders are limited by custom and law. Botswana's High Court has general civil and criminal jurisdiction. Judges are appointed by the president and may be removed only for cause and after a hearing. The constitution has a code of fundamental human rights enforced by the courts, and Botswana has a good human rights record. Tswana, also known as Setswana, is a Bantu language. ... A kgotla is a public meeting or the traditional community council of a Botswana village. ...

Local government is administered by nine district councils and five town councils. District commissioners have executive authority and are appointed by the central government and assisted by elected and nominated district councilors and district development committees. There has been ongoing debate about the political, social, and economic marginalization of the San (indigenous tribal population). The government's policies for remote area dwellers continue to spark controversy and to be revised in response to domestic and donor concerns. The Bushmen (also known as Khwe Khoe, Basarwa, or San) peoples of South Africa and neighbouring Botswana and Namibia, who live in the Kalahari, are part of the Khoisan group and are related to the Khoikhoi. ...

Political parties and elections

Election results include names of political parties. See for additional information about parties the List of political parties in Botswana. An overview on elections and election results is included in Elections in Botswana.

Main article: Botswana general election, 2004

Principal Government Officials
President--Festus Mogae
Vice President--Lt. Gen. Seretse Ian Khama
Ambassador to the United States--Kgosi Seepapitso
Ambassador to the United Nations--L.J.M.J. Legwaila An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues. ... A political party is a political organization subscribing to a certain ideology or formed around very special issues with the aim to participate in power, usually by participating in elections. ... An election is a decision making process whereby people vote for preferred political candidates or parties to act as representatives in government. ... Politics of Botswana Categories: Election related stubs | Elections in Botswana ... The Botswana general election of 2004 was contested by the Botswana Democratic Party and eight opposition parties. ... The National Assembly of Botswana is the lower chamber of the countrys bicameral Parliament. ... The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana, led by president Festus Mogae. ... Botswana National Front is the main opposition political party in Botswana. ... The Botswana Congress Party is a social-democratic political party in Botswana, founded in 1998 as split from the Botswana National Front, led by Otlaadisa Koosaletse. ... The Botswana Alliance Movement (BAM) is a progressive political party in Botswana, led by Ephraim Lepetu Setshwaelo. ... The Botswana People’s Party (BPP) is a progressive political party in Botswana, led by Motlatsi Molapise. ... The New Democratic Front is a progressive political party in Botswana without parliamentary representation. ... The Marx, Engels, Lenin, Stalin Movement is an party in Botswana without parliamentary representation, led by Themba Joina. ... Festus Gontebanye Mogae (born August 21, 1939) is the president of Botswana. ... Lt. ...

Botswana maintains a U.S. embassy at 1531-1533 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20036 (tel. 202-244-4990; fax 202-244-4164). Its mission to the United Nations is at 103 E. 37th Street, New York NY 10017 (tel. 212-889-2277; fax 212-725-5061). For other uses, see United States (disambiguation) and US (disambiguation). ...

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Botswana
conventional short form: Botswana
former: Bechuanaland The Bechuanaland Protectorate (BP) was a protectorate established in 1885 by Britain in the area of what is now Botswana. ...

Data code: BC

Government type: parliamentary republic

Capital: Gaborone Satellite image of Gaborone Location of Gaborone in Botswana Gaborone (pron. ...

Administrative divisions: 10 districts and four town councils*; Central, Chobe, Francistown*, Gaborone*, Ghanzi, Kgalagadi, Kgatleng, Kweneng, Lobatse*, Ngamiland, North-East, Selebi-Pikwe*, South-East, Southern

Independence: 30 September 1966 (from UK) September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...

National Penis: The Big hairy kind.

Constitution: March 1965, effective 30 September 1966 September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...

Legal system: based on Roman-Dutch law and local customary law; judicial review limited to matters of interpretation; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch:
chief of state: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Festus MOGAE (since 1 April 1998) and Vice President Seretse Ian KHAMA (since 13 July 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the president
elections: president elected by the National Assembly for a five-year term; election last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004); vice president appointed by the president
election results: Festus MOGAE elected president; percent of National Assembly vote - 54.3% April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament consists of the House of Chiefs (a largely advisory 15-member body consisting of the chiefs of the eight principal tribes, four elected subchiefs, and three members selected by the other 12 members) and the National Assembly (44 seats, 40 members are directly elected by popular vote and 4 are appointed by the majority party; members serve five-year terms)
elections: National Assembly elections last held 16 October 1999 (next to be held NA October 2004) October 16 is the 289th day of the year (290th in Leap years). ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ... It has been designated the: International Year of Rice (by the United Nations) International Year to Commemorate the Struggle against Slavery and its Abolition (by UNESCO) 2004 World Health Day topic was Road Safety (by World Health Organization) Year of the Monkey (by the Chinese calendar) See the world in...

Judicial branch: High Court; Court of Appeal; Magistrates' Courts (one in each district)

International organization participation: ACP, AfDB, C, ECA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAU, OPCW, SACU, SADC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 as a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, as defined by several international agreements, most prominently the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court. ...

Flag description: light blue with a horizontal white-edged black stripe in the center

See also : Botswana