Editing Government of Botswana

{{Short description|none}}
{{About|the Botswana government|recent and past political developments in Botswana|Politics of Botswana}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox executive government|background_color=|government_name=Government of Botswana|border=central|image=Coat of arms of Botswana.svg|image_size=220px|date_established={{Start date and age|df=yes|1966|9|30}}|state=[[Botswana]]|leader_title=[[President of Botswana|President]]
([[Duma Boko]])|appointed=|main_organ=[[Cabinet of Botswana]]|ministries=|responsible=[[Parliament of Botswana]]|budget=[[Botswana pula|BWP]]53. 47 billion|address=|url={{URL|https://www.gov.bw/}}|Debt=}}

The '''Government of Botswana'''  often abbreviated as '''GOB''', is the union government created by the [[constitution of Botswana]] having the executive, parliament, and the judiciary. The Seat of the Government is located in [[Gaborone]], [[Botswana]]. The government is led by the [[President of Botswana|president]].

== Executive ==
This section defines the executive branch including the President, Vice President, and Cabinet.<ref name=":1">{{cite web|title=Botswana 1966 (rev. 2002)|url=https://www.constituteproject.org/constitution/Botswana_2002?lang=en|access-date=9 April 2015|website=Constitute}}</ref>

=== The President ===
The President is the chief executive of the state. The President is elected president by members of the National Assembly. These members state on the ballot who they would support for President if elected, and after election to the National Assembly vote for whomever they indicated they would elect as President. The President has the following requirements: (a) is a citizen of Botswana by birth or descent; (b) has attained the age of 30 years; and (c) is qualified to be elected as a Member of the National Assembly. The President's term is limited up to 10 years, or however long the President holds office in the National Assembly.<ref name=":1" />

The executive power of Botswana resides solely in the President. The President is also the commander of the armed forces. The president also has the power to pardon a person convicted of a crime.<ref name=":1" />

=== The Vice President ===
{{Main|Vice-President of Botswana}}

The Vice President is chosen by the President from among the members of the National Assembly. The Vice President takes over for the President when the President is unable to fulfil his duties either because of illness, death, or other reasons.<ref name=":1" />The Vice President is second-in-command to the President and carries out the missions of the President.<ref name=":1" />The current vice-president is [[Ndaba Gaolathe]].

<ref>{{Cite web |date=19 March 2021 |title=Leader of the House |url=https://www.parliament.gov.bw/index.php/2012-02-13-15-06-33/leader-of-the-house |access-date=19 March 2021 |website=Parliament of Botswana |archive-date=24 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230324193610/https://www.parliament.gov.bw/index.php/2012-02-13-15-06-33/leader-of-the-house |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== The Cabinet ===
{{main|Cabinet of Botswana}}
This Cabinet is composed of the President, the Vice President and no more than six ministers who are appointed by the President from the National Assembly. The Ministers in the Cabinet are responsible for advising the President with respect to the policy of the government.<ref name=":1" />

== Parliament ==
This section describes both the National Assembly as well as the Ntlo ya Dikgosi, which together create the Parliament of Botswana.<ref name=":1" />

=== National Assembly ===
{{Main|National Assembly (Botswana)}}

The Parliament consists of the President and National Assembly. The president is a voting member of the National Assembly.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Botlhale |first1=Emmanuel |last2=Lotshwao |first2=Kebapetse |date=2013 |title=The Uneasy Relationship Between Parliament and the Executive in Botswana |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/90024373 |journal=Botswana Notes and Records |volume=45 |pages=39–51 |jstor=90024373 |issn=0525-5090}}</ref> There are an additional 57 elected members of the National Assembly. There is also a speaker of the Assembly who is elected by the members of the Assembly, but does not necessarily have to be a member of the assembly themselves. There is also a deputy speaker elected by the Assembly.<ref name=":1" />

In order for a person to be eligible to be a member of the Assembly they must: be a citizen of Botswana, be 18 years old, be registered to vote, and be able to speak and read in English. There are many conditions that disqualify a member from eligibility, most of these dealing with allegiance to other countries.<ref name=":1" />

Botswana is divided into the number of constituencies that they have members of parliament so that each district sends one member to the Assembly. People in Botswana are eligible to vote if they are: 18, a citizen, and have resided in Botswana for 12 consecutive months.<ref name=":1" />

=== Ntlo ya Dikgosi ===
{{Main|Ntlo ya Dikgosi}}

In addition to a parliament, Botswana also has a Ntlo ya Dikgosi. The Ntlo ya Dikgosi acts as an advisory body to the Parliament of Botswana.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Inc |first=IBP |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9jm4DAAAQBAJ&q=Botswana+the+house+consists+of+35+members&pg=PA13 |title=Botswana Investment and Business Guide Volume 1 Strategic and Practical Information |date=2015-09-11 |publisher=Lulu.com |isbn=978-1-5145-2879-2 |language=en}}</ref> This body consists of 33-35 members. In order to be eligible to be a member one must be 21 years old and a citizen. There are similar disqualifying conditions for this body as there are for the National Assembly. Members are appointed for 5-year terms. No member may participate in party politics, and many members are tribal chiefs. This body possesses no legislative power, including approval or veto power; rather they advise the Parliament on bills and measures. A power the body does have is to summon members of the government to appear before it.<ref name=":1" />

== Local government ==
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 councillors and district development committees. There has been ongoing debate about the political, social, and economic marginalization of the [[San people|San]] (Bushmen). The government's policies for remote area dwellers continue to spark controversy and may be revised in response to domestic and donor concerns.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Saugestad |first=Sidsel |date=2011-01-01 |title=Impact of international mechanisms on indigenous rights in Botswana |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/13642987.2011.529688 |journal=The International Journal of Human Rights |volume=15 |issue=1 |pages=37–61 |doi=10.1080/13642987.2011.529688 |issn=1364-2987 |s2cid=142990303}}</ref>

== Judicature ==
This section describes the varying parts of the judiciary in Botswana including the High Court, the Court of Appeal, and the Judicial Service Commission.<ref name=":1" />

=== High Court ===
The High Court of Botswana acts as the supreme legal source, in which the court possesses unlimited original jurisdiction to hear any cases. The court has a Chief Judge as well as a number of other judges, in which the number is determined by the Parliament. The Chief Justice is appointed by the President, as are all of the other Justices, but these can be advised to the President by the Parliament. In order to be qualified to be a judge on this court one must have either been a judge, been an attorney, been a law professor with a law degree, or been a Chief Magistrate. Appointments to this court are until the person reaches the age of 70. The only other reason a judge would leave the high court is if the Parliament decides the person is no longer able to properly perform their duties.<ref name=":1" />

The High Court has authority to interpret the constitution. If there is disagreement on any interpretation, that disagreement is settled by the High Court.<ref name=":1" />

Botswana has had ten chief justices:<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.olddailynews.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20120927|title= Efficient judicial system ensures justice|newspaper= Daily News|access-date= 4 March 2016|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160305121224/http://www.olddailynews.gov.bw/cgi-bin/news.cgi?d=20120927|archive-date= 5 March 2016}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!No.
!Name
!Tenure
|-
|1
|[[Dendy Young]]
|1968–1971
|-
|2
|[[Akinola Aguda]]
|1972–1975
|-
|3
|[[George O. L. Dyke]]
|1975–1977
|-
|4
|[[Robert John Hayfron-Benjamin]]
|1977–1981
|-
|5
|[[James Aiden O'Brien Quinn]]
|1981–1987
|-
|6
|[[Luke Livesey]]
|1987–1992
|-
|7
|[[Moleleki D. Mokama]]
|1992–1997
|-
|8
|[[Julian Nganunu]]
|1997–2010
|-
|9
|[[Maruping Dibotelo]]
|2010–2018
|-
|10
|[[Terence Rannowane]]
|2018-2025
|-
|11
|[[Gaolapelwe Ketlogetswe]]
|2025-present
|-
|}

=== Court of Appeal ===
The [[Court of Appeal (Botswana)|Court of Appeal]] has the right to hear any case in Botswana in which one party has appealed the decision found. This court consists of a President of the Court of Appeal, a number of other judges, and the entirety of the High Court. Like the High Court, the President is appointed by the President as are the other judges, with the advice of Parliament. In order to be qualified a person must have been either a judge, attorney, or law professor. As is with the High Court a person is appointed until the age of 70, barring Parliament does not find them incapable during their tenure.<ref name=":1" />

=== Judicial Service Commission ===
The Judicial Service Commission is created to help advise the President on judicial nominations. It consists of the Chief Justice, the President of the Court of Appeals, the Attorney-General, the Chairman of the Public Service Commission, a member of the Law Society nominated by the Law Society, and a person of integrity and experience who is not a legal practitioner appointed by the President.<ref name=":1" />

== Politics of Botswana ==
{{further|Politics of Botswana}}Politics of Botswana takes place in a framework of a [[Parliamentary system|parliamentary]] [[Representative democracy|representative democratic]] [[republic]], whereby the [[President of Botswana]] is both [[head of state]] and [[head of government]], and of a  [[multi-party system]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=3 April 2018 |title=Botswana country profile |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-13040376}}</ref> [[Executive power]] is exercised by the government. [[Legislative power]] is vested in both the [[Forms of government|government]] and the [[Parliament of Botswana]]. In part because the party system has been dominated by the [[Botswana Democratic Party]] (BDP), which never lost power since the country gained independence, until 2024,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Benza |first=Brian |date=October 25, 2019 |title=Botswana's Masisi retains presidency as BDP wins election |newspaper=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-botswana-election-idUSKBN1X40KS |via=www.reuters.com}}</ref> the [[Economist Intelligence Unit]] has rated Botswana as a "[[Illiberal democracy|flawed democracy]]."<ref>Economist Intelligence Unit, [https://pages.eiu.com/rs/753-RIQ-438/images/eiu-democracy-index-2021.pdf Democracy Index 2021], table 11, p. 57 (2022). Accessed 14 April 2022.</ref>

== Foreign relations ==
{{Main|Foreign relations of Botswana}}

=== International organizations ===
[[African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States|ACP]], [[African Development Bank|AfDB]], [[Commonwealth of Nations|C]], [[United Nations Economic Commission for Africa|ECA]], [[Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]], [[Group of 77|G-77]], [[International Atomic Energy Agency|IAEA]], [[International Bank for Reconstruction and Development|IBRD]], [[International Civil Aviation Organization|ICAO]], [[International Criminal Court|ICCt]], [[International Confederation of Free Trade Unions|ICFTU]], [[International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement|ICRM]], [[International Development Association|IDA]], [[International Fund for Agricultural Development|IFAD]], IFC, [[International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies|IFRCS]], [[International Labour Organization|ILO]], [[International Monetary Fund|IMF]], [[Interpol]], [[International Olympic Committee|IOC]], [[International Organization for Standardization|ISO]], [[International Telecommunication Union|ITU]], [[Non-Aligned Movement|NAM]], [[Organisation of African Unity|OAU]], [[Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons|OPCW]], [[Southern African Customs Union|SACU]], [[Southern African Development Community|SADC]], [[UN]], [[UNCTAD]], [[UNESCO]], [[United Nations Industrial Development Organization|UNIDO]], [[Universal Postal Union|UPU]], [[World Customs Organization|WCO]], [[World Federation of Trade Unions|WFTU]], [[World Health Organization|WHO]], [[World Intellectual Property Organization|WIPO]], [[World Meteorological Organization|WMO]], [[WTO]], WT.<ref>{{cite web|date=23 January 2014|title=Membership of international organisations of Botswana|url=https://fortuneofafrica.com/botswana/2014/01/23/membership-of-international-organisations-of-botswana/|access-date=October 23, 2019}}</ref>

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

== External links ==
* [https://www.gov.bw Official website]

{{Botswana government ministries and agencies|state=expanded}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Government of Botswana]]