Botswana, A Very Open Society.

During my time in Botswana, I found the people to be very open and unpretentious. 

One example of this was whenI received a call from Festus Mogae, who at the time was the Chief of Staff to President Quett Masire. 

‘Are you busy this evening?’ he asked. 

‘No, not particularly.’ 

‘Would you and your wife like to come to dinner tonight with President Masire at State House?’ 

Very surprised, I answered, ‘Yes, of course, we’d love that.’ 

‘Come to the gate at State House at 7 pm this evening, tell them who you are, and you will be admitted.’ 

So that is what we did. 

The dinner party consisted of President Masire, his wife, the head of the hospital and his wife, and of course Diana and me. 

The evening was delightful, and the conversation pleasant and sensible. By that time we had rescued the Brewery from collapse and had managed to make the Hotel Business profitable. We had also taken over the Sorghum Beer business from our colleagues in Zimbabwe, as well as starting our own beer, soft drink, and liquor distribution business. All these enterprises were owned 50/50 by South African Breweries and the Government of Botswana. 

I was able to remind the President that, he being a Kgalagadi rather than a member of the dominant Ngwato tribe, that it was his idea to rename the brewery ‘Kgalagadi Breweries’. 

As a footnote, it is interesting that Seretse Khama’s tribe, the Ngwato, did not confine the presidency to their own tribal group. After Seretse, who led the country to independence, the presidency was open to members of any tribe, indicating a very participative and inclusive society. 

It is also noteworthy that Festus Mogae succeeded Masire as President after Masire had served his eight year term. This was in line with the term limits outlined in the constitution, which have been religiously applied throughout the years since. This is unlike so many countries in the rest of Africa, whose leaders try to stay in power by any and all means.