NATION BUILDING

DEFINITION OF TERMS
NATION: A group of people who belong together as one state or country.
NATIONALISM: a strong feeling of loyalty or faithfulness towards one’s country and opposition to
foreign rule.
NATIONALIST: a person who wants their country to be independent/a person who has a great love for
and pride in their country.
COLONIALISM: a practice by which a powerful country controls another country.
ETHNIC GROUP: a group of people who belong together and share certain characteristics such as
culture, history and origin.
ETHNICITY: people identifying themselves or others according to the ethnic group to which they
belong.
SELF-DETERMINATION: the right to make your own decisions without influence.
TRIBALISM: discrimination based on ethnic group.
PATRIOTISM: having love or pride for one’s country and willingness to defend or develop it.
NEPOTISM: the practice of people with power or influence to favour their own relatives, for instance, in
allocation of jobs or tenders.
APARTHEID: a political system of government in South Africa in which only white people had full
political rights and other people especially black people, were forced to live away from white people.
GENOCIDE: a mass killing of a group of people

WHAT IS MFECANE/DIFAQANE?
MFECANE is an Nguni word meaning “crushing” while the Sotho call it DIFAQANE meaning
“scattering”. Generally, Mfecane/Difaqane refers to the inter-tribal wars in Southern Africa between 1810
and 1840s. The period was characterised by attacks, insecurity, raids for food, people and livestock as
well as forced migrations.

CAUSES OF MFECANE
 POPULATION INCREASE – because of an unusually high rainfall, maize produced high
yields and this increased food supply thus resulting in people being better fed and the population
growing.
 MADLATHULE FAMINE: as a result of a prolonged drought of 1790-1800, maize crop
produced poor yields and pastures withered leading to starvation.
 COMPETITION TO CONTROL IVORY TRADE: the desire to control trade with the Portuguese
at Delagoa Bay may have been a further reason for the growth of larger states in the 18 th Century.
 THE RISE OF THE ZULU KINGDOM – The desire for supremacy led to conquering of small
states and their subsequent incorporation into larger kingdoms.
 CONFEDERACIES – competition to control more people and land e.g. Zwide of the Ndwandwe.
The more the people the more the kingdom had the more the powerful it was.

POLITICAL EFFECTS OF MFECANE WARS ON THE LIVES OF BATSWANA

 MILITARY ALLIANCES WERE BORNE – Tswana kingdoms came together for common
defence against external enemies e.g. Bangwaketse and Bakgatla helped Bakwena fight the Boers
during the battle of Dimawe and this led to improved cooperation between Tswana groups which
marked the beginning of the process of nation building. (POSITIVE)
 INTRODUCTION OF KGAMELO SYSTEM - e.g. Kgosi Kgari introduced Kgamelo system
to give cattle to poor people who were impoverished by the wars and this strengthened his
 leadership and this created unity in his morafe which was very important for nation building.
(POSITIVE)
 LOSS OF POWERFUL LEADERS e.g. Kgosi Makaba II died while trying to defend his
morafe and this left his morafe vulnerable to breaking apart. (NEGATIVE)
 LOSS OF POWER BY TSWANA DIKGOSI as some groups broke up and joined stronger
ones e.g. Bakaa were assimilated into Bangwato and as a result they lost their cultural identity.
(NEGATIVE)
 NEW MILITARY TACTICS WERE LEARNED e.g. using mountain tops for defence helped
Batswana to build larger political units that lasted to date such as Shoshong and Kanye.
(POSITIVE)
 EMERGENCE OF STRONG KINGDOMS such as Bangwato, Bakwena, Bangwaketse who
successfully defended their morafe against enemies. (POSITIVE)
 REALISATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF GUNS which later proved important in
resisting Boer attempts to take over the lands of Batswana (POSITIVE)

SOCIAL EFFECTS
 HUMAN DISPLACEMENT – Batswana were forced to flee from their homes, villages, lands
and cattle posts. (NEGATIVE)

NEGATIVE EFFECTS
 LOSS OF LIVES – (SOCIAL)
 LOSS OF ABLE BODIED PEOPLE (SOCIAL)
 LOSS OF VALUABLE PROPERTY (ECONOMIC)
 DESTRUCTION OF VILLAGES/TOWNS – (SOCIAL)
 LOSS OF CULTURAL AND ETHNIC IDENTITY – (SOCIAL)

THREATS TO THE LANDS OF BATSWANA AND RESPONSES OF BATSWANA DIKGOSI

AND MISSIONARIES
BOER THREATS
A group of European settlers known as Boers moved into the lands of Batswana around the 1830s. They
came into contact with Tswana groups such as Bakwena, Bahurutshe, Balete, Bangwaketse, Batlhaping,
and Barolong. The Boers later started troubling Batswana and making some demands and threatening
them aggressively. This led to tensions between them and Batswana, with Boers demanding that:
 Batswana should accept Boer rule
 Batswana should provide free labour to the Boers
 Batswana should give up their guns
The demands were rejected by Batswana Dikgosi, especially Kgosi Sechele of Bakwena. Having failed to
make Batswana accept their demands, the Boers decided to use force against them.
In 1852 the Boers and the British signed an agreement called the Sand River Convention in which the
British would;
 Stop selling guns to Africans
 Not be involved in any conflict between the Boers and the Africans
 Do nothing about the Boers’ use of Africans as slaves
 Give independence to the Boers living in the Transvaal
After signing this treaty, the Boers attacked the Bakwena at Dimawe and Kolobeng. In 1853 peace was
restored but the Boers’ desire to take away the lands of Batswana continued. In 1881 the Boers seized the
land of Batlhaping and created an independent republic of Stellaland and in 1884 they conquered and
occupied the land of Barolong and established another state called Goshen.
The establishment of Goshen and Stellaland prompted the British to declare Bechuanaland a protectorate
because the two states threatened to block the ‘road to the north’.
PROCESS LEADING TO THE DECLARATION OF THE PROTECTORATE
Batswana had long asked for British protection at a time when they were terrorized by the Ndebele and
the Boers. Britain refused to grant Batswana protection as they thought that it would be too expensive to
maintain a territory which they considered poor with nothing to offer.
Suddenly, in 1885 when Batswana had lost hope about the protection the British government declared
Bechuanaland as a British protectorate. Sir Charles Warren was sent to inform Batswana about the
declaration. Warren informed Khama III, Sechele and Gaseitsiwe respectively. Other Tswana chiefs were
not directly informed.

REASONS FOR THE DECLARATION OF THE PROTECTORATE

 PROTECTION OF THE ROAD TO THE NORTH
 MISSIONARY PRESSURE
 ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN REGION

RESPONSES OF DIKGOSI TO THE DECLARATION

The declaration was met with mixed reactions.
 Khama III wholeheartedly welcomed the declaration as he thought the land of Batswana would be
protected against the Boers and the Ndebele.
 Sechele, Letsholathebe and Linchwe questioned the motive of the declaration as they did not
understand what protection meant.
 The chiefs also thought that the protection was longer necessary because the Boers and the
Ndebele had stopped attacking Batswana.
 The Dikgosi feared losing their powers and independence
 Dikgosi feared losing their lands.
 Some Dikgosi felt that they were not consulted

WHY MISSIONARIES WELCOMED THE DECLARATION

 They thought they would have an advantage over missionaries from other countries
 They thought their missionary activities would be protected.
 They would be assured of security from external threats for both missionaries and British citizens
 They thought their trade interests would be protected by their own government.

THREATS OF ASSIMILATION/INCORPORATION INTO THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA

After declaring Bechuanaland a British protectorate the British government aimed at incorporating it into
the Union of South Africa.
 Britain did not want to spend any money in developing the protectorate as she thought the land
was too poor.
 Britain thought that the assimilation would be advantageous as more Batswana would provide
cheap labour in the South African mines.
RESPONSES OF DIKGOSI TO THE THREATS OF ASSIMILATION
 They openly criticized the incorporation
 They sent a petition to the British colonisers that they were against the incorporation
 Feared that the incorporation would result in loss of their powers and lands
RESPONSES OF MISSIONARIES TO THE THREATS OF ASSIMILATION
 Openly condemned the assimilation as they thought the Boers would interfere with their mission
activities.
 They also feared competition for trade with the Boers
THREATS OF A TAKEOVER BY THE BRITISH SOUTH AFRICA COMPANY (BSACo)
The BSACo was a commercial company that was given most of the mining rights in Southern Africa. It
was formed by a British businessman called Cecil John Rhodes. After the plan to incorporate
Bechuanaland into the Union of South Africa failed, Britain wanted to handover the protectorate to
BSACo. BSACo was already in control of Southern and Northern Rhodesia (modern day Zimbabwe and
Zambia) after Rhodes tricked Lobengula (chief of the Amandebele) into signing a treaty which gave away
the lands of the Ndebele to the BSACo.
 Rhodes wanted to takeover Bechuanaland so that he could build a railway line connecting
Rhodesia to the Cape.
 He also wanted to use Bechuanaland to acquire more land to settle Europeans and to gain access
to the mines in South Africa.
The British government was in favour of the takeover and planned to give Bechuanaland to BSACo.
REACTIONS OF DIKGOSI AND THE MISSIONARIES TO THE THREATS OF A TAKEOVER
 Travelled to Britain – Khama III, Sebele I and Bathoen I took a journey to England in 1895 to
protest the annexation of their land by BSACo.
 Sent petitions to the colonial government – Khama III, Sebele I and Bathoen I sent a petition to
Joseph Chamberlain in London against the transfer.
 During the protests, they were supported by Missionaries such as John Mackenzie, humanitarian
organisations and the British public. The Dikgosi requested that:
- The protectorate should be directly governed by the Queen’s government.
- Their status as Dikgosi should be maintained
- Their lands should not be sold or given away
- Drinking alcohol should be prohibited in their areas.

Due to pressure from the Dikgosi, Missionaries, humanitarian groups and the British public, Britain
decided not to hand over the protectorate. They feared that if they handed over the protectorate against the
willingness of Batswana then there might be a strike in the protectorate. The rulers also feared losing the
next general elections because the opposition was using this intended handover to tarnish the image of the
ruling party. Finally the handover was cancelled and the British government promised to develop the
protectorate.

CONTRIBUTION OF DIKGOSI TO THE PRESERVATION OF LANDS OF BATSWANA

Dikgosi played an important role in saving the lands of Batswana from being taken over by rival groups
such as the Ndebele, Kololo and the Boers. Even during peaceful times Dikgosi strived to acquire guns
from the British traders and missionaries. These guns later proved important in the defence of the lands of
Batswana especially against the Boers.

EFFORTS MADE BY BATSWANA DIKGOSI TO SAVE THE LANDS OF BATSWANA

UNITING MERAFE – Batswana Dikgosi united their merafe and guided them in repelling attacks by
the Ndebele and the Bakololo. Some Dikgosi like Makaba and Kgari died during these battles whilst
trying to save the lands of Batswana.
JOINED FORCES TO DEFEND THEIR LANDS – in 1852 during the battle of Dimawe, Sechele
(Bakwena), Gaseitsiwe (Bangwaketse) and Mosielele (Bakgatla bag a Mmanaana) joined forces
successfully to resist Boer attempts to take over the lands of Batswana. The battle of Dimawe reduced the
frequency of Boer attacks on Batswana and preserved Batswana’s independence.
RESISTED THE PLAN TO INCORPORATE BECHUANALAND INTO THE UNION OF
SOUTH AFRICA – The Dikgosi with the help of Missionaries successfully resisted efforts to
incorporate Bechuanaland into the Union of S. Africa. They openly criticized the British who ended up
withdrawing the incorporation plan.
THEY PROTESTED THE HANDOVER OF THE PROTECTORATE TO BRITISH SOUTH
AFRICA COMPANY – In 1895, upon hearing of the British plan to handover Bechuanaland to BSACo,
Khama III, Bathoen I and Sebele I went to England to protest against the handover.
SUED THE COLONIAL GOVERNMENT – In 1936, Tshekedi Khama and Bathoen tried to sue the
colonial government for introducing new proclamations that reduced the powers of Dikgosi. Although not
successful their complaints led to some positive changes in the new laws.

CHALLENGES TO THE 1934 PROCLAMATIONS IN RELATION TO THE POWERS OF

DIKGOSI AND THE KGOTLA AS A SOCIAL, POLITICAL AND JUDICIAL INSTITUTION

1. 1934 NATIVE ADMINISTRATION PROCLAMATION

Before this proclamation the Kgosi’s position was hereditary and he could only be removed from
his position by his people. The Kgosi was assisted by royal relatives and headmen and also ruled
with the consent of the people.
However, this new proclamation gave the Resident Commissioner power to;
 Approve or disapprove of a Kgosi
 Remove, suspend or banish a Kgosi
 Form a Tribal Council which would replace the Kgotla
 Dikgosi then ruled with the consent of the people
 Dikgosi were no longer allowed to collect tax or raise funds without the permission of the
Resident Commissioner.

2. 1934 NATIVE TRIBUNAL PROCLAMATION

The proclamation reduced the judicial powers of the Dikgosi and the Kgotla. Before this
proclamation:
 Kgosi tried all serious cases of rape, murder and treason but after the proclamation the
Kgosi was prohibited from trying major cases as they were to be tried by European
courts.
 New law courts called Tribunals were introduced and this weakened the Kgotla as a
place where cases were solved.
 Kgosi was no longer the Chief Judge, he had to rule with the consent of the Tribal
Council and his decision could be rejected by the Tribal Council.
 Only members of the Tribal Council were allowed to comment on the proceedings and
ordinary members of merafe were denied a chance to comment during the proceedings of
a trial.
These new proclamations were opposed by the Dikgosi because;
 They reduced the powers of Dikgosi
 They interfered with Tswana customs and traditions.

ROLE OF AFRICAN, EUROPEAN AND JOINT ADVISORY COUNCILS IN PREPARING

BATSWANA FOR INDEPENDENCE
Dikgosi and other educated Batswana complained about the way they were governed by the British.
Educated Batswana felt that Dikgosi misrepresented them and therefore wanted to be included in the
making of laws. They were of the opinion that they should be included in the administration of the
protectorate because they were paying tax.

1. AFRICAN ADVISORY COUNCILS

- Pressed for developments in the Protectorate
- Opposed the incorporation of Bechuanaland into the Union of South Africa
- Opposed discriminatory laws in the protectorate
 - Encouraged Batswana to unite in order to achieve their goals
- Criticised the colonial government for low salaries, poor education and health facilities

2. JOINT ADVISORY COUNCIL

- Forged cooperation between whites and Africans
- Formed the basis of a multi-racial Botswana after independence
- Gave Batswana in the Council some experience in governance
- Promoted spirit of collective efforts
- Pressurized the colonial government to introduce self-rule in the protectorate.

3. LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (LEGCO)

- Gave Batswana a chance to make laws and change government policies
- Served as a forum for discussion on the development and future of the protectorate
- Formed a basis for total independence as Batswana used it to end colonial rule.
- Formed the basis for formation of political parties e.g. BDP,BNF etc. which led to the
country to independence.

ROLE OF BATSWANA DIKGOSI IN PRESERVING THE LAND OF BATSWANA

 Batswana formed alliances to defend themselves against external enemies like Boers
and Ndebele. At the battle of Dimawe the Bakwena were assisted by the
Bangwaketse, Bakgatla and others against the Boers.
 The Batswana Dikgosi acquired guns from European Hunter-Traders for defense
purposes especially against the Boers. By 1852 the Batswana had acquired so many
guns that the Bangwaketse and the Bakwena came to be recognized as some of the
most powerful groups in Botswana.
 The Dikgosi also introduced new military strategies e.g. settling on top of hills. This,
combined with the possession of guns, strengthened their kingdoms as a result they
were joined by weaker kingdoms.
 The Dikgosi allowed establishment of mission schools for the purposes of being up to
date with world issues. Besides, mission stations became centers for learning and also
havens for the underprivileged and the abused people in the society.
 The Dikgosi requested for British protection against external threats like the
Amandebele, Boers, and the Germans. The British protection was very important in
that it provided security for the land of the Batswana. It can be argued that without
such protection aggressive groups like the Boers would have taken the land of the
Batswana to establish their farms. The three Dikgosi who went to England in 1895 to
protest against the idea of incorporation into BSAC rule played a very important role
in preserving the land of the Batswana. Their protest in England saved the land of the
Batswana from colonization by Rhodes.
 They sued the British government for introducing proclamation e.g. Bathoen II and
Tshekedi Khama

HOW COLONIALISM LED TO THE FORMATION OF EARLY NATIONALIST

MOVEMENTS
When Bechuanaland was declared a British Protectorate in 1885, some Dikgosi were not pleased as they
feared losing their lands, power and independence. The British promised to rule Batswana indirectly
through Dikgosi and not to interfere with Tswana customs and traditions. As time went on the British
shifted from indirect rule to direct rule. The British made some laws without consultation and imposed
them on Batswana. More and more Batswana became educated and realized that the colonial government
was a disturbance to the progress of the nation. Batswana criticized the colonial government for the
following reasons;

1. NEGLECT OF THE PROTECTORATE – lack development in the country such as poor

educational and health facilities pressed nationalists to form movements to advocate for better
facilities.
2. LOW SALARIES FOR AFRICAN CIVIL SERVANTS AS COMPARED TO THEIR
WHITE COUNTERPARTS – these made civil servants to form movements to voice out their
concerns for being made to work long hours for very low salaries and they felt that this was
exploitation.
3. UNEQUAL STATUS OF CHIEFS - introduction of harsh laws and policies such as policy of
divide and rule made some Dikgosi to be recognized as superior over others and this made other
tribes to be regarded as inferior.
4. FAVOURITISM OF WHITE PEOPLE/RACISM/SEGREGATION – discrimination of the
blacks was rife in the protectorate and this led to unequal distribution of resources.
5. COLONIAL EDUCATION – it produced intellectuals such as Kenneth Koma, Seretse Khama,
Simon Ratshosa who then used the education they had acquired to mobilize other Batswana to
demand independence.
6. MIGRANT LABOUR – some Batswana men were recruited to work in South African mines
where they had joined political parties which gave them political knowledge and they used the
experience to form nationalist movements e.g. Mpho Motsamai joined ANC and came back to
form BPP with Phillip Matante.
7. PARTICIPATION OF BATSWANA IN ADVISORY COUNCILS AND LEGCO – which
taught them the leadership skills
8. LACK OF MEANINGFUL REPRESENTATION IN GOVERNMENT-Batswana wanted to
participate fully in the running of the affairs of the protectorate to shape its destiny.
Batswana expressed their concerns to the colonial government with the hope that there will be some
improvements. The improvements never occurred and this prompted Batswana to demand the right to
self-determination (self-rule). The experience of foreign rule gave rise to nationalism (loyalty to one’s
country and opposition to foreign rule).

Batswana no longer wanted changes and instead demanded the right to run their own country and get rid
of rid of foreign rule. In order to attain self-rule, Batswana formed some nationalist movements
(organisations formed to preserve national interests and oppose foreign rule) e.g. Bechuanaland
African Civil Service Association and Bechuanaland Protectorate Teachers Association.

Batswana were also influenced by other movements outside Bechuanaland such as FRELIMO
(Mozambique) UNITA (Angola) and ANC (South Africa)

People who participated in early nationalist movements later formed political parties such as:
 Bechuanaland Protectorate Federal Party (1959) – founded by L.D Raditladi
 Bechuanaland People’s Party (1960) – founded by KT Motsete, P. Matante and M. Mpho
 Bechuanaland Democratic Party (1962) – Founded by Seretse Khama and Ketumile Masire
 Bechuanaland National Front ( 1965) – founded by K. Koma

Why Batswana were successful in attaining self-determination

 Their participation in Advisory Councils and LEGCO gave them administration experience.
  The growth of colonial schools which gave Batswana a chance to attain formal education led to
the emergence of intelligent Batswana such as Simon Ratshosa who contributed to the formation
of LEGCO.
 Participation in World War 2 also widened Batswana’s political knowledge. They used this
experience to make changes in the Protectorate e.g. Phillip Matante is one of the founders of BPP
 Some Batswana who worked in South Africa were members of ANC and PAC. When they
returned home they used the experienced gained from the membership to form political parties or
nationalist movements e.g. Motsamai Mpho is one of the founders of BPP
 Finally, the combined efforts of educated Batswana, Dikgosi and Politicians were enough to
convince Britain that Batswana were ready to gain independence. Bechuanaland was finally
declared independent in 1966 and Seretse Khama became the first president of Botswana.

HOW NATIONALISM CONTRIBUTES TO NATION BUILDING

1. Helps people to change their behaviour and interest so that they can mobilize their countries
resources for the benefit of the whole nation.
2. Makes people to have a common goals which can be collectively achieved, for example
Batswana working collectively to build the University of Botswana through the “Motho le
Motho kgomo” project.
3. Encourages people to stand up and carry out their own development projects without relying
on outside support
4. Playing a part in the country’s activities cultivates pride and belongingness amongst people
5. It cultivates self-belief as opposed to believing in other people as a result people develop the
spirit of working hard to provide for themselves instead of waiting on others to do it for them.
6. Promotes the love and pride in the citizens for their nation e.g. nationalism is a driving force
for citizens of a nation in sacrificing or defending the country from internal and external threats
7. Sensitize people about their rights, freedoms, justice as a result driving them to struggle for
justice, democracy and liberation, if their rights and freedoms are trampled upon.

IMPORTANCE OF NATION BUILDING

1. ENCOURAGES UNITY AMONGST PEOPLE: Unity is important as it promotes cooperation and
sharing of intelligent ideas.
2. PROMOTES CULTURAL AND ETHNIC TOLERANCE
3. ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO TRUST EACH OTHER AND ELIMINATE DIFFERENCES
BROUGHT ABOUT BY COLONIALISM
4. ENSURES STABILITY (PEACE) AND SOCIAL HARMONY(KAGISANYO)
5. SPEEDS UP DEVELOPMENT AS MEMBERS PUT MORE EFFORT TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM
BENEFITS
6. ENCOURAGES GOOD GOVERNANCE AND REDUCES POLITICAL CRISES RESULTING
FROM TRIBALISM, NEPOTISM AND FAVOURITISM.

MULTI ETHNICITY
Botswana is a multi-ethnic state. This means that it is made up of many ethnic groups who form one nation
collectively known as Botswana.
ADVANTAGES OF MULTI-ETHNICITY
1. BROADENS CULTURAL KNOWLEDGE: It can widen knowledge and understanding of other
people’s cultural practices. This promotes peaceful co-existence and cooperation which are key for
development and nation building.
2. AIDS UNITY AND A FEELING OF BELONGINGNESS: Combination of various ethnic groups
can make people feel that they belong together regardless of their diverse ethnic backgrounds.
DISADVANTAGES OF MULTI-ETHNICITY
1. TRIBALISM: Other ethnic groups may be discriminated against and given fewer jobs and
opportunities for education
 2. SUPERIORITY VS INFERIORITY COMPLEX: Some ethnic groups may feel that they are more
important than others. They may want to monopolize political powers and high profile jobs.
3. TRIBAL /ETHNIC WARS: Wars for supremacy may result due to failure to maintain peaceful
relations and cultural intolerance e.g. wars between the Hutu and the Tutsi of Rwanda.
4. DEMAND FOR INDEPENDENCE: Some ethnic groups may want to be separated from others once
they feel that they are being oppressed. Failure to grant them independence may result in civil wars e.g.
Kgafela II’s quest to have Kgatleng declared as independent

CHALLENGES FACED BY BOTSWANA IN THE PROCESS OF NATION BUILDING

1. NEPOTISM AND FAVOURITISM: Due to Multi-ethnicity some people with power often favour their
relatives or people from their ethnic groups in aspects like job allocation and awarding of tenders as a result
only a certain group ends up benefitting at the expense of the majority.
2. LOW LEVELS OF LITERACY: Majority of people in Botswana are still uneducated and this prevents
them from taking part in other economic activities geared towards developing the nation. This often results
in importation of skilled personnel from other countries.
3. LEGACY OF COLONIALISM: the policy of ‘divide and rule’ has made some people to feel that they
are more superior to others resulting in oppression or discrimination of people from the so called minority
groups
4. GENDER INEQUALITY: Women still think that the constitution discriminates against them and as such
they have formed some pressure groups that advocate for gender equality. This has forced the government
to adopt new laws aimed at promoting empowerment of women
5. UNEQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES: Some areas are poorly developed partly because they
do not have enough natural resources that can trigger economic activities. People from such areas often feel
that their areas are being neglected in terms of development. Such people often distance themselves from
national projects that aim at developing the whole nation.
6. CULTURAL DIFFERENCES: Botswana has numerous ethnic groups with diverse cultural practices.
Each ethnic group wants to promote its culture e.g. some Setswana non-speaking groups like Bakalanga
want their languages to be taught in schools.
7. HIV/AIDS: Over the years many Batswana have either been infected or affected by the pandemic. Many
breadwinners have died leaving behind a population of orphans and impoverished families. Government
has been forced to provide people with ARVs and to take care of orphans and this has led to more money
meant for developments being channeled towards fighting the scourge.

CONTRIBUTIONS OF BOTSWANA’S FIVE NATIONAL PRINCIPLES TO NATION BUILDING

1. DEMOCRACY
 GIVES PEOPLE FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION: people can criticize the government without fear or
intimidation. This encourages transparency and accountability on the government as people are free to
question the decisions of their leaders.
 ALLOWS PEOPLE TO HAVE AN INPUT IN DECISION MAKING OF THE
COUNTRY/CONSULTATION: citizens are able to have a say in matters affecting them e.g. through
kgotla meetings.
 ALLOWS AND GUARANTEES FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION e.g. People are free to join political
parties of choice.
 ALLOWS NATIONALS TO ELECT THE GOVERNMENT OF THEIR CHOICE: It allows for the
existence of multi-parties thus giving people an opportunity to choose leaders through ballot on a regular,
free and fair election.
 PREVENTS A POTENTIAL ABUSE OF POWER BY LEADERS: It ensures that leaders are
accountable to the people and that they do things in a transparent manner.

2. SELF RELIANCE
 IT ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO BECOME INDEPENDENT and avoid relying on government to
carry out developments or improve their living standards and increase the production of goods and
services for people to have enough.
  IT DISCOURAGES DEPENDENCY SYNDROME OR “GIVE ME ATTITUDE” by encouraging
Batswana to come up with means of sustaining themselves, for example, use of Tswana sayings like
“Mpha mpha wa lapisa”
 IT PROMOTES THE SPIRIT OF SELF-EMPLOYMENT: through encouraging people to start their
own businesses with the help of loan/grant facilities e.g. CEDA
 IT ENCOURAGES THE COMMUNITIES TO MAKE USE OF NATURAL RESOURCES FOUND
IN THEIR LOCAL ENVIRONMENTS i.e. Eco-tourism and Game farming so that they can improve
their living standards.
 IT ENCOURAGES CITIZENS TO STRIVE FOR ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE FOR THEM
TO BE SELF SUFFICIENT: For example, encourages Batswana to reduce importation of food from
South Africa and produce their own locally.

3. UNITY
 IT ELIMINATES ETHNIC, RACIAL, GENDER AND RELIGIOUS DIFFERENCES e.g. encourages
Batswana to embrace people of different ethnicities as one of their own
 IT FOSTERS COOPERATION AND TOLERANCE FOR THE GOOD OF THE NATION thus
peace is ensured in the country.
 IT PROMOTES SOCIAL HARMONY AND STABILITY FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE NATION
 INSTILLS COOPERATION AND A SPIRIT OF BELONGINGNESS through idioms like ‘Kgetsi ya
tsie e kgonwa ke go tshwaraganelwa’

4. DEVELOPMENT
 IT ENCOURAGES CITIZENS TO MOBILIZE THE COUNTRY’S RESOURCES in order to
improve their living standards.
 IT PROMOTES NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT POLICIES AND
STRATEGIES thus ensuring implementation of strategies best suited for the economic context of the
nation.
 ENSURES THAT RESOURCES ARE EQUITABLY DISTRIBUTED and are enjoyed by all
members of the nation.
 IT ENCOURAGES SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT AND UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES by
Batswana so that the resources can continue providing for Batswana for generations to come.
 INSTILLS UPLIFTMENT OR GROWTH amongst Batswana with the sayings such as ‘Mokoduwe go
tsoswa yo o itekang’ and others encouraging Batswana to work hard towards developing their livelihoods.

5. BOTHO
 IT ENCOURAGES RESPECT AND DISCOURAGES ALL FORMS OF ANTI-SOCIAL
BEHAVIOURS and this helps to cultivate acceptable behaviour amongst citizens.
 IT ENCOURAGES TOLERANCE FOR EACH OTHER which helps people to respect each other’s
rights and freedoms
 ENSURES COMPASSION i.e. encourages Batswana to be ready to assist the disadvantaged members of
the society as a result helping to promote the image of Botswana as a compassionate and caring nation.

ASSESS THE ROLE PLAYED BY BOGOSI IN NATION BUILDING

1. ENCOURAGES NATIONAL UNITY AMONGST TRIBES – helps to address national concerns such
as tribalism, nepotism/favouritism. This enhances spirit of oneness and tolerance. However, they can fuel
tribalism as some Dikgosi may concentrate on their merafe only and not the whole nation when addressing
issues of national concern and this may disturb national peace as some merafe may feel discriminated.
2. ADVICE GOVERNMENT ON ISSUES AFFECTING TSWANA TRADITIONS AND CUSTOMS –
As custodians of culture, Bogosi ensures that norms and values of the society are instilled and preserved to
 promote continuity of culture from one generation to another. However, their powers are limited as they
can only advise but not make laws.
3. TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF NATION BUILDING – Through Ntlo ya
Dikgosi merafe are represented in decision making and this is a way of striving for unity and peace.
However, their powers are undermined by political leaders as sometimes they do not involve Bogosi in
decision making as some feel that Bogosi is outdated and should be abolished.
4. SETTLE DISPUTES IN CUSTOMARY COURTS – as a result conflict between people is resolved
hence peaceful coexistence is achieved. However, their assumption of power is often based on inheritance
rather than aptitude/capability and this creates conflicts between people and Dikgosi as sometimes people
feel Dikgosi should be appointed rather than being born.
5. ENFORCE LAW AND ORDER IN THE COMMUNITY – e.g. punishing wrong doers in the kgotla,
this helps to instill discipline in the society. However, some divisive when enforcing law as they tend to
favour their relatives (royals) when they have a case against ordinary people.

ASSESS THE ROLE OF THE GOVERNMENT IN NATION BUILDING

1. FORMULATION OF LAWS – the government has formulated laws that maintain law and order, e.g. the
Penal Code. These laws prevent individuals from engaging in criminal activities while at the same time
giving them a chance to defend themselves at the courts of law. However, the government has failed to
speedily administer cases at the courts of law leading to delayed justice.
2. ENSURES EQUAL DISTRIBUTION OF RESOURCES – Government provided resources such as
water, electricity etc. across all areas of Botswana. This helps to ensure that all Batswana benefit from the
country’s resources. However, the government still fails to distribute resources accordingly as most
developments are skewed towards urban areas thus leaving people in remote areas feeling left out.
3. CREATE EMPLOYMENT FOR CITIZENS – the government has created jobs for many Batswana
through the public service. This has led to improved standards of living for many Batswana. However,
there is still rampant unemployment especially in rural areas and there are many graduates roaming the
streets due to lack of job opportunities.
4. CARE FOR THE DISADVANTAGED- e.g. through social welfare programmes such as Smart switch,
Old Age Pension. This has ensured that many disadvantaged Batswana do not live in poverty. However,
this has created a dependency syndrome amongst Batswana and as such they tend to rely on the
government for everything.
5. PROMOTION OF OFFICIAL LANGUAGES e.g. use of Setswana and English as means of
communication. This has enabled Batswana to have common languages which facilitates easier
communication amongst them. However, it has failed to implement the mother tongue policy which has
fueled a lot of complaints by some ethnic groups who feel that they are not recognized.
6. PROTECTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS – government protects the rights of people in the country and
anyone who violates the rights of another person will be prosecuted. This has promoted mutual trust among
Batswana resulting in a peaceful coexistence. However, there are some civil liberties that are still restricted
resulting in many Batswana feeling that their rights are being violated.
7. EDUCATION ON THE IMPORTANCE OF NATION BUILDING – through various platforms such as
the media, school curriculum and kgotla meetings, this has created awareness to people about the essence
of national unity and the need to preserve it.

ASSESS THE ROLE OF INDIVIDUALS AND ETHNIC SOCIETIES IN NATION BUILDING

1. PRESSURISING THE GOVERNMENT TO ELIMINATE LAWS THAT ARE DIVISIVE – they

have through different organisations such as Kamanakao called for the removal/review of some sections of
the constitution which were seen as divisive e.g. sections 77,78,79. This has helped create equality amongst
ethnic groups in Botswana. However, they are also divisive in some of their actions, for example the
Bakalanga’s Society for promoting Ikalanga Language (SPIL)’s quest to have Ikalanga taught in schools
has a potential to disturb national unity.
 2. THEY CAN FUEL TRIBALISM: some so called “Big Merafe” still feel superior and treat other minority
groups with contempt, something which can disturb national peace e.g. Bangwato still feel superior over
Bakalanga. However, these groups still build bonds of friendship along tribal lines e.g. through
intermarriages.
3. NON PARTICIPATION IN THE DECISION MAKING PROCESSES OF THE COUNTRY – some
minority groups still refuse to partake in the developmental activities of the country and this destroys
government’s effort to unite the nation through developments. However, some have gone on to influence
members of their own groups on the importance of involvement in the decision making processes to nation
building.

SIGNIFICANCE OF NATIONAL SYMBOLS IN NATION BUILDING IN BOTSWANA

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE NATIONAL ANTHEM IN NATION BUILDING IN BOTSWANA.

1. Instils a sense of identity/belonging/pride e.g. It identifies Batswana who positively

contribute to the development of Botswana by representing the country during
national and international events such as Olympics, World cup sports.

2. Promotes cooperation to preserve national heritage e.g. The song acknowledges

that the land of Botswana was inherited from their forefathers as a gift from God so
the citizens must work together towards the country’s development.

3. Advertises the country to the international community e.g. Messages such as

Botswana being known as a peaceful country and that there is social harmony “Ka
kutlwano le kagisano, e bopagantswe mmogo” are contained in the anthem.

4. Conveys important message about the nation e.g. It communicates the history of
the country, its goals, ownership of the country and reminds the nation of the
important values such as peace.

5. It encourages Batswana to keep peace in the country and remain united to pave
way for a conducive environment for developments to take place.

6. Encourages self-reliance as it implores people to stand up and do things for

themselves

DISCUSS HOW NATIONALISM AFFECTED THE LIVES OF BATSWANA

1. CULTURAL FERTILIZATION: enriches culture because people learn one another’s culture
2. PROMOTES UNITY: brings peace/tolerance/acceptance of different tribes
3. SELF RELIANCE: speeds up development as people pull in the same direction e.g. self- reliance
4. ABSORPTION: Some cultural groups were assimilated e.g. Batalaote, Bakaa, and Bahurutshe seen as part
of the Bangwato.
5. IMPROVED DEMOCRACY: Paved the way for independence through formation of political parties
6. BELONGINGNESS: Instils pride/identity/belongingness which led to Batswana to participate in national
projects
7. CULTURAL EROSION: Loss of culture as some groups who were assimilated adopted new culture
8. BROUGHT ABOUT TRIBALISM-promotes big brother attitude/tensions within tribal territories e.g.
Bangwato and Bakalanga