Botswana Speaks

Botswana Speaks is a parliamentary initiative aimed at enhancing democracy through public participation and policy dialogue.

[Botswana Speaks @botswana_speaks]

PUBLIC NOTICE
The Chairperson of Ntlo ya Dikgosi, Kgosi Malope II, invites members of the public to the Official Opening of the 7th Meeting of the 5th Ntlo ya Dikgosi on 19 October 2026.
The public is invited to attend and follow the proceedings from the Public Gallery.

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As we count down to Botswana’s 60th Independence Anniversary, we honour the Leaders of the Opposition since 1965 ; an important part of the story of parliamentary democracy.

[Botswana Speaks @botswana_speaks]

As we count down to 60 Years of Botswana’s Independence, we celebrate the Leaders of the House from 1965 to date.

[Botswana Speaks @botswana_speaks]

𝗦𝗜𝗫 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦𝗛𝗜𝗣 📷
From Botswana’s 1st Speaker in 1965 to the 10th and current Speaker, Hon. Dithapelo L. Keorapetse, who assumed office in November 2024, the Speakership has journeyed through six decades.

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𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 | 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟭𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗮 (𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟰–𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟵) — 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.

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𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 | 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 𝗧
𝗵𝗲 𝟭𝟬𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗮 (𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟵–𝟮𝟬𝟭𝟰) — 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.

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𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 | 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟵𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗮 (𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟰–𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟵) — 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.

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𝟲𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 | 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟴𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗮 (𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟵–𝟮𝟬𝟬𝟰) — 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.

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𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧 | 𝟭𝟵𝟲𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝟳𝘁𝗵 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘀𝘄𝗮𝗻𝗮 (𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟰–𝟭𝟵𝟵𝟵) — 𝗮𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻’𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗰𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝗷𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗻𝗲𝘆.

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Pictured is the Second Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Rev. Alfred A. F. Lock (1968-1979), part of the pioneering leadership that shaped Botswana’s parliamentary journey from the early years of independence.

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THE ROAD TO 60 | A POINNER PARLIAMENT
Hon. Gaefalale Gaefalale “GG” Sebeso, Botswana’s first long-serving Deputy Speaker (1965–1989) and MP for Tswapong South stands among the pioneers who helped shape the foundations of our parliamentary democracy.

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𝟲𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘. 𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗬
Dr. Merriweather, the first Speaker of the National Assembly (1965–1969), pioneered the Speakership at the dawn of Botswana’s democracy.

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As Botswana counts down to 60 years of Independence, we remember a nation in mourning. From 21-23 July 1980, Parliament became a place of national remembrance as the body of our founding President, Sir Seretse Khama, lay in state.

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𝟲𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘.
1969| PRESIDENTIAL OATH
In 1969, beneath the gaze of the nation, Chief Justice John Richard Dendy Young administered the Presidential Oath to Botswana’s founding President, Sir Seretse Khama, following the General Elections.

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19–22 August 1969: reflecting the Westminster parliamentary tradition that inspired Botswana’s early democratic institutions. From the 1st Parliament to the 13th Parliament.

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𝟲𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘
1968| STATE OF THE NATION ADDRESS
On Monday 8 January 1968, just 15 months after Independence, Botswana’s Parliament convened for the First Meeting of the Second Session of the First Parliament—a defining moment in our young democracy

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𝟲𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘. 𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗬

1968 | A Legacy Takes Shape
The House of Chiefs, led by Chairperson Kgosi K. P. Ramokate, meets with Founding President Sir Seretse Khama.

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𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗬
30 September 1966 – A Royal Moment in Botswana’s Parliamentary History: Princess Marina stepping down after addressing the Republic of Botswana's newly established Parliament on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II.

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𝟲𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘. 𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗬
A Legacy in Pictures.
Captured in 1968, Founding President Sir Seretse Khama addresses the House of Chiefs, now officially Ntlo ya Dikgosi.

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𝟲𝟬 𝗬𝗘𝗔𝗥𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗜𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗣𝗘𝗡𝗗𝗘𝗡𝗖𝗘. 𝟲 𝗗𝗘𝗖𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗦 𝗢𝗙 𝗣𝗔𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗔𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗬 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗢𝗖𝗥𝗔𝗖𝗬
A Legacy in Pictures.
6th Parliament (1989-1994)
From the 6th Parliament to the 13th Parliament, journey with us through six decades of parliamentary democracy