1970s in Botswana

The following lists events that happened during the 1970s in Botswana.

Incumbents

President: Seretse Khama (1966–1980)
Vice President: Quett Masire (1966–1980)^[1]

Events

1970

The Botswana Development Corporation is established.^[2]^: 95
Botswana establishes diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.^[3]
January – The power to allocate tribal land is transferred from the kgosis to independent land boards under the Tribal Land Act.^[3]
6 March – Botswana establishes diplomatic relations with Czechoslovakia.^[3]
July – The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning is established.^[3]
September – President Seretse goes to Lusaka to speak at the Non-Aligned Movement summit.^[3]

1971

1 July – The Orapa diamond mine is established.^[3]
1 September – Simon Hirshfeldt becomes the first Motswana police commissioner.^[3]

1972

March – Botswana becomes financially independent from the United Kingdom.^[3]

1973

15 January – Botswana sends its first citizen to train in the diamond industry in the United Kingdom.^[3]
15 January – The Agricultural Resources (Conservation) Act is passed.^[3]

1974

The Selebi-Phikwe mine opens.^[4]^: 22
The Tribal Grazing Lands Policy is established.^[2]^: 67
January – The Botswana Agricultural Market Board is established.^[3]
March – Botswana ends its recognition of the Republic of China, instead recognizing the People's Republic of China.^[3]
26 October – The 1974 Botswana general election is held. The Botswana Democratic Party maintains its majority.^[3]

1975

Botswana increases its governmental stake in Debswana to 50%.^[3]

1976

Kimberlite diamonds are discovered in Jwaneng.^[3]
July – Student protests in South Africa cause refugees to flee to Botswana.^[3]
26 July – President Khama visits China.
23 August – The Bank of Botswana is established. The Botswana pula replaces the South African rand as Botswana's official currency.^[3]

1977

January – The United Nations passes a resolution demanding that Rhodesian forces end their hostilities along the Botswana–Rhodesia border.^[5]
April – The pula is valued at 5% above the rand.^[3]
15 April – The Botswana Defence Force is established.^[3]
19 April – Mompati Merafhe and Ian Khama are appointed commander and deputy commander of the Botswana Defence Force, respectively.^[3]
October – Four people are arrested as they travel through Botswana to serve in the military in Rhodesia.^[3]
4 October - A referendum on electoral reform was held.

1978

Botswana Football Association is affiliated with FIFA (international governing body of association football).^[6]
Medu Art Ensemble relocates to Gaborone, Botswana.^[7]
27 February – A skirmish at Leshoma sees fifteen soldiers of the Botswana Defence Force killed by Rhodesian soldiers.^[3]
29 March – Three suspected mercenaries from Rhodesia are killed in the Tuli Block.^[3]
11 September – The University of Botswana closes amid riots.^[3]

1979

13 April – The Gaborone–Francistown Highway is completed.^[3]
13 April – 14 members of the Zimbabwe African People's Union are kidnapped in Francistown by Rhodesian soldiers.^[3]
July – Botswana co-founds the Southern African Development Coordination Conference.^[3]
July – Queen Elizabeth II visits Gaborone and gives President Khama his second knighthood.^[3]
20 October – The 1979 Botswana general election is held. The Botswana Democratic Party maintains its majority.^[3]

Births

1973
- 2 March – Patrick Lebekwe, Botswana footballer
1976
- 23 April – Phazha Butale, Botswana footballer
1977
- 28 July – Anthony Matengu, Botswana footballer
1978
- 23 August – Ditaola Ditaola, Botswana footballer
- 19 September – Kabelo Kgosiang, Botswana footballer
- 14 November – Odirile Gaolebale, retired Botswanan footballer
- 29 December – Agisanyang Mosimanegape, Botswana former footballer

Deaths

1970
- 12 January – Russell England
1971
- Leetile Disang Raditladi
1973
- 20 August – Jules Ellenberger
1975
- Benjamin Steinberg
1977
- Motlatsi Segokgo
- 16 May – Bakwana Kgosidintsi Kgari
1979
- Ntebogang Ratshosa
- 29 October – Philip Matante^[3]

References

^ Dani Rodrik (2003). In search of prosperity: analytic narratives on economic growth. Princeton University Press. pp. 97–98. ISBN 978-0-691-09269-0. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
^ ^a ^b Leith, J. Clark (2005). Why Botswana Prospered. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. ISBN 978-0-7735-7241-6.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad Morton, Barry; Ramsay, Jeff (2018). Historical Dictionary of Botswana (5th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. pp. xxxiv–xxxv. ISBN 978-1-5381-1133-8.
^ Mwakikagile, Godfrey (2009). Botswana Since Independence. New Africa Press. ISBN 978-0-9802587-8-3.
^ "Botswana profile - Timeline". BBC News. 2017-09-20. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
^ Admin, BFA. "Who we are - BFA". Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2018-03-23.
^ "Medu Art Ensemble | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 2020-06-08.

[Rodrik2003-1] Dani Rodrik (2003). In search of prosperity: analytic narratives on economic growth. Princeton University Press. pp. 97–98. ISBN 978-0-691-09269-0. Retrieved 9 May 2013.

[:1-2] Leith, J. Clark (2005). Why Botswana Prospered. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. ISBN 978-0-7735-7241-6.

[:33-3] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad Morton, Barry; Ramsay, Jeff (2018). Historical Dictionary of Botswana (5th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. pp. xxxiv–xxxv. ISBN 978-1-5381-1133-8.

[:0-4] Mwakikagile, Godfrey (2009). Botswana Since Independence. New Africa Press. ISBN 978-0-9802587-8-3.

[:4-5] "Botswana profile - Timeline". BBC News. 2017-09-20. Retrieved 2023-09-17.

[6] Admin, BFA. "Who we are - BFA". Archived from the original on 2018-03-24. Retrieved 2018-03-23.

[7] "Medu Art Ensemble | South African History Online". www.sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 2020-06-08.

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v t e Years in Botswana (1966–present)
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