POLITICIANS from Botswana

Top 4

The following people are considered by Pantheon to be the most legendary Motswana Politicians of all time. This list of famous Motswana Politicians is sorted by HPI (Historical Popularity Index), a metric that aggregates information on a biography’s online popularity.

1. Seretse Khama (1921 - 1980)

With an HPI of 58.93, Seretse Khama is the most famous Motswana Politician.  His biography has been translated into 47 different languages on wikipedia.

Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, GCB, KBE (1 July 1921 – 13 July 1980) was a Botswana politician who served as the first President of Botswana, a post he held from 1966 to his death in 1980. Born into an influential royal family of what was then the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, he was educated abroad in the neighbouring country of South Africa and then in the United Kingdom. While in Britain, he married an Englishwoman named Ruth Williams, a decision opposed by the white-minority government of South Africa and which led to a controversy resulting in the British government making him stay in England in exile so as to not sour U.K.-South African relations. After the end of his exile, Khama led his country's independence movement and the transition from British rule into an independent nation. He founded the Botswana Democratic Party in 1962 and became Prime Minister in 1965. In 1966, Botswana gained independence and Khama was elected as its first president. During his presidency, the country underwent rapid economic and social progress. Khama served as President until his death in 1980, and was succeeded in office by Quett Masire. His son, Ian Khama, served as Botswana's fourth president from 2008 to 2018.

2. Festus Mogae (b. 1939)

With an HPI of 54.20, Festus Mogae is the 2nd most famous Motswana Politician.  His biography has been translated into 49 different languages.

Festus Gontebanye Mogae (born 21 August 1939) is a Botswana politician and economist who served as the third President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008. He succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998 and was re-elected in October 2004. After ten years in office, he stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

3. Quett Masire (1925 - 2017)

With an HPI of 53.44, Quett Masire is the 3rd most famous Motswana Politician.  His biography has been translated into 44 different languages.

Ketumile Quett Joni Masire, GCMG (23 July 1925 – 22 June 2017), was the second and longest-serving president of Botswana, in office from 1980 to 1998. He was given an honorary knighthood of the Grand Cross of Saint Michael and Saint George by Queen Elizabeth II (GCMG) in 1991. He was a leading figure in the independence movement and then the new government, and played a crucial role in facilitating and protecting Botswana's steady financial growth and development. He stepped down in 1998 and was succeeded by Vice-President Festus Mogae, who became the third president of Botswana.

4. Mokgweetsi Masisi (b. 1961)

With an HPI of 52.45, Mokgweetsi Masisi is the 4th most famous Motswana Politician.  His biography has been translated into 52 different languages.

Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi (; born 21 July 1961) is a Motswana politician who served as the fifth president of Botswana from 2018 to 2024. He served as the eighth vice president of Botswana from 12 November 2014 to 1 April 2018. He was a Member of Parliament in the National Assembly for the Moshupa-Manyana constituency from 2009 to 2018. Initially having a good relationship with former President Ian Khama, who appointed Masisi as Vice President, the two later clashed over a ban on elephant hunting, and Khama has since accused Masisi of having "stifled dissent". Coming to power in the 2019 elections, the opposition claimed irregularities and electoral fraud. However, an observation mission from the African Union reported that the elections were conducted transparently and met international standards. His government oversaw response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amidst the pandemic, Masisi ruled by decree from March 2020 to September 2021, despite protests from the public and the opposition party.