Bamangwato people protest against Khama’s choice of wife

The Rhodesia Herald,
July 13, 1949
A REPORT on the election of Seretse Khama as chief-designate of the Bamangwato tribe, the protest of Regent Tshekedi against the acceptance of Seretse’s white wife as chieftainess, and other matters relating to this contentious position have been sent by the High Commissioner for the United Kingdom in the Union, Sir Evelyn Baring, to the British government.

This follows a careful investigation into the circumstances and personal talks held by Sir Evelyn Baring with Seretse Khama, Tshekedi, and high commission resident officials last week in Pretoria.

The matter now rests with the British Government, to whom it is understood, the Union Government and other Southern African territories have conveyed their views.

Meanwhile, Seretse’s wife, the former Miss Ruth Williams of London, will remain in Britain.

LESSONS FOR TODAY

Regent Tshekedi and those who followed him made it clear that the matter had nothing to do with “race”.

Botswana’s Bamangwato people were not opposed to Seretse Khama’s wife, Ruth Williams, but to a breakdown of tribal law and the tradition.

The Bamangwato tribe wanted a consensus to the choice of its future queen.

The Bamangwato is one of the eight major Tswana chieftains in Botswana.

Seretse Khama was Botswana’s founding leader, who first served as a Prime Minister in 1965, and later became the diamond rich country’s first President from 1966 to 1980.

Despite the earlier challenges, Sir Seretse Khama and Madam Ruth went on to have four children. One of them General (Rtd) Seretse Khama Ian Khama went on to become Botswana’s president from 1998 to 2008.

The couple has since passed on: Sir Seretse (July 13, 1980); Ruth Williams Khama (May 2, 2002).