| Decades in Botswana |
|---|
| 1980s |
The following lists events that happened during the 1980s in Botswana.
Incumbents[edit]
- President:
- Seretse Khama (1966–1980)
- Quett Masire (1980–1998)
- Vice President
- Quett Masire (1966–1980)
- Lenyeletse Seretse (1980–1983)
- Peter Mmusi (1983–1992)
Events[edit]
1980[edit]
- Botswana co-founds the Southern African Development Coordination Conference.[1]
- 13 July – President Seretse Khama dies. He is succeeded by Quett Masire.[2]: 41
1981[edit]
- A drought in Southern Africa begins, destroying approximately 75% of crops in Botswana.[2]: 24 It will continue until 1987.[3]: 68
1982[edit]
- The Financial Assistance Policy is implemented to provide grants for businesses.[3]: 98
- Botswana National Museum hosts Culture & Resistance Conference, 5–9 July 1982.[4]
- February – The Jwaneng diamond mine is established.[5]: xxxv
- June – The Botswana Progressive Union is founded.[5]: xxxv
- September – The University of Botswana is founded.[5]: xxxv
1983[edit]
- 3 January – Vice President Lenyeletse Seretse dies. Peter Mmusi becomes vice president.[5]: xxxv
- A labour law is passed limiting the right to unionise.[6]: 79
1984[edit]
- The Sir Seretse Khama International Airport opens.[5]: xxxvi
- May – The Public Service Act allows civil servants to operate in the private sector.[5]: xxxvi
- 8 September – The 1984 Botswana general election is held. The Botswana Democratic Party maintains its majority.[5]: xxxvi
1985[edit]
- 1985 – HIV is first identified in Botswana, beginning the nation's HIV epidemic.[5]: xxxvi
- 14 June – South African soldiers invade Botswana and attack the headquarters of a South African anti-apartheid group in Gabarone.[2]: 20 12 people are killed, and the action is condemned in a resolution by the United Nations.[1]
1986[edit]
- 17 April – Botswana's first women's rights group, Emang Basadi, is established.[5]: xxxvi
1987[edit]
- A referendum is held to form a Supervisor of Elections. It passes with 78.1% of the vote.
- The university is closed for several months in response to student protests against police misconduct.[6]: 79
- May – Morupule Electric Power Station is established.[5]: xxxvi
- 1 October – Botswana Railways is established.[5]: xxxvi
- November – The constitution is amended so that only citizens of Botswana can serve as president.[5]: xxxvi
1988[edit]
1989[edit]
- Free secondary education is made available in Botswana.[6]: 82
- 7 October – The 1989 Botswana general election is held. The Botswana Democratic Party maintains its majority.[5]: xxxvi
Deaths[edit]
- 1980
- 13 July – Seretse Khama, President of Botswana
- 1982
- Benjamin Thema, Minister of Education
- 16 September – Keoagetse Radipotsane, Batswana football player
- 1983
- 3 January – Lenyeletse Seretse, vice-president of Botswana
- 1986
- Archelaus Tsoebebe, Minister of Labour and Social Services
- 17 April – Bessie Head, writer
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Botswana profile - Timeline". BBC News. 2017-09-20. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
- ^ a b c Mwakikagile, Godfrey (2009). Botswana Since Independence. New Africa Press. ISBN 978-0-9802587-8-3.
- ^ a b Leith, J. Clark (2005). Why Botswana Prospered. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. doi:10.1515/9780773572416. ISBN 978-0-7735-7241-6.
- ^ "Culture & Resistance Conference (1982)". Retrieved 2022-02-07.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Morton, Barry; Ramsay, Jeff (2018). Historical Dictionary of Botswana (5th ed.). Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 978-1-5381-1133-8.
- ^ a b c Holm, John D.; Molutsi, Patrick P. (1992). "State-Society Relations in Botswana: Beginning Liberalization". In Hydén, Göran; Bratton, Michael (eds.). Governance and Politics in Africa. L. Rienner. pp. 75–95. doi:10.1515/9781685853297. ISBN 978-1-55587-285-4.
