The critical role of leadership in Botswana’s development: What lessons?

Abstract

Many countries, particularly in Africa, have failed to realize development largely because they suffer from a 'leadership deficit'. Evidence across the African continent shows that even countries that are endowed with resources have failed to transform, in part because of bad leadership. Yet, there are countries that are an exception to this trend. Botswana is one such a country. This paper uses the case of Botswana to demonstrate that leadership can make a difference. It, therefore, argues that leadership can either make or break a country. Botswana has been able to transform itself from a position of desolation at independence to one of an upper middle income country by the 1990s. It is today held as an economic and political success story that can offer lessons to other African countries. This is remarkable by African standards. Botswana's transformation was possible in part because of the good leadership and good policy decisions. The case of Botswana shows that leadership is a crucial success factor for any country's development prospects. The paper uses the case studies of presidents Seretse Khama, Ketumile Masire, Festus Mogae and Ian Khama to demonstrate the significance of leadership in influencing the direction and development of the country.

Social Contracts for Development: Bargaining, Contention, and Social Inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa

“…In other words, citizen-state relations can be profoundly influenced by the timing of a resource windfall-whether it occurs in the early stage of state-building when institutions are still malleable or in the latter stages when institutions have set. Thus, Botswana is one of Africa's most stable and prosperous middle-income countries today partly because when diamond mining began in the 1970s, there was already a strong and stable social contract that built on precolonial institutions and that incorporated the interests of various groups in society on the platform of the Botswana Democratic Party (Sebudubudu and Botlhomilwe 2011). With stable institutions underpinned by an inclusive political coalition, Botswana has prudently managed its diamond revenues; invested substantially in building human, physical, and social capital; and accumulated foreign reserves, including a well-managed sovereign wealth fund (African Natural Resources Center 2016).…”

Political Reforms for Prosperity and Political Resistance in Botswana

“…In addition, while the BDP lost its internal stability under President Masire, the situation worsened under Mogae (1998)(1999)(2000)(2001)(2002)(2003)(2004)(2005)(2006)(2007)(2008) and under Khama (2008-to date). Sebudubudu and Botlhomilwe (2011) observe that factionalism has deepened under Khama's leadership leading to the party's split in 2010. When the BDP suffered rivalry between its A-team (a faction led by the then President Festus Mogae, Vice President Ian Khama and others) and its Barataphathi (led by former BDP Secretary General Daniel Kwelagobe and Ponatshego Kedikilwe) factions, when it suffered expulsions and finally split in 2010, when it lost Secretary Generals Gomolemo Motswaledi and Kentsi Rammidi), and chairman Guma Moyo in 2013 (He left BDP in 2010, and re-traced his steps back later to the BDP), it was evident to all that the party was no longer enjoying political stability.…”

Leadership and Natural Resource Management: Linkages to the Persistence of Oil-related Conflicts in Nigeria’s Niger Delta

“…Botswana's success case in the management of diamond with no record of violent conflicts to-date tends to suggest a key role for effective leadership. 26 To-date, however, focused investigation of the role of leadership in resource conflict is neglected in the analysis of natural resource and conflict and more broadly, conflict and security. 27 Even those who examine the crisis of peacebuilding in Africa from a leadership perspective, 28 often exclude followers, an approach that reinforces the leader-centric explanation and understanding of leadership rather than process.…”