Ian Khama

His great-great grandfather of Kgosikgolo Sekgoma I was Chief of the Bamangwato people (1815–1885).

He is also the grandson of Sekgoma II (1869–1925), who was the paramount chief of the Bamangwato people, and the great-grandson of Khama III (1837–1923), their king.

Ian Khama is the second child of Sir Seretse Khama (1 July 1921 – 13 July 1980), Botswana's foremost independence leader and its president from 1966 to 1980, and Lady Khama.

He was born in Chertsey, Surrey, while his father was living in exile in the United Kingdom, due to the opposition by the colonial government and the emergent apartheid regime in South Africa to his marriage to a white woman.

The name "Seretse" means “the clay that binds together”, and was given to his father to celebrate the recent reconciliation of his father and grandfather; this reconciliation assured Seretse Khama's ascension to the throne when his aged father died in 1925.

Ian Seretse Khama is named after his father to continue this historical legacy.

He is also known simply as Ian Khama to differentiate between himself and his father.

Tshekedi Khama II, Ian Khama's brother, was named after their great uncle, Tshekedi Khama who was the regent and guardian for Seretse Khama, the first president of Botswana.

Ian Khama was educated at Waterford Kamhlaba, a United World College in Mbabane, and at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.

He is a qualified pilot.

Seretse Khama Ian Khama (born 27 February 1953) is a Botswana politician and former military officer who was the fourth President of the Republic of Botswana from 1 April 2008 to 1 April 2018.

In April 1977, Khama was appointed as a brigadier general at age 24 during Sir Seretse Khama's Presidency, making him the Deputy Commander to late former Vice President Lt. Gen. Mompati Merafhe.

During this time, Khama received military honours, including the Founder Officer Medal for being part of the Botswana Defence Force when it was created in 1977, the Duty Code Order for devotion to duty, and the Distinguished Service Medal in 1997 after 20 years of service.

He later served as the Commander of the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) from his appointment in 1989, retiring from the position in 1998.

Khama, serving as Commander of the Botswana Defence Force, announced on 16 December 1997 that he would retire from his command on 31 March 1998.

Because this was the same date as the planned retirement of President Quett Masire, it fueled political speculation about Khama.

On 1 April 1998, when Vice-President Festus Mogae succeeded Masire as President, Khama was appointed as the new Vice-President.

However, Khama did not hold a seat in the National Assembly, and so could not immediately take office as Vice-President.

In early July 1998 he overwhelmingly won a by-election in Serowe North, receiving 2,986 votes against 86 votes for the candidate of the opposition Botswana National Front.

On 13 July, he took his seat in the National Assembly and was sworn in as Vice-President.

By these actions, he effectively renounced his hitherto unclaimed hereditary chieftaincy, as the constitutional monarchs of modern Botswana are legally barred from actively taking part in party politics.

Be this as it may, many traditional Bamangwato continued to recognize him as their chief.

Following the victory of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in the general election of October 1999, Khama remained Vice-President as well as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration.

Mogae granted Khama a one-year leave later in the year, a decision that the opposition Botswana Congress Party and the Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organizations sharply criticized.

Khama's leave became effective on 1 January 2000.

He returned to his duties as Vice-President on 1 September 2000, although he was replaced as Minister of Presidential Affairs and Public Administration at that time.

Khama, already a member of the BDP Central Committee, was elected as Chairman of the BDP on 22 July 2003 at a party congress; he defeated the previous Chairman, Ponatshego Kedikilwe, receiving 512 votes against 219 for Kedikilwe.

Khama had been backed for the post by President Mogae, paving the way for Khama to eventually succeed Mogae as President.

In 2007, Khama appeared on British television in the BBC's Top Gear motoring programme, meeting the presenters as they prepared to cross the Makgadikgadi Pan in northern Botswana by car.

In April 2022, Ian Khama was summoned by the justice of his country.

The former head of state is accused, among other things, of illegal possession of a firearm.

After serving as Commander of the Botswana Defence Force, he entered politics and was Vice-President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008, then succeeded Festus Mogae as President on 1 April 2008.

Mogae stepped down, as he had long said he would do, on 1 April 2008; Khama succeeded him as President.

At his swearing-in ceremony in Gaborone, Khama said that there would be continuity in policy and no "radical changes", although he said that "a change in style and special emphasis on a number of issues" might be evident, and he emphasized his commitment to democracy.

He immediately undertook a major cabinet reshuffle, and he appointed Mompati Merafhe, who had been Foreign Minister, as the new Vice-President.

Upon becoming President, Khama left his post as Chairman of the BDP; Daniel Kwelagobe was chosen to replace him.

He won a full term in the 2009 election and was re-elected in October 2014.

The case dates back to 2016.

In December 2022, a warrant for Khama's arrest was given for illegal possession of firearms.

The warrant was given after he did not appear to the court summonings earlier in the year.