Sir Seretse Khama Day

Sir Seretse Khama Day is a public holiday in Botswana, and it is observed on July 1 each year.

Sir Seretse Khama Day commemorates the birthday of Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, the 1st President of Botswana, who was born on July 1, 1921.

Sir Seretse Khama was born in 1921, and became the kgosi (king) at the age of 4 after his father's death, with his uncle as his regent. After receiving his Bachelor degree in South Africa, he continued his study in the United Kingdom, where he met his wife Ruth Williams.

The interracial marriage angered the tribal elders as well as the apartheid leaders in South Africa because the interracial marriage was banned under the apartheid system in South Africa. Seretse Khama and his wife were exiled in 1951, and returned back to Bechuanaland in 1956.

Seretse Khama founded the Bechuanaland Democratic Party in 1956, which dominated the 1965 elections, and he was elected as the Prime Minister. On September 30, 1965, Botswana gained independence, and he served as the first President. He died on July 13, 1980 at the age 59.

The following is the list of Sir Seretse Khama Day in Botswana from 2021 to 2025.

Please check more public holidays in Botswana: