Sir Seretse Khama, 1966 (Botswana)
Sir Seretse Khama. Photo credit: Pinterest
Seretse Khama was the first president of a newly independent Botswana. Upon independence from British colonial rule in September 1966, Khama laid the foundation for a modern egalitarian Batswana society.
Khama helped transform Botswana from the world’s third-poorest country at independence to the largely middle-income economy that it is today. However, before he became president, Khama faced considerable hostility from the U.K. government, which specifically frowned at his interracial love affair and eventual marriage to Ruth Williams, an English girl.
In recognition of his pro-independence efforts and perhaps to patch up what had been a frosty relationship in the beginning, Khama was honoured as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire by her majesty Queen Elizabeth II in 1966.
