# 1970s in Botswana

The following lists events that happened during the 1970s in Botswana.

## Incumbents

* President: Seretse Khama (1966–1980)
* Vice President: Quett Masire (1966–1980)

## Events
### 1970

* The Botswana Development Corporation is established.$^{:95}$
* Botswana establishes diplomatic relations with the Soviet Union.
* January – The power to allocate tribal land is transferred from the kgosis to independent land boards under the Tribal Land Act.
* 6 March – Botswana establishes diplomatic relations with Czechoslovakia.
* July – The Ministry of Finance and Development Planning is established.
* September – President Seretse goes to Lusaka to speak at the Non-Aligned Movement summit.

### 1971

* 1 July – The Orapa diamond mine is established.
* 1 September – Simon Hirshfeldt becomes the first Motswana police commissioner.

### 1972

* March – Botswana becomes financially independent from the United Kingdom.

### 1973

* 15 January – Botswana sends its first citizen to train in the diamond industry in the United Kingdom.
* 15 January – The Agricultural Resources (Conservation) Act is passed.

### 1974

* The Selebi-Phikwe mine opens.$^{:22}$
* The Tribal Grazing Lands Policy is established.$^{:67}$
* January – The Botswana Agricultural Market Board is established.
* March – Botswana ends its recognition of the Republic of China, instead recognizing the People's Republic of China.
* 26 October – The 1974 Botswana general election is held. The Botswana Democratic Party maintains its majority.

### 1975

* Botswana increases its governmental stake in Debswana to 50%.

### 1976

* Kimberlite diamonds are discovered in Jwaneng.
* July – Student protests in South Africa cause refugees to flee to Botswana.
* 26 July – President Khama visits China.
* 23 August – The Bank of Botswana is established. The Botswana pula replaces the South African rand as Botswana's official currency.

### 1977

* January – The United Nations passes a resolution demanding that Rhodesian forces end their hostilities along the Botswana–Rhodesia border.
* April – The pula is valued at 5% above the rand.
* 15 April – The Botswana Defence Force is established.
* 19 April – Mompati Merafhe and Ian Khama are appointed commander and deputy commander of the Botswana Defence Force, respectively.
* October – Four people are arrested as they travel through Botswana to serve in the military in Rhodesia.
* 4 October - A referendum on electoral reform was held.

### 1978

* Botswana Football Association is affiliated with FIFA (international governing body of association football).
* Medu Art Ensemble relocates to Gaborone, Botswana.
* 27 February – A skirmish at Leshoma sees fifteen soldiers of the Botswana Defence Force killed by Rhodesian soldiers.
* 29 March – Three suspected mercenaries from Rhodesia are killed in the Tuli Block.
* 11 September – The University of Botswana closes amid riots.

### 1979

* 13 April – The Gaborone–Francistown Highway is completed.
* 13 April – 14 members of the Zimbabwe African People's Union are kidnapped in Francistown by Rhodesian soldiers.
* July – Botswana co-founds the Southern African Development Coordination Conference.
* July – Queen Elizabeth II visits Gaborone and gives President Khama his second knighthood.
* 20 October – The 1979 Botswana general election is held. The Botswana Democratic Party maintains its majority.

## Births

* 1973
** 2 March – Patrick Lebekwe, Botswana footballer
* 1976
** 23 April – Phazha Butale, Botswana footballer
* 1977
** 28 July – Anthony Matengu, Botswana footballer
* 1978
** 23 August – Ditaola Ditaola, Botswana footballer
** 19 September – Kabelo Kgosiang, Botswana footballer
** 14 November – Odirile Gaolebale, retired Botswanan footballer
** 29 December – Agisanyang Mosimanegape, Botswana former footballer

## Deaths

* 1970
** 12 January – Russell England
* 1971
** Leetile Disang Raditladi
* 1973
** 20 August – Jules Ellenberger
* 1975
** Benjamin Steinberg
* 1977
** Motlatsi Segokgo
** 16 May – Bakwana Kgosidintsi Kgari
* 1979
** Ntebogang Ratshosa
** 29 October – Philip Matante