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Abstract
This article documents key aspects of the role played by University students in Botswana in the liberation struggle, from the early years of the University in the mid‐1960s to the year of Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980. Three demonstrations by University students are analysed, and the article concludes that, contrary to the received literature, the University contributed to the liberation struggle in a meaningful way. Although students at the University continued to play a part in the liberation struggle after 1980, this period is not discussed as the liberation struggle became just one of the key agenda items in a broadened political programme that focussed on local concerns of the students such as fees, allowances, institutional governance and democratisation.
Notes
1. Shaneka Oliver documents fascinating stories of how students in historically black institutions in this part of the USA attempted to use their participation in the war to gain recognition at home.
2. Botswana National Archives (henceforward BNA): OP27/3: Guerrillas – August 1967–January 1969: Khama to Kaunda (top secret) Gaborone, 5 September 1967.
3. BNA: CE6/1/13; N.O.H. Setidisho (Pro‐Vice Chancellor (PVC), Botswana), ‘Student Strike at Roma’, Gaborone, 4 February 1975.
4. Ibid. Education Cabinet Information Note on Disturbances at UBLS, Roma.
5. Mashologu had only been PVC at the Roma campus for two weeks when the Act establishing the National University of Lesotho was passed. BNA: CE6/1/13; Education Cabinet Information Note on Disturbances at UBLS Roma, Gaborone, 4 February 1975.
6. UBLS Council – C.75/41: Report of the Commission of enquiry into Student Unrest at the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland Roma Campus, March 1975.
7. Ibid.
8. Ibid., 9.
9. Ibid., 21.
10. Ibid., 25.
11. Ibid. Education Cabinet Information Note on Disturbances at UBLS, Roma, 4 February 1975.
12. BNA: OP/13/21 – Political Report, 1977–78: Record of Meeting between His Excellency and Bishop Muzorewa (Top Secret), Gaborone, 21 April 1978.
13. Ibid.
14. In this demonstration, there was cooperation between the students and members of staff, most of them were from Zimbabwe.
15. BNA: OP/13/21 – Political report, 1977–78: Record of Meeting between His Excellency and Bishop Muzorewa (Top Secret), Gaborone, 21 April 1978.
16. UCB Council Special Meetings on Students Unrest, Gaborone, 15 September 1978; 26 September 1978 and 3 October 1978.
17. BNA: PO/2/8: Prohibited Immigrants, 15 December 1981–October 1983.
18. UCB Special Council Meeting, Gaborone, 22 September 1978: anonymous letter on ‘Student Protests at the University College of Botswana’.
19. BNA: OP/13/21: Political Reports, 1977–78: A.W. Kgarebe to Secretary for External Affairs, London, 7 April 1978.
20. The author was one of the students who were beaten up and locked up at the Central Police Station in the mall.
21. UCB Council Special Meetings on Students Unrest, Gaborone, 15 September 1978. A letter by an anonymous writer in the documents of the meetings.
22. The author was one of those detained at the Central Police Station. The students were subjected to many other forms of humiliation. The author was handcuffed to a certain Chilume throughout the first day, and had to endure the humiliation of using the toilet together.
23. The eight students were: Dennis Alexander (now a prominent business man); Monageng Mogalake (now a senior lecturer in Sociology at the University of Botswana); Samuel Mkhombe (student from Swaziland); Motsei Madisa (now Deputy Director, Academic Services at the University of Botswana); Mothusi Lekalake (now a senior executive in the private sector); Raffik Khan (now a prominent businessman); G. Chilume; Rampholo Molefhe (freelance journalist).
24. BNA: CE6/7/1/6I: University College of Botswana, 1977–78: Reverend G.M. Setiloane to His Excellency the President: Mafeking, 20 September 1978.
25. Ibid.
26. Examples include: Ngubeni ka Ngope (South African) who was President in 1977; Kenneth Manungo (Zimbabwean) who was Vice President in 1975 and President in 1976 and Carlos Caminho (Mozambican) who was Secretary General in 1977 and President in 1978.
27. BNA: OP8/2: Permanent Secretary, Education, to Permanent Secretary to the President, Gaborone, 26 October 1976. The fact that this was written in 1976 is a clear indication that the discomfort with the foreign academics started long before the demonstrations of 1978.
28. BNA: OP/2/6: Prohibited Immigrants, 18 July 1975–25 June 1976.
29. BNA: OP/13/21 – Political Reports, 1977–78: A.W. Kgarebe to Secretary for External Affairs, London, 7 April 1978.
30. Ibid.
31. Some members of Parliament expressed the view that the students should have been caned for disobeying lawful orders: BDN, 12 December 1978.
32. BDN, 25 September 1978. There was concern that those invited to speak at the University tended to be those in the left such as Kenneth Koma (leader of the main opposition Botswana National Front); representatives from embassies of East European countries, etc. See BDN, 15 February 1978 and 16 March 1978.
33. Ibid.
34. Ibid.
35. UCB Special Council, Gaborone, 15 September 1978. It is difficult to understand what the Botswana government meant by the maintenance of law and order when the students had not moved out of campus or caused any destruction.
36. BNA: SH15/1I: UBS, 1977–83: Norman Kingsbury (Registrar) to PS, Education, Gaborone: 26 September 1978.
37. Ibid.
38. Ibid., Minister Morake to Norman Kingsbury, Gaborone, 26 September 1978.