Sixty ways to love your country
Bongi D D M Radipati | Wednesday July 22, 2026 10:47
The woman says she wishes to help him, gives him five instead of the promised 50 different ways by which he could ditch her, and tells him that she really doesn’t want to intrude in his affairs. I think the point being made in the song is that in ditching a lover, there is angst, and even with those several ways, it still remains a hard thing to do. What connects this song and an attempt to show love for a country through its intellectual archive, are these two traits: anxiety and difficulty. Yet, the connection can also be this: love is of quick counsel. It is also of quick sincerity.
Given that this country celebrates 60 years of independence this year, consistent with that three score number, below I propose the sixty ways by which Botswana has been loved in print. Some of the “love missives” or “epistolary” texts are not necessarily affectionate writings. Yet, because they address how Botswana could be a better place, they are written with sincerity and affection as ends to be pursued. Over the course of a long period of time, I have read all of those writings, and for most of them, I have also read reviews of them. There is a simple reason I have taken this particular route. A snippet about Botswana, such as a television show, or a news item, or a social media post or a travel or tourism blog or a podcast will tell the reader or listener or show the viewer what Botswana has, what it lacks, and the controversies it may be grappling with. No such snippet will tell the reader or listener or viewer “why” and “how” anything “means” to this country and its people. This is because reading about a place and its people (especially in a book or article or essay) requires an engagement of the intellect, sustained attention, and an empathy of the mind.
Passive information - regrettably the bane of our present knowledge culture - can never approximate much less replicate what books, essays, and articles do as a matter of course. Since this is a personal list and it may not be exhaustive, please do not feel slighted if your book or article or essay did not make it into the list. Your readers know its worth in their lives. For the fact that anybody who has written about Botswana is really one voice in a 60-year conversation about our country, and out of concern for good taste, I have not included any of my writings in this list. Being in or outside this list does not affect this simple truth in any way.
It is tempting to group the 60 writings about Botswana into thematic clusters - of the independence movement, the discovery of diamonds and their impact, human rights for all, and a fair modern society - yet it is deceivingly hard to do so. We know the pioneers of our independence, but we also know that they were present during our diamond era. We live with the presence of the San and their yearning for special recognition and equal treatment, yet we know that they too are present in our modernizing but still traditional society. We know that we have never had an egalitarian society, yet daily we seek it from our elites and systems of operation. Many of the writings in this list have been uncomfortably right about a particular Botswana national issue. This confirms the notion that questioning the status quo here is itself a form of patriotism. In other words, being “a critic as a lover” perhaps even in the immodest sense of the song I referred to above, can be a good thing!
As a country and a people, we have had more triumphs than failures, yet we easily recall the latter more than the former. But when we are likely to see our present circumstances as a fulfillment of the worst impulses of our humanity, one part of these 60 writings offers us a reminder of our past fortitude and optimism. When we struggle with bearing witness to our past, another part of these 60 writings reminds us that our future is contingent on us being honest with our present. Therefore, the 60 writings I have collated here generally show and assess us as a country and a people. In essence, we are a nation in a slow, deliberate and methodical ebb of flourishing. While there is no doubt that we made mistakes as we went along that route, still we are likely to continue to make mistakes as we proceed with our nationhood. But, owning our lane through the written word is our strength and it will outlast the news cycle or social media post. The 60 writings listed below are chosen for the reason that they are either foundational, influential, controversial, representative or just pleasurable to read.
To ease reference, I have divided the reading list into several categories of disciplines, listed alphabetically. Some of the categories may baffle some readers. Yet, they shouldn't. As a nation, we are more than our politics, economics, corruption, scandals, and the other matters that hoard our public discourse. We live, dress up, eat, do our hairstyles, engage in leisure, gossip, misbehave, correct our ways, and get old, all in one lifetime. Here therefore, is my subjective canon of Botswana writing thus far; in other words, my own version of Botswana's layered intellectual ecosystem of 1966-2026:
Anthropology: Pauline E. Peters, Dividing the Commons: Politics, Policy and Culture in Botswana,
Architecture: Hartmut Herold, Historical Buildings in Botswana; K. P. Mwale, “Culture, Heritage and the Politics of Identity in National and Tribal Spaces: The city and the traditional village in Botswana”,
Autobiography: Sir Ketumile Joni Masire, Very Brave or Very Foolish?: Memoirs of an African Democrat, David N. Magang, The Magic of Perseverance,
Beauty: Refilwe Mathumo, “Beauty Pageants and National Identity: Miss Botswana 1968-2017”, Maitseo Bolaane, “The Politics of Hair in Botswana”,
Biography: Neil Parsons and Michael Crowder, Monarch of All I Survey: Bechuanaland Diaries 1929-1937, Wilf Mbanga and Trish Mbanga, Seretse and Ruth: Botswana’s Love Story,
Economics: J. Clark Leith, Why Botswana Prospered, Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson and James A. Robinson, An African Success Story: Botswana,
Education: Brian T. Mokopakgosi, “Self-reliance and the history of Higher Education: the Botswana university campus appeal (BUCA)”, Richard Tabulawa, Globalization and education policy reform in Botswana, Lydia Nyati-Ramahobo, Language Policy, Cultural Rights and the Law in Botswana,
Environment: Glyn Maude, The Mokolodi Nature Reserve: A Conservation Story, J. E. Mbaiwa, Tourism Development, Rural Livelihoods and Conservation in the Okavango Delta,
Ethnography: Antonius J. G. M. Sanders, Speaking For the Bushmen,
Films/Cinema: Rod Stilton, “Films about Botswana: A Critical Filmography”, Fidelis Nkomazana, “Religion and Film in Botswana”,
Health: Sheila Tlou, “Women and AIDS in Botswana”,
History: Thomas Tlou and Alec C. Campbell, History of Botswana, Anthony Sillery, Botswana: A Short Political History, Bogosi K. Otlhogile, A history of the higher courts of Botswana, Fred Morton, Jeff Ramsay and Part Themba Mgadla, Historical Dictionary of Botswana, Peter Fawcus and Alan Tilbury, Botswana: The Road to Independence,
Journals/Periodicals: Botswana Notes and Records, Pula: A Journal for African Studies, Kutlwano magazine,
Law: Daniel D. N. Nsereko, Constitutional Law of Botswana, Jacqueline Solway, “Cultural Fatigue: The State and Minority Rights in Botswana”, Bugalo Maripe, “The recognition and enforcement of Children's Rights in domestic law: an assessment of the child protection laws in Botswana”, Elizabeth Macharia-Mokobi, “Lingering inequality in inheritance law: the child born out of wedlock in Botswana”, Isaac Schapera, A Handbook of Tswana Law and Custom,
Language: Thapelo J. Otlogetswe, English-Setswana Dictionary,
*If economics, politics, and history explain how as a country we arrived where we are now, undoubtedly literature, music and other arts reveal how as its people we feel from within.*
Literature: Bessie Head, When Rain Clouds Gather, Unity Dow, The Heavens May Fall, Barolong L Seboni, Windsongs of the kgalagadi, Alexander McCall Smith, The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency, Andrew Sesinyi, Love on the Rocks, Lauri Kubuitsile, The Scattering,
Longevity/Ageing: Tapologo Maundeni, “Care for the Elderly in Changing Tswana Families”, Material Culture: Potlako L. P. Disele, David J. Tyler and E. J. Power, “Conserving and sustaining culture through traditional dress”,
Media: James A. Zaffiro, From Gaborone to Broadhurst: A History of Broadcasting in Botswana 1927-1991,
Music: Matheanoga Fana Rabatoko, “San indigenous songs as cultural heritage for inclusion in Botswana music education programmes”, Thapelo Moshaga, Botswana Music: A Journey,
Politics and Political Economy: John D. Holm and Patrick P. Molutsi, Democracy in Botswana, Scott Beaulier and Robert J. Subrick, “The Political Foundations of Development: The Case of Botswana”, Zibani Maundeni, “Mutual Criticism and State/Society Interaction in Botswana”, Onalenna Doo Selolwane, “Ethnicity and Democracy in Botswana”, Kenneth Good, Diamonds, Dispossession and Democracy in Botswana,
Science and Technology: Botswana Innovation Hub, State of Science, Technology and Innovation Report 2022,
Sociology: Sharon R. Kaufman, Julie Livingston, Hong Zhang and Margaret Lock, “Transforming concepts of ageing: Three case studies from anthropology (includes Botswana)”,
Tourism: Lesego S. Stone, Moren T. Stone and Joseph E. Mbaiwa, “Tourism in Botswana in the last 50 years: A Review”,
Training/Fitness: Tumelo Serole, “Sport in Botswana: Policy and Practice”,
Vegetarianism: Department of Family and Consumer Sciences (Nutrition and Dietetics) University of Botswana, “Traditional Tswana Diets and Plant-Based Nutrition”,
Visual Arts: Sandy and Elinah Grant, Decorated Homes in Botswana, Wilson Ngoni, Living with the Brush, Felix Monggae, The Art of Botswana,
Youth: Tebogo Seleka, “Youth Unemployment in Botswana”, Kgomotso Jongman, “Born Free: Youth Identity in Post-Independence Botswana”.
*Radipati is a regular Mmegi contributor