President commands BDF without accounting to parliament - Wikileaks

A confidential document prepared by the US embassy in Gaborone on April 28, 2006 says the President - who is chosen by the majority party in parliament rather than by popular election - holds exceptional personal control over the military.  The constitution gives the president the power to determine the operational use of the military without reference to parliament, and grants similarly unfettered authority to appoint, promote, assign or dismiss military personnel.

The US cable says the President of Botswana hand picks a defence council, consisting of the BDF's four senior-most officers, four cabinet members, an MP, and a handful of senior civil servants. Parliament exercises little oversight of the military.