The Decline and Restructuring of Chieftaincy in Botswana

Byung-Soo Seol

doi:10.21049/ccs.2019.54..251

This study is initiated to examine how the chieftaincy institution in Botswana has been declined and restructured in the historical process throughout the past years. In the traditional Tswana society, the highly respected and revered chiefs wielded mighty authority and power as symbolic and real beings to the people they governed. During the British colonial period, however, traditional leaders continuously lost their power and were downgraded to becoming or acting as the degraded agents or tools of the colonial government. The colonial authorities, which emphasized modernity, supported the emerging elite group, standing apart from traditional rulers and encouraged the people to lose respect for the power of the chiefs as well. As a result, the new elites could anchor to become key forces in post-independence Botswana. With the democratization of political systems since independence, the hereditary rule of chiefs has increasingly lost its legitimacy among the people of that region. The Botswana government has continually weakened their power and authority through diverse laws aimed at negating the rule of the chiefs. There is also no doubt that the negative recognition of the modern elites on the chiefs did not appear. In regard to a series of these types of situations, the stance of chiefs is becoming more narrowed today. Notwithstanding, the chiefs are playing a pivotal role in varied local development projects related to agriculture, education and health, bolstering the faith in the chiefs to help the plight of the people today. Besides, the chiefs are being utilized as an important source in both local and central politics. Chieftaincy is needed to be reconstructed in order to survive in socioeconomic change, and is actually being reconstructed in modern times. It is clearly verified that both the broad support of the local people, and its resilience and adaptability have been a prime mover in the process of its restructuring.

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