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Sir Seretse Goitsebeng Maphiri Khama, GCB, KBE (1 July 1921 – 13 July 1980) was the first President of Botswana, in office from 1966 to 1980. Born into one of the most powerful African royal families of what was then the British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, he was educated abroad in neighboring South Africa and in the United Kingdom. He married a British woman, Ruth Williams, which initially was controversial because she was white. She became popular among his people. Khama led his country's independence movement. He founded the Botswana Democratic Party in 1962 and became Prime Minister in 1965. In 1966, Botswana gained independence and Khama was elected as its first president. During his presidency, the country underwent rapid economic and social progress. == Childhood and education == Seretse Khama was born in 1921 in Serowe, in what was then the Bechuanaland Protectorate. He was the son of Queen Tebogo and Sekgoma Khama II, the paramount chief of the Bamangwato people, and the grandson of Khama III, their king. SOURCESWikipedia