The UB, which was the first university in the country, was established back in 1982 after Lesotho had just decided to become a National University, breaking away from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UBLS) back in October 20, 1975.
The separation came about the unrest that arose from the “Luyengo Package”. This week, the UB hosted a launch to kick start celebrations of the 40th anniversary, and also at the same time unveil the institution mascot for the celebrations.
The launch was graced by the presence of former president, Festus Mogae, Minister of Education and Skills Development, Douglas Letsholathebe, UB vice chancellor, Professor David Norris and other dignitaries.
“The Lesotho government closed its doors on the Botswana prospective students as the university started belonging exclusively to the Lesotho government,” said Dr. Potlako Molefe when giving a synopsis of how the university came about.
The breaking away of the Lesotho government from the UBLS, meant that the governments of Botswana and Swaziland, as it was then, called before it was changed to now Eswatini did not have a university campus that they could send their students to.
This compelled the two nations to build their own universities and stand on their own so that their citizens could have access to high education.
By then, Botswana was just a country, which had just gained independence, and was still finding its feet as a developing country and poor. So, this meant that the government of Botswana did not have enough capital to pull off such a big project of building Botswana’s first university on its own without any assistance.
The then Botswana government would plead for help from its citizens to raise P1 000 000, so that the country could have its own university. This initiative birthed the “Motho le Motho Kgomo, (One Man One Beast)” campaign where citizens of Botswana at large donated the little that they had to help raise the money that was needed.
Some donated chickens, goats, and sheep, while most people donated cattle (and the late first president Sir Seretse Khama donated 30 cattle so that the project could really materialise), and that is why the University of Botswana is mostly associated with cattle.
The Botswana government was able to raise the needed amount of money and it even exceeded the target that it had set for itself, and that made all the dreams of Botswana citizens at large come to life as they got to see their own first university in the country being established on July 1, 1982 though an Act of Parliament, The formal inauguration of the university was done on October 23, 1982.
Professor Norris said over the years the UB has been outside the top 20 in Africa, but after so many years since its establishment, it is now amongst the top 20, and its mandate is to continue moving up the ranks and be one of the best universities in Africa.
Norris stated that throughout the celebrations, the university will showcase its projects, researches, and the prototypes done over the years at the university. And that it will be embark on a journey to be an increasingly outward university.
Letsholathebe told the story of how his ministry managed to come up with a research fund, to help researchers across the country as research is key as no decision can be taken by an institution such as government without being informed research.
Mogae unveiled the mascot, which he named ‘Mmadikolo’. The mascot will go around the country from city to city, village to village, so that it gets to celebrate with all the citizens of Botswana.
This is an effort to appreciate the citizens of the country for the tremendous work that was done towards establishing the prestigious University of Botswana. The main celebration of the 40th anniversary is set to take place in October and the date is to be confirmed in due time by the University.
