National Assembly (Parliament Building)

The Parliament of Botswana consists of the President and the National Assembly. In contrast to other Parliamentary systems, the Parliament elects its President directly (instead of having both a ceremonial President with the Prime Minister exercising real authority as head of government) for a set five-year term of office. A president can only serve 2 full terms. The President is both head of State and of Government in Botswana’s parliamentary republican system. The former President of Botswana was Ian Khama, who assumed the Presidency on 1 April 2008 and won a full five-year term in the proceeding Botswana General elections, which were held on 16 October 2009 and returned his Botswana General elections with a majority of 35 (total of 45) seats in the 61 seat Parliament. The Parliament building is where the President and National Assembly meet.