EleBotswana, eselifikise iminyaka engamatshumi amahlanu lasithupha - 56 lathola umbuso wabansundu, linanze usuku lukazibuse ngoLwesihlanu.
Embikweni awethule ukunanza leli langa likazibuse, uMongameli Mokgweetsi Masisi wakwele Botswana, uthe uyajabula okwamagama ngengqubela phambili ilizwe lakhe esiliyenzile lokhe lathola uzibuse ngomnyaka ka 1966.
IBotswana yayingamanye amazwe ampofu umhlaba wonke jikelele ngesikhathi ilizwe leli lithola uzibuse, kodwa khathesi libalelwa njengamazwe anothileyo kuzwekazi leAfrica.
Lokhu kuhlukene uma kuqathaniswa leZimbabwe, engumakhelwane weBotswana.
IZimbabwe seyahlehlela emuva, sengamanye amazwe angelamali kukanti ngesikhathi lithola uzibuse ngomnyaka ka 1980, kwakulilizwe lobisi loluju.
Umnunzana Mkhululi Moyo oweZimbabwe ohlala eGaborone uthi kulomehluko omkhulu phakathi kukazibuse we Zimbabwe kanye lowe Botswana.
“Kulomehluko okukhulu, uzibuse walaba nguzibuse womuntu wonke. Bonke abantu baphiwa amathuba alinganganayo. Ekhaya kusuka kube lobandlululo.”
Kukanti umnunzana Stanley Ncube uthi ingqubela phambili yeBotswana uyatshengisa ukuthi ilizwe leli liyazibusa.
“Ungakhangela eleBotswana kunengi okuhle okwenzakalayo, sebayakha imigwaqo amadamu kanye lokunye kukanti kithi ekhaya sesabuyela emuva. Lilanga elisikhumbuza okwenzakala kithi.”
IBotswana iyamukela izizalwane ezinengi ezivela eZimbabwe zibalekela ubunzima bomumo womnotho.
UNkosikazi Abbie Nyoni, osebenza eGaborone, uthi kweleBotswana kuyakhanya ukuthi kulozibuse abantu bekhululekile.
“Yilizwe elihle. Into ezinengi ziyatholakala. Yikho okuthiwa yi Independence. Ekhaya kunzima abantu bayahlupheka kodwa kuthiwa kule Independence. Kumele iZimbabwe ibuke okwenziwa ngele Botswana.”
Usuku lweIndependence Day kweleBotswana lunanzwe ezabelweni ezitsheyeneyo, kodwa umcimbi omkhulu kade usenkundleni ye National Stadium, esigodlweni IGaborone lapho uzulu akade ethe gwaqa ukuzobona imbukiso lokokuzithokozisa okutshiyeneyo.
UMasisi ungenele lo mcimbi, ngaphambi kokwethula umbiko wakhe wosuku lolu lapho athe ikusasa yelizwe lakhe iyathembisa okumangalisayo.
Umnotho wakwele Botswana uyathuthuka ngemfanelo. Ufuqwa yimali ilizwe leli eliyithola ekuthengiseni amatshe aligugu awama dayimani.