1 Establishment of Republic of Botswana.

On 30th September 1966 (in this Act referred to as “ the appointed day ”) the territory which immediately before that day constitutes the Bechuanaland Protectorate shall cease to be a protectorate and shall become an independent republic under the name of Botswana; and on and after that day Her Majesty shall have no jurisdiction over that territory.

2 Operation of existing law.

(1)Subject to the following provisions of this Act, on and after the appointed day all law which, whether being a rule of law or a provision of an Act of Parliament or of any other enactment or instrument whatsoever, is in force on that day or has been passed or made before that day and comes into force thereafter, shall, unless and until provision to the contrary is made by Parliament or some other authority having power in that behalf, have the same operation in relation to Botswana, and persons and things belonging to or connected with Botswana, as it would have apart from this subsection if on the appointed day the Bechuanaland Protectorate had been renamed Botswana but there had been no change in its status.

(2)Part I of the Schedule to this Act (which relates to enactments applicable to Commonwealth countries having fully responsible status) and Part II of that Schedule (which relates to enactments excepted from the operation of the preceding subsection) shall have effect on and after the appointed day in relation to the enactments therein mentioned; but that Schedule shall not extend to Botswana as part of its law.

(3)Subsection (1) of this section applies to law of, or of any part of, the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, and, in relation only to any enactment of the Parliament of the United Kingdom or any Order in Council made by virtue of any such enactment whereby any such enactment applies in relation to the Bechuanaland Protectorate, to law of any other country or territory to which that enactment or Order extends.

3, 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

^F15—7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

^F28 Short title and interpretation.

(1)This Act may be cited as the Botswana Independence Act 1966.

(2)References in this Act to any enactment are references to that enactment as amended or extended by or under any other enactment.

Section 2.

SCHEDULE AMENDMENTS NOT AFFECTING THE LAW OF BOTSWANA

Part I Extension of certain enactments applicable to Commonwealth Countries having fully responsible status

1 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

^F3 2 _C1 ^M1In section 1(6) of the Diplomatic Immunities (Commonwealth Countries and Republic of Ireland) Act 1952, before the words “and the Republic of Ireland” there shall be inserted the word “ Botswana ”.

3 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

^F4 Financial

4 _C2 ^M2In section 2 of the Import Duties Act 1958—

(a) in subsection (4) before the words “together with” there shall be inserted the word “ Botswana ”;and

(b) in subsection (9) for the words “the Bechuanaland Protectorate”, in each place where they occur, there shall be inserted the word “ Botswana ”.

Armed forces

^F5 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 ^M3,M4In the Visiting Forces (British Commonwealth) Act 1933, section 4 (attachment and mutual powers of command) shall apply in relation to forces raised in Botswana as it applies in relation to forces raised in Dominions within the meaning of the Statute of Westminster 1931.

7 ^M5In the Visiting Forces Act 1952, in section 1(1)(a) (countries to which that Act applies), at the end there shall be added the words “ Botswana or ”, and, until express provision with respect to Botswana is made by Order in Council under section 8 of that Act (application to visiting forces of law relating to home forces), any such Order for the time being in force shall be deemed to apply to visiting forces of Botswana.

8 _C3 (1) ^M6In section 84(2) of the Offices, Shops and Railway Premises Act 1963 (exclusion of application to visiting forces) before the words “and any country” there shall be inserted the word “ Botswana ”.

(2) ^M7In section 78(2) of the Offices and Shop Premises Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 (exclusion of application to visiting forces) before the words “and any country” there shall be inserted the word “ Botswana ”.

(3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

^F6 Commonwealth Institute

^F7 9 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part II Exceptions from s. 2(1) of Act

^F8 10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 ^F9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .