Colour Bar by Susan Williams

On Saturday, I finished a book that moved and inspired me. I had not known the story of Seretse Khama, who became Botswana's first President, and his white English wife, Ruth, but their story is one that has made me feel almost ashamed to be British, but also inspired by those who stood up for Seretse and Ruth as they faced many struggles.

Seretse Khama was the next Kgosi (Chief) of his tribe, the Bamangwato, and as he grew up and studied in England, his uncle, Tshekedi, acted as Regent. The tribe would have been looking forward to Seretse's return, and Seretse would no doubt have been a footnote in Botswana's history, were it not for the fact that while in England he fell in love with a white woman, Ruth Williams (no relation to the author). To marry someone without first consulting the tribe was shocking enough, but to marry a white woman at the time when Bechuanaland's neighbour, South Africa, was marching towards apartheid, was asking for trouble. At first interested parties from Tshekedi and the British government, to the London Missionary Society, tried to stop the wedding from going ahead; once Seretse and Ruth had managed to marry - at a Registrar's rather than the church wedding they had planned - people and events conspired against them to try to stop Seretse becoming Kgosi and setting a certain example in southern Africa.

It did not take long for the Bamangwato to welcome Ruth as their "Mother" - Mohumagadi. However, South Africa intervened with the British colonial authorities, advising that allowing Seretse to become Chief could cause unrest. Seretse was eventually exiled from his country for about five years or so.

This book is full of detail, describing the fight for justice. However, it was easy to read, and very moving. When the Bamangwato pleaded with the British government for their Kgosi to come back, and they were refused, I felt partly responsible. When violence erupted at the Kgotla, I felt angry that the tribe had been pushed into that position. I felt proud of those in the UK, like Tony Benn, who campaigned on the Khamas' behalf. I felt challenged - would I have been preprared to stand up, or would I have simply gone along, unthinking, with the status quo? When the Khamas were finally allowed to return home, I was sitting in the tube about to arrive at King's Cross with tears in my eyes.

I started on Monday, and finished the book on Saturday morning. It was a busy week, I could only read during my journeys, when I had a seat. For a 330 page book with small print, that was quite quick. I highly recommend this book. Even if you have never before shown any interest in Botswanan, or even African, or colonial, politics. This is a human story - that reveals so many other facets of British history at the same time.