| Post: | Commander |
| Body: | the Botswana Defence Force |
| Flag: | Flag of the Botswana Defence Force.svg |
| Flagcaption: | Botswana Defence Force flag |
| Incumbent: | Lieutenant general Placid Diratsagae Segokgo |
| Incumbentsince: | 8 September 2016 |
| Abbreviation: | Commander, BDF |
| Reports To: | Minister of Defence, Justice and Security |
| Appointer: | the President |
| Formation: | 1977 |
| First: | Mompati Merafhe |
The Commander of the Botswana Defence Force is the highest-ranking military officer in the Botswana Defence Force and is responsible for maintaining control over the service branches.
The former heads of the Botswana Armed Forces were referred to while in office as either General Officers Commanding or Commander of the Botswana Defence Force.
| Portrait | Name | Term of office | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Took office | Left office | Time in office | |||||
| 1 | Lieutenant general Mompati Merafhe | 1977 | 1989 | years | |||
| 2 | Lieutenant general Ian Khama | 1989 | 1998 | years | |||
| 3 | Lieutenant general Louis Matshwenyego Fisher | 1998 | 1 November 2006 | years | [1] | ||
| 4 | Lieutenant general Tebogo Masire | 1 November 2006 | 1 August 2012 | [2] | |||
| 5 | Lieutenant general Gaolatlhe Galebotswe | 1 August 2012 | 8 September 2016 | [3] | |||
| 6 | Lieutenant general Placid Diratsagae Segokgo | 8 September 2016 | Incumbent | ||||