Sir Seretse Khama, Botswana's first president, was mentioned, as were his successors, President Masire and President Mogae. Some of these were public figures who might not be surprised to find themselves in the pages of fiction as well as the pages of history. With this precedent, the way was set for other real people to make their appearance. This was corrected in subsequent instalments, and Mma Ramotswe now took to having tea with Fiona Moffat in the garden of their house in Gaborone and the conversation on these occasions was extensive. After the publication of the first two books, Howard's wife, Fiona, pointed out to me that while Howard was given something to say, she was not. So when it came to describing the illness sof Mma Ramotswe's father, Obed Ramotswe, it was natural that the doctor who should look after him should be Howard Moffat. It was while I was staying in the early Eighties with the Moffats in Mochudi that I first conceived of the idea of writing a story about Botswana. He is a direct descendant of the Scottish missionary, Robert Moffat, who in the early years of the nineteenth century set up the mission at Kuruman in the Northern Cape. Howard is a doctor who has served Botswana well over many years. Howard and Fiona Moffat have made the most persistent appearances in the stories, cropping up, as themselves, in every volume and assured of a place until the series eventually comes to an end.
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