Botswana’s ruling BDP loses power after six decades, President Masisi Concedes Defeat.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s Botswana Democratic Party loses parliamentary majority in shock defeat.
Botswana’s ruling Botswana Democratic Party has suffered a shock election defeat to the opposition, after fifty eight years (58) in power.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) lost its grip on power on Friday after opposition parties won at least 35 of 61 seats in parliament, tallies released by the electoral commission showed.
The BDP, which has governed the diamond-rich Southern African country of 2.6m since 1966, had won only just one (1) seat as of early Friday morning.
The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), led by Harvard University-trained lawyer Duma Boko, had won 22 seats and the Botswana Congress Party, headed by economist Dumelang Saleshando, took eight, according to the tallies as at 8AM this morning.
The Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), established by followers of former President Ian Khama after his exit from the BDP, secured five seats.
Under Botswana’s constitution, the party that holds a majority of parliamentary seats chooses the President and forms a Government.
Masisi, a 63-year-old former high school teacher and UNICEF worker, had been widely expected to lead his party to another victory and serve a second and final term.
Most often lauded as one of Africa’s greatest success stories, Botswana ranks among the wealthiest and most stable democracies on the continent.
But a global downturn in demand for mined diamonds, which account for more than 80 percent of the Southern African exports, has taken a toll on the economy.
Economic growth is expected to slow to 1 percent in 2024, according to the International Monetary Fund, down from 2.3 percent last year and 5.5 percent in 2022, while unemployment has risen to 27 percent.
Outgoing President Masisi has since conceded defeat and pledged to work with the incoming administration for a smooth transfer of power.
In a call to UDC leader Duma Boka, the outgoing President said, “I want to congratulate you, and wish you the best. I’m going to concede to having lost the election, through a Democratic process that we’ve always subscribed to.
“And thank Batswana for the very peaceful manner in which they conducted this election.
“Thank all parties that participated including my own members and I’ll let them know that from tomorrow or at your convenience, if you want to do it on Monday you can do it, I’ll start the process of a handover.
“And you can count on me to always be there to provide whatever information and whatever guidance you may want.
“I’ll serve this republic loyally, we’ll retreat to being a loyal opposition and work with you for the betterment of our country.”
Botswana has a 61 constituency parliament and the party with the most seats forms a government and chooses a President.