Botswana’s governing Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has been ousted from power after nearly six decades, preliminary election results revealed Friday, Al Jazeera reports.
The opposition coalition, led by the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), secured a majority of seats in parliament, marking a historic shift in the Southern African nation’s political landscape.
The BDP, which has held power since Botswana’s independence in 1966, won only a single seat as of early Friday morning. The UDC, led by human rights lawyer Duma Boko, won 22 seats, while the BCP, headed by economist Dumelang Saleshando, secured eight seats. The Botswana Patriotic Front, established by former President Ian Khama’s supporters, obtained five seats.
The results indicate that opposition parties have garnered over half the parliamentary seats, a significant victory that grants them the power to select the president and form the new government.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi, a former high school teacher and UNICEF worker, had been widely anticipated to secure a second term. His defeat marks the end of an era for the BDP, which had become synonymous with stability and economic prosperity in a region often beset by political turmoil.
Despite being hailed as one of Africa’s success stories, Botswana has faced economic challenges in recent years, particularly due to a decline in diamond demand – the country’s primary export. The International Monetary Fund forecasts economic growth to slow to 1 percent in 2024, with unemployment rising to 27 percent, affecting young people disproportionately.
Prior to the election, the BDP had acknowledged the need for economic diversification, promising to invest in sectors like agriculture and tourism. However, these pledges were not enough to convince voters who felt the impact of the country’s economic downturn.
