By Summary
- Opposition leader Duma Boko has been elected president.
- The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) had been in power since 1966.
- Botswana is experiencing challenges due to a downturn in the global diamond market.
- Young people are increasingly frustrated with high unemployment and economic hardship.
GABORONE, Botswana – Botswana’s voters delivered a shock defeat to the ruling party that has held power for nearly six decades, registering their anger over economic stagnation linked to a decline in the diamond trade by handing victory to opposition presidential candidate Duma Boko.
The 54-year-old of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition will replace President Mokgweetsi Masisi, who on Friday conceded defeat after his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) lost by a landslide for the first time in 58 years. “From tomorrow… I will start the process of handover,” Masisi said in an audio clip posted on social media of his phone call to Boko, signaling a smooth power transition.
In his first public remarks after being sworn-in as the new president, Boko said he was humbled by the election outcome. “I pledge with every fiber of my being that I will do everything I can, not to fail, not to disappoint, appreciating always the enormity of the responsibility bestowed upon me by the people of this republic. It is their government,” he said.
Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi addresses a press conference to concede defeat after the October 30 general elections, where the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) lost elections to the opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), in Gaborone, Botswana November 1, 2024.
Analysts blamed mounting economic grievances, particularly among young people, for the downfall of the BDP, which has governed the southern African state of around 2.5 million people since independence from Britain in 1966. Like many African countries, Botswana’s economy has largely depended on the export of a single commodity – in its case, diamonds. Unlike many African countries, its leaders have largely resisted the urge to steal or squander their commodity windfall, instead spending it on health, education and social welfare. Botswana’s GDP per capita was $7,250 in 2023 – compared with an average for sub-Saharan Africa of $4,800, World Bank data shows.
However, a downturn in the global diamond market has caused economic growth to plummet to a projected 1% this year, while unemployment has risen to 28%. As the world’s top diamond producer by value, Botswana holds a 15% stake in diamond giant De Beers, a subsidiary of Anglo American (AAL.L). Masisi negotiated a larger share of raw diamonds with the company last year.
Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi addresses a press conference to concede defeat after the October 30 general elections, where the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) lost elections to the opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), in Gaborone, Botswana November 1, 2024.
“We are an economy that depends on diamonds… So, we’ve got to try and safeguard the goose that lays for us the golden egg in the short to medium term, at the very least,” Boko said. He said he would try to reach out to De Beers “as quickly as possible” to hear its concerns. “As matters stand, they have been considering walking away, not signing at all, which is dire, (a) very dangerous position to be in as a country,” he said.
‘NOTHING TO OFFER’
Local newspaper Mmegi reported that, based on results from 58 of 61 constituencies, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) had won 35 seats in parliament, four more than it needed for a majority. The largest party is responsible for selecting the president. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) finished last among the four parties, winning only four seats.
“After 58 years in power, the BDP didn’t have anything new to offer,” said analyst Ringisai Chikohomero of the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies. In contrast, the UDC put forward ambitious policy proposals, he said. It pledged to more than double the minimum wage, improve social services, and create a more independent judiciary, among other initiatives.
Botswana opposition leader Duma Boko smiles, after his party UDC won the general election, outside his home in Gaborone, Botswana November 1, 2024.
The capital Gaborone was calm on Friday, with small groups of opposition supporters celebrating in the streets. “I did not ever think I would witness this change in my life,” 23-year-old student Mpho Mogorosi said. “The BDP had stayed too long … and I am proud to be part of the people that removed them.”
The BDP was the second long-ruling party in southern Africa to lose its majority at the polls this year, after South Africa’s African National Congress failed to win more than half of votes for the first time in 30 years. Neighboring Namibia will hold elections later this month in which the ruling SWAPO party, which has governed since 1990, is also expected to face a stiff challenge.
“The outcome of Botswana’s elections should serve as a warning to long-time ruling parties across southern Africa and beyond that, without economic progress and employment opportunities, political dominance will falter,” said Zaynab Hoosen, an Africa analyst at the consultancy Pangea-Risk.
People wait to cast their votes in the 2024 general elections in Morwa village near Gaborone, Botswana October 30, 2024.
