Opposition leads as Botswana's longtime ruling party concedes defeat End of 58-year reign

Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi acknowledged his party's defeat on November 1 after preliminary election results indicated a significant loss of parliamentary majority for the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), marking the end of nearly six decades in power.

With over half of the constituencies reporting, the opposition coalition, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), emerged with a commanding lead, positioning its leader, lawyer Duma Boko, as a strong contender for the presidency, Caliber.Az reports via US media.

Political analysts attribute the BDP's downfall to escalating socio-economic grievances, particularly among the youth, as the party has governed the country since gaining independence from Britain in 1966. Botswana's economy, heavily reliant on diamond mining, has faced a downturn due to a slump in the global diamond market, resulting in a sharp decline in economic growth and a rise in unemployment to 28%.

State television reported that, based on results from 41 of the 61 constituencies, the UDC had secured 26 parliamentary seats compared to just three for the BDP. Members of parliament are responsible for electing the president.

Boko, who has not yet commented publicly since the announcement, campaigned on key issues such as increasing the minimum wage and boosting social grants.

“Although I wanted to remain your president, I respect the will of the people and congratulate the president-elect. I will step aside and support the new administration,” Masisi stated at a press conference.

The capital, Gaborone, remained calm on Friday morning, with small groups of opposition supporters celebrating in the streets.

“I never imagined I would see this change in my lifetime,” remarked 23-year-old student Mpho Mogorosi. “The BDP had been in power for too long, and I am proud to be part of the movement that removed them for a better Botswana.”

The BDP's defeat follows a similar fate for South Africa’s African National Congress, which also lost its parliamentary majority earlier this year after 30 years in power and was compelled to form a coalition government.

Neighboring Namibia is set to hold elections later this month, where the ruling SWAPO party, in power since 1990, is anticipated to face a tough challenge.

“The outcome of Botswana’s elections should serve as a cautionary tale for long-standing ruling parties across southern Africa and beyond: without economic progress and job opportunities, political dominance is likely to wane,” stated Zaynab Hoosen, an Africa analyst at Pangea-Risk.

By Tamilla Hasanova