Botswana: Opposition party wins general election, and ruling party removed from office after 58 years in power.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi

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November 1, 2024 | 4:30 PM ET |

Gaborone: The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) which has ruled Botswana for almost 60 years, has suffered a shocking setback at the hands of voters, who chose an opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and its presidential candidate, Duma Boko.

The 54-year-old of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) replaces 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 of a phone call with Boko that the outgoing leader posted on social media, signalling a smooth transition of power.

“You can count on me to always be there to provide whatever guidance you might want. … We will retreat to being a loyal opposition.”

Chief Justice Terence Rannowane officially declared Boko the victor on Friday afternoon.

“I have the honour and privilege to declare him as elected president of Botswana. I congratulate you profoundly for the confidence that the people have shown in you,” he said.

After which, Boko was sworn in during a closed session at the office of the chief justice. In his first public remarks, the new president-elect said he was humbled by the election outcome.

“I pledge with every fibre 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.

Earlier, the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) spokesperson Osupile Maroba told the AFP news agency:

“The UDC has reached the minimum requirement to be declared the next government.”

The BDP was trailing in fourth place behind UDC, Botswana Congress Party, and Botswana Patriotic Front according to partial tallies by the IEC on Friday.

“We got it wrong big time in the eyes of the people,” Masisi, who was seeking a second five-year term in Wednesday’s elections, said at a news conference in the capital, Gaborone.

“We were really convinced of our message. But every indication, by any measure, is that there’s no way that I can pretend that we’re going to form a government.”

The BDP has governed the diamond-rich Southern African nation since 1966 and was expected to win.