The party that has governed Botswana since its independence in 1966 received a significant rebuke in national elections this week, losing its majority in Parliament for the first time, according to results announced on Friday morning.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi of the governing Botswana Democratic Party conceded defeat at a news conference on Friday and stated he would ensure a smooth transition of power. Botswana, a southern African nation of approximately 2.5 million people, is recognized for its political stability and diamond mining, which has generated considerable wealth and tension over equitable distribution.
“I promise to do my part in building a strong country and to work with the new administration to ensure that every Batswana has opportunities at their fingertips,” Mr. Masisi remarked, using the term for citizens of Botswana.
The president-elect is Duma Boko, a 54-year-old human rights lawyer and Harvard University graduate, who leads the main opposition party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change. Mr. Boko’s party won enough seats in Parliament to secure a majority, as reported on state television.
Botswana has experienced one of the most remarkable economic turnarounds in Africa since the end of British colonial rule. The nation grew wealthy from diamond production and earned a reputation for fiscal prudence and good governance, qualities that many citizens now believe are declining.
The governing party lost support amid an economic slump largely driven by a slowdown in the global diamond trade, which constitutes the largest share of the nation’s economy. The mining giant De Beers sources most of its stones from Botswana, whose diamond output is second only to Russia.
Critics have also attributed Botswana’s economic challenges to mismanagement and corruption within the governing party.
“I couldn’t be happier to see us out of the rule of Masisi and his administration,” stated Tumelo Eetsi, a 43-year-old teacher residing in Gaborone, the capital. “I just wanted to see change for this nation, and I’m hopeful we’ll have a fresh start on many things.”
The governing party’s defeat adds to a trend of long-dominant political parties in southern Africa losing public support in recent years. In May, the African National Congress, which has governed South Africa since the end of apartheid in 1994, also lost its parliamentary majority for the first time.
Analysts indicate that the once-lofty reputations of many African political parties, earned during the struggle against colonialism, no longer resonate with a growing population of young voters who prioritize education and employment opportunities.
Botswana’s unemployment rate has risen to nearly 28 percent, with youth unemployment approaching 38 percent. The International Monetary Fund projects the country will experience growth of only 1 percent this year, down from 5.5 percent in 2022, primarily due to the global diamond slump.