Voters in Botswana have thrown out the country’s long-ruling party in a political earthquake in the diamond-rich southern African country.
The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) – which has been in power since independence in 1966 – has won only one seat in parliament as of Friday morning. It looks like it will be replaced by the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC).
President Mokgweetsi Masisi agreed, saying that it is clear that his party lost heavily in Wednesday’s national election.
Despite the remarkable turnaround in Botswana, recent poor economic growth and unemployment have made the BDP popular.
“I will respectfully step aside and participate in the plans for a smooth transition before the inauguration,” Masisi said at a press conference on Friday.
“I wish to congratulate the opposition parties on their victory and allow the elections. I am proud of our democratic process and I respect the will of the people.”
He appealed to his followers to calm down and support the new government.
The UDC, led by the human rights lawyer, Duma Boko, has won 25 seats, according to preliminary figures.
The party will have the most seats in parliament and can pass 31 seats to have an outright majority.
It promised to implement a new economic strategy that creates good-paying jobs and creates wealth that empowers all citizens.
Kgoberego Nkawana, who was recently elected as a UDC Member of Parliament, told BBC’s Newsday that many young people in Botswana are still unemployed despite the abundance of diamonds and the country’s booming tourism industry.
“The unemployment rate is very high and people are living on handouts from the government because there are no jobs. So it’s really bad,” said Nkawana.
The group is committed to creating 450,000 to 500,000 jobs over five years.
The Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), supported by former president Ian Khama who broke away from the BDP, has so far won five seats while the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) has won seven seats as the situation is.
As the members of the parliament elect the president in Botswana, Boko is in a position to become the head of state when the parliament meets for the first time.
UDC supporters were celebrating in the capital Gaborone and in other parts of the country.
Masisi – in office since 2018 – led an unsuccessful BDP campaign.
The president ran on the message that his party could bring about “reform”, but not enough voters were convinced that the BDP could do what was needed in the country.
Official results are expected to be announced by the electoral commission later on Friday.
Additional report by Innocent Selatlhwa in Gaborone
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