By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Botswana’s governing party, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has suffered election defeat after holding power for 58 years, preliminary results have indicated.
Results released by the electoral body on Friday indicates that the BPD is losing grip of power after opposition parties won at least 35 of 61 seats in parliament.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s BDP has governed the diamond-rich Southern African nation since 1966.
As at the time of this report, it had won only just one seat in the election.
The preliminary results shows that Umbrella for Democratic Change, led by Harvard University-trained human rights lawyer Duma Boko, won 22 seats while the Botswana Congress Party, headed by economist Dumelang Saleshando took eight.
Similarly, Botswana Patriotic Front, established by followers of former President Ian Khama after his exit from the BDP, secured five seats.
“As of 05.04 am, 1st November 2024, opposition parties have garnered more than half of the parliamentary seats,” local newspaper Mmegi said on its Facebook page, adding that the BDP “has now officially lost state power”.
Under Botswana’s constitution, the President can only be elected by the party that holds a majority of parliamentary seats and go ahead to form a government.
Opposition parties have garnered more than half of the parliamentary seats.
This could imply that the governing Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has now officially lost the election.
Analysts had predicted that the election would be keenly contested but Masisi’s party was tipped to extend its 58-year rule.
The permutation was that a divided opposition would give the advantage to the Botswana Democratic Party.
