Botswana's ruling party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has lost elections for the first time in nearly six decades. The leader of the party, President Masisi has since agreed to step aside and concede the shocking outcome.
Election results continue to shock the world in recent years, and in 2024 alone, liberation movements have been toppled out of power, signaling a dynamic shift on national leadership and governance. Things have changed. People are tired of the same old rhetoric of command politics and economics. People are tired of being led by war veterans. The voice of the people has spoken in Botswana, in Zambia, South Africa, Mozambique, Malawi, Kenya and the list goes on.
Gaborone has a new sheriff in charge!
Human rights lawyer, Dumo Boko is ready to takeover from the BDP hegemony. The belated departure of the party that brought Botswana's independence ushers in the opposition born-free movement, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), led by president-elect Boko.
Apart from the BDP, South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) for the first time in 30 years lost it's majority in parliament earlier this year, leading to the formation of a Government of National Unity, (GNU). The case of ANC and that of BDP mirrors the decline of other parties that battled colonial rule and made it to power, which has subsequently fallen to corruption and a disgruntled population hungry for change.
Citizens are no longer influenced by history when they vote. Young people value sexual and gender equality along with jobs and better healthcare.All the youth want is change. They make up the majority and their vote has made a significant difference in many parts of the world.
Liberation movements in Zimbabwe, Angola and maybe Namibia have remained in power but the parties have experienced a decline in support and vote share in recent general elections. Mozambique awaits crucial election results were FRELIMO, the ruling party is uncertain of it's future unless they rig. SWAPO of Namibia should be advancing their preparations after observing sister parties get booted out of power. Namibia decides this November in much-anticipated harmonized elections.
In Botswana, the opposition has won 32 seats from 61 constituencies. Under the country's electoral system, the first party to take 31 of 61 seats in the legislature will be declared the winner, install it's candidate as president and form a government. The BDP leaves office after governing the diamond-rich country since 1966. President Masisi said he had called Boko and congratulated him on his victory and was prepared for a smooth transition.