2024 Botswana general election

Previous election

The election held on 23 October 2019, saw the BDP maintain its parliamentary majority for the 12th consecutive time, securing 53% of the votes and 38 out of 57 seats, one more than in the 2014 election. The UDC garnered 36% of the votes and 15 seats, two fewer than its 2014 result. The election marked a significant political realignment in Botswana's political landscape. This was because the Central District (which had consistently supported the BDP, averaging around 75% of the vote since the first elections in 1965) saw large swings to the opposition due to former President Ian Khama's backing of the newly-formed Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and of UDC candidates, where the BPF did not stand candidates of its own.^[10] The UDC and BPF won 11 out of 17 seats in the district, marking the first time ever that a party other than the BDP won a seat in the district. Nonetheless, the BDP made substantial gains in other regions, securing all seats in both Gaborone and districts in the southern parts of the country, offsetting the UDC's advances.^[11][12] The election outcome described as an upset was attributed to President Masisi's efforts to reconcile with segments of society previously at odds with Khama, such as labour unions, whose support had waned in the 2014 election. The rapprochement between the UDC leadership and Khama, who remains unpopular among urban and southern voters, led to a loss of support for the UDC among its traditional opposition base in the south.^[11]

While international observers deemed the elections "free and fair",^[13] Duma Boko contested the BDP's victory, alleging significant electoral irregularities.^[12][14] Despite the UDC's claims of multiple voting and bribery of election officials, their petition to invalidate the results was dismissed by the High Court in December 2019. Although the Court of Appeal agreed to hear the case in January 2020, it was later dismissed for lack of jurisdiction.^[15]

Background of opposition parties before the election

Following the 2019 elections, there were three opposing parties in the National Assembly—the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and the Alliance for Progressives (AP). In August 2022, the BPF joined the UDC alliance, uniting all opposition parties in the National Assembly except for the AP.^[16]

The Botswana Congress Party (BCP), a major member of the UDC since 2017, had expressed interest in leaving the UDC alliance due to disagreements between BCP leader, Dumelang Saleshando and UDC leader, Duma Boko.^[17] Saleshando ceased to be the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly, after a group of UDC MPs joined by five BCP dissidents, voted him out of the position in July 2022.^[18]

The BCP proposed forming an electoral alliance with the AP and the newly-formed, Botswana Labour Party (a minor Botswana National Front splinter party).^[19] However, the AP withdrew from the coalition talks after disagreements with the BCP largely due to disagreements over constituency allocation, opting to join the UDC instead.^[20][21]

In May 2023, the BCP's central committee unanimously decided to participate in the 2024 elections separately from the UDC alliance. The party cited concerns over the UDC's disregard for intra-party democracy and the vulnerability of their party leader to capture by "private interests", as reasons for their exit.^[22]

Following a party leadership retreat in April 2024, the BPF decided to leave the UDC alliance, opting for a "pact model" which would see the BPF not standing candidates in constituencies it deemed unwinnable and the UDC doing the same in constituencies which the BPF can win in, instead of running under the UDC—a proposal since rejected by UDC leadership.^[23]

The election campaign also saw the return of former president Ian Khama, a critic of incumbent president Mokgweetsi Masisi, after three years of self-imposed exile in September 2024.^[24] Khama supported the BPF in the election.^[25]

Composition of parliament

The 12th Parliament was inaugurated on 5 November 2019. Dumelang Saleshando had replaced Duma Boko as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly following Boko's defeat at the general election.

Prior to the ban on floor crossings in 2023, the National Assembly saw two BDP MPs and two UDC MPs defect to the UDC and BDP, respectively. A by-election was triggered in the Serowe West constituency after Tshekedi Khama's expulsion from parliament after he fled to South Africa with his brother (and former President), Ian Khama, causing him to miss the minimum number of sessions required to maintain his seat. The 2023 Serowe West by-election was held in July 2023 and saw the BPF retain the seat at a larger majority. Yandani Boko, former UDC MP for Mahalapye East, resigned from the National Assembly in March 2024. A by-election was not held for his seat as it was deemed too close to the dissolution of parliament, expected by August.^[26][27]

Seat redistribution

In accordance with section 64(1) of the Constitution of Botswana, a Delimitation Commission was appointed on 13 May 2022 (following the release of the decennial 2022 Botswana Census) to redistribute the constituencies of the National Assembly. The National Assembly passed a bill increasing the number of constituencies by four seats from 57 to 61 seats.^[31] Consultations with the public and various interest groups ran from 20 June to 28 November 2022. The Commission presented its finalised report to the President on 10 February 2023.^[32]

Timetable

Observation controversy

In the lead-up to the general voter registration, the UDC established the Madibelatlhopho (lit. 'Protectors of the vote'), a group of UDC supporters constituted ad hoc to oversee the voter registration process. Their aim was to prevent alleged rigging in favour of the BDP by the IEC.^[43] The voter registration period for the 2024 general elections in Botswana was initially scheduled to run from 1 to 30 November 2023. However, it was indefinitely postponed due to legal challenges from the UDC.^[44][45]

On 7 November, Justice Gaolapelwe Ketlogetswe of the Francistown High Court issued a rule nisi requiring the IEC and other parties to justify why the UDC's Madibelatlhopho should be restrained from monitoring the national registration process. This decision temporarily allowed UDC observers to proceed with their plan to observe the registration cycle until the court's final determination. The court order permitted UDC clerks to daily record the names, national identity card numbers and registration booklets' serial numbers of registrants. The IEC announced a further postponement of the registration period, shifting it to occur from 13 November to 8 December 2023, to prevent UDC observers from accessing polling stations until the Court of Appeal, the country's highest court, made its final ruling.^[46]

The apex court ruled in favour of the IEC, denying the UDC's request to have the Madibelatlhopho access to registration booklets and other confidential voter information. This decision overturned the previous Francistown High Court ruling that had allowed the UDC to monitor the voter registration process. However, the court found no legal basis in the Electoral Act to grant the UDC such monitoring rights. The Leader of the Opposition, Dithapelo Keorapetse, expressed disappointment with the judgment, viewing it as "a setback for democracy".^[47]

Presidential nominees

In accordance with Section 7 of the Presidential Elections law, the Secretary of the Independent Election Commission appointed authenticating officers tasked with verifying the authenticity of documents submitted by presidential aspirants for the indirect presidential elections that occur as a form of an investiture vote after the general election of MPs. These officers were district commissioners, district officers and senior police officers. Acting as the returning officer for the presidential nomination process, the Chief Justice of the High Court received the nomination papers of the candidates on 28 September 2024, during two time slots: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and from 2:30 to 5:00 p.m.^[49] The venue for this process was at the High Court headquarters in Gaborone. At the conclusion of this procedure, three political party leaders were duly declared as validly nominated candidates for the office of President, as shown below:

Number of constituencies contested by political parties

Note: There were 26 independent candidates.

MPs standing under a different political affiliation

MPs not standing for re-election

MPs defeated in primary elections

For further details of changes during the previous parliament see: 12th Parliament of Botswana § Floor crossings, resignations, expulsions and deaths.

Campaign context and economic issues

The formal campaign was considered shorter and more compressed than in previous election years, partly because several parties delayed their primary elections and manifesto launches until shortly before the election was called.^[56][57]

Economic issues were central to the campaign. Botswana had long relied on diamonds as the foundation of its export economy, but weaker diamond demand, falling state revenues, high unemployment and the challenge of diversifying beyond mining became major electoral issues.^[56][57] The election was shaped by deteriorating economic conditions and rising unemployment, particularly among young people, many of whom blamed the BDP government for failing to create jobs. In an Afrobarometer survey during the campaign, unemployment was identified as the most important issue facing the country by a larger share of respondents (59%) than any other problem.^[58] Dissatisfaction with the government's handling of job creation cut across age groups, with especially high levels of negative evaluation among voters aged 26 to 35.

The International Monetary Fund forecast growth of 1% for 2024, down from 5.5% in 2022 and 2.7% in 2023, while lower diamond revenues and expansionary spending widened the fiscal deficit.^[59] Concerns over public finances intensified after an Econsult review reported a sharp fall in the Government Investment Account, which includes the Pula Fund.^[60] The BDP dismissed the review as politically motivated, although finance minister Peggy Serame later acknowledged the decline in Parliament.^[61]

Botswana Democratic Party

Primary election disputes

See also: Goodhope-Mmathethe in the 2024 Botswana general election

The BDP's primary elections, known as bulela ditswe (lit. 'set them free'), were damaging for the BDP during the campaign not least because they were held unusually late. The party emerged from the process divided in a number of constituencies, with some defeated aspirants defecting to other parties, standing as independents, refusing to campaign for the party's nominees or actively "decampaigning" BDP candidates. The BDP held reconciliation events in some constituencies, but internal divisions probably cost BDP candidates votes in several races.^[62] The primaries were marked by complaints over delayed polling station openings, alleged voter-roll irregularities, ballot shortages and accusations of misconduct by losing candidates.^[63] The process was further disputed after the party introduced a stricter vetting system under which the BDP Central Committee approved or disqualified prospective candidates, prompting concerns that the party leadership could influence which candidates were allowed to contest.

One of the most contentious contests was in Goodhope-Mmathethe, where finance minister Peggy Serame challenged health minister Edwin Dikoloti. Serame, an indirectly elected MP who was at the time considered Masisi's preferred vice-presidential successor, needed to win an elected seat first to be eligible for appointment as vice-president.^[64] After Dikoloti defeated her in the primary by 57% to 43%, Serame appealed the result to the BDP Central Committee. The committee ordered a rerun and suspended Dikoloti over alleged irregularities, prompting him to leave the BDP and contest the seat successfully as an independent.^[65]

Umbrella for Democratic Change

The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), led by Duma Boko, ran a confrontational campaign focused on removing the BDP from power and presenting the election as a decisive opportunity for political change. The coalition launched its manifesto on 10 August at the Royal Aria Stadium in Gaborone.^[77] Boko accused the BDP government of corruption, enrichment of political elites and abuse of power, and argued that public anger should be channelled through the ballot box in order to build what he called a "Second Republic".^[77]

The UDC manifesto proposed reforms in education, housing, healthcare, economic development, environmental sustainability and governance.^[78] Economically, the coalition promised to create between 450,000 and 500,000 jobs through investment in infrastructure, agriculture, diamond trading and transport, with the aim of turning Botswana into a regional logistics hub.^[56][78] It also promised subsidies and dedicated funds for small businesses, the construction of 100,000 affordable homes over five years, a monthly minimum wage increase from 1,500 pula (US$112) to 4,000 pula (US$300), and comprehensive health insurance for citizens.^[56][78] The coalition also proposed investment in 5G, artificial intelligence and smart-city infrastructure, as well as a green economy programme based on renewable energy, climate-resilient infrastructure and green jobs.^[78] Institutionally, the UDC promised constitutional reforms, including the introduction of proportional representation for general elections and measures to strengthen judicial independence.^[78]

The UDC also campaigned on election transparency and institutional reform. Boko and other opposition figures accused key institutions, including the judiciary, the Directorate of Intelligence and Security and the Independent Electoral Commission, of lacking independence or acting in ways that favoured the incumbent party.^[77] The coalition encouraged citizens to take part in election monitoring and linked political change to the need to end what it portrayed as national stagnation under the BDP.^[77] However, the UDC also had to overcome the effects of opposition fragmentation after the departure of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) and the failure to maintain an electoral arrangement with the BPF. Its campaign therefore repeatedly presented the coalition as the only opposition force with sufficient national reach to defeat the BDP.^[77][70]

Botswana Congress Party

The BCP, led by Dumelang Saleshando, campaigned separately from the UDC after withdrawing from the coalition. Its campaign focused on social justice, economic inclusion and criticism of the BDP government's failure to meet the needs of vulnerable groups, particularly young people and women, whom the party described as its natural allies.^[79] The party campaigned under the slogans "Save Botswana" and "A Better Tomorrow Awaits".^[79] Its manifesto was structured around seven development pillars: a high-wage and climate-responsible economy, equitable access to land and housing, advanced education aligned with the Fourth Industrial Revolution, accessible universal healthcare, efficient social protection, democratic governance and inclusive development.^[79][57]

The BCP promised 300,000 jobs, a minimum living wage of 4,000 pula per month by 2029, the achievement of full employment, the reduction of extreme poverty and stronger protection for workers' rights.^[79] It also proposed the recovery of displaced jobs, greater value from tourism, free education from pre-school to secondary level, regulation of school fees and a more inclusive development policy for youth, children and women.^[79] Saleshando accused Masisi's government of making promises it did not believe in and argued that voters had already seen the BDP "for what it was".^[57] The BCP also clashed with the UDC during the campaign. Saleshando accused Boko and the UDC of trying to discredit the BCP because it threatened the UDC's position as the main opposition force, while Boko accused Saleshando of mismanaging party finances.^[80]

Botswana Patriotic Front

The BPF, chaired by Mephato Reatile but strongly associated with Khama, campaigned primarily on removing Masisi from power and consolidating its support in the Central District.^[81] Khama had returned to Botswana in September 2024 after a period of self-imposed exile in South Africa, where he had lived while facing charges in Botswana including illegal firearms possession, money laundering and receiving stolen property.^[68] His return allowed him to campaign more actively for the BPF and against Masisi, his former vice-president and successor turned political rival.^[68]

The BPF's manifesto, launched on 6 October in Serowe, emphasised anti-corruption measures, governance reform, land reform, industrial development, poverty eradication and infrastructure improvement. The party also proposed revitalising the kgotla system as a means of strengthening citizen participation and cultural heritage.^[81] Khama's return was seen as helping to mobilise loyalists of the former president, particularly in Serowe and the wider Central District, although the BPF campaign was constrained by its late start, its split with the UDC and the breakaway of Biggie Butale's Botswana Republican Party (BRP).^[82][68][81]

Minor parties

Smaller parties also contested the election. The Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), led by Christian pastor Thuso Tiego, contested eight constituencies and campaigned on family values, public health, public safety, land ownership and what it described as radical socioeconomic transformation.^[83][84] Under Tiego, the party adopted a socially conservative profile and strongly criticised LGBT rights.^[85] Although Tiego had previously rejected alliances, during the campaign he said the BMD would cooperate with other opposition parties and would support BCP candidates in the north, UDC candidates in the south and BPF candidates in Serowe where the BMD had no candidate.^[84]

The BRP, formed by Butale after a split from the BPF, fielded six candidates, all in the Central District.^[83] Its manifesto, launched in Serowe on 19 October under the title The Manifesto That Leaves No Stone Unturned, was published in English, Setswana and Ikalanga.^[86] The party promoted solar energy, arts, culture and tourism as routes to economic diversification, and proposed the construction of a third major city, alongside Gaborone and Francistown, as a job-creation measure.^[86] The minor Real Alternative Party campaigned as a socialist and environmental justice party, focusing on pollution, mining-affected communities, economic inequality, housing, precarious work and corruption.^[87][88]

Youth mobilisation and social media

Youth mobilisation, particularly through social media and campaign volunteering, became a prominent feature of the election. The election challenged earlier assumptions that young Batswana were unlikely to participate in electoral politics, finding that younger and first-time voters, including members of Gen Z, helped shape the result through their response to the UDC's message and broader dissatisfaction with unemployment, corruption and economic hardship.^[70] The New York Times linked the BDP's defeat to generational discontent, noting that youth unemployment stood at 38%, far above the national rate and that young people bore a disproportionate share of inequality and poverty.^[89] Young people played a central role in Boko's campaign by mobilising voters, while UDC figures argued that his appeal among younger voters was evident in the party's campaign presence across the country. Some academics have noted that young people used social media to share pictures of national identity and voter registration cards, encourage others to vote, discuss voting queues and procedures, and warn against opposition vote-splitting. They also cited reports that unemployed graduates and tertiary students were prominent in polling-station queues, with many using the slogan a re tlhopheng sentle ("let us vote wisely"). Although social media had been used in previous Botswana elections, the 2024 campaign saw it become a particularly important platform for political mobilisation, the circulation of allegations of corruption and mismanagement, and the organisation of voters around the prospect of a change of government.^[70]

Results by district and city

Results by constituency

Analysis

Seats changing hands

The following seats changed allegiance from the 2019 results. The comparison is based on the party or alliance label under which each seat was won in 2019 and does not take account of changes in party affiliation during the 12th Parliament. Therefore, BCP members elected under the UDC banner in 2019 are treated as UDC-held seats. Due to the 2022 redistribution, constituencies are listed by the names used at the 2024 general election.

Gallagher index

The table below presents the proportionality of parliamentary seats won in the 2024 election, as measured by the Gallagher index. This election yielded an index score of 23.04, indicating a highly disproportionate outcome that strongly favoured the UDC and BCP while being significantly disadvantageous for the BDP. This is the most disproportionate result ever recorded in Botswana general election.^[94]

International reactions

• African Union – The Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Moussa Faki, congratulated Duma Boko and the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), describing the election as "peaceful, transparent and credible". He also commended outgoing president Mokgweetsi Masisi for conceding defeat before the official announcement of the final results and for facilitating a smooth transfer of power.^[99]
• European Union – The EU congratulated Boko and the people of Botswana, describing the transition of power following Masisi's concession as "exemplary". It stated that Botswana and the EU shared democratic values and a strong economic partnership.^[100]
• Southern African Development Community – The SADC Electoral Observation Mission stated in its preliminary report that the pre-election and voting phases were conducted in a peaceful and orderly manner. It called on all stakeholders to maintain peace as the final stages of the electoral process were completed.^[101]
• Commonwealth of Nations – The Commonwealth Expert Team described the election as credible, peaceful and orderly, while noting that it had taken place in a highly competitive political environment. The team praised both Masisi's concession and Boko's acceptance speech, stating that their conduct helped strengthen Botswana's democratic credentials.^[102]
• South Africa – President Cyril Ramaphosa congratulated Boko and the UDC, commended Masisi for supporting the transition and said the election demonstrated democratic maturity in the region.^[103]
• Namibia – President Nangolo Mbumba congratulated Boko and the UDC on their victory, praised Masisi for accepting the will of the voters, and said Namibia looked forward to strengthening bilateral relations with Botswana.^[104]
• Zambia – President Hakainde Hichilema congratulated Boko and commended Masisi for conceding defeat, describing the result as a victory for democracy and the will of the people.^[105]
• Zimbabwe – President Emmerson Mnangagwa, then chairperson of SADC, congratulated Boko and said Zimbabwe looked forward to continued cooperation with Botswana bilaterally, regionally and multilaterally.^[106]
• United States – The United States Department of State congratulated the UDC and Boko on what it called a historic victory, commended Masisi's leadership during the transition and said it would continue to support Botswana's democratic institutions and bilateral partnership with the United States.^[107]
• China – President Xi Jinping congratulated Boko on his election and said China was ready to work with the new administration to advance the strategic partnership between the two countries.^[108]
• Japan – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs congratulated Boko and stated that Japan hoped to strengthen cooperation with Botswana in areas including mineral resources, education and human resources development.^[109]
• France – France congratulated Boko, praised the vitality of Botswana's democracy and commended Masisi's commitment to preparing the transfer of power quickly.^[110]