Bobirwa (Botswana constituency)
Parliamentary constituency in Botswana, 1965 onwards
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Bobirwa is a constituency in Botswana represented in the National Assembly of Botswana by Taolo Lucas, a Botswana Congress Party (BCP) MP since 2019.
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| Bobirwa | |
|---|---|
| Single-member constituency for the National Assembly | |
| |
| District | Central District |
| Population | 47,103 |
| Major settlements | Bobonong |
| Area | 8,593 km2 |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 1965 |
| Party | BCP |
| MP | Taolo Lucas |
| Margin of victory | 2,343 (12.2 pp) |
Constituency profile
The seat was a stronghold for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), consistently supporting it with large majorities from its establishment in 1965 until the 2019 general election where perennial candidate Taolo Lucas flipped it to the opposition column, ending the BDP's 54-year grip on the constituency. The constituency was subject to modest boundary changes and was renamed to Bobonong in the run-up to the 2014 general election. This win aligned with the broader success the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) achieved in the northern part of Botswana during the 2019 election. Posterior to the exit of the BCP from the UDC, Taolo Lucas held the seat with a twelve-point margin of victory, his best performance yet.
The predominantly rural constituency encompasses the following localities:[1]
- Bobonong
- Gobojango
- Mabolwe
- Semolale
- Moletemane
- Tsetsebjwe
- Mathathane
- Molalatau
- Lentswelemoriti
- Motlhabaneng
- Lepokole
Members of Parliament
| Election | Winner | |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 election | Archelaus Tsoebebe | |
| 1969 election | Abel Sikunyane | |
| 1974 election | ||
| 1979 election | Walter Mosweu | |
| 1984 election | ||
| 1989 election | James Maruatona | |
| 1994 election | ||
| 1999 election | ||
| 2004 election | Shaw Kgathi | |
| 2009 election | ||
| 2014 election | ||
| 2019 election | Taolo Lucas | |
| 2024 election | ||
Election results
2024 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BCP | Taolo Lucas | 10,074 | 52.57 | +3.11 | |
| BDP | Francisco Kgoboko | 7,731 | 40.34 | −4.41 | |
| UDC | Tshepang Makwati | 703 | 3.67 | N/A | |
| BPF | Boitshepelo Jakoba | 656 | 3.42 | N/A | |
| Margin of victory | 2,343 | 12.23 | +7.52 | ||
| Total valid votes | 19,164 | 99.28 | −0.12 | ||
| Rejected ballots | 139 | 0.72 | +0.12 | ||
| Turnout | 19,303 | 82.91 | −1.61 | ||
| Registered electors | 23,282 | ||||
| BCP hold | Swing | +3.76 | |||
2019 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UDC | Taolo Lucas | 8,956 | 49.46 | −0.68 | |
| BDP | Francisco Kgoboko | 8,103 | 44.75 | −5.11 | |
| Independent | Jan Moshokwa | 762 | 4.21 | N/A | |
| BMD | Ofentse Dukes | 287 | 1.58 | N/A | |
| Margin of victory | 853 | 4.71 | N/A | ||
| Total valid votes | 18,108 | 99.40 | +0.41 | ||
| Rejected ballots | 109 | 0.60 | −0.41 | ||
| Turnout | 18,217 | 84.52 | +0.56 | ||
| Registered electors | 21,554 | ||||
| UDC gain from BDP | Swing | +2.22 | |||
2014 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | Shaw Kgathi | 7,350 | 49.86 | −3.97 | |
| BCP | Taolo Lucas | 7,230 | 49.04 | +2.87 | |
| UDC | Kgaugelo Machete | 162 | 1.10 | N/A | |
| Margin of victory | 120 | 0.82 | −6.84 | ||
| Total valid votes | 14,742 | 98.99 | +1.06 | ||
| Rejected ballots | 151 | 1.01 | −1.06 | ||
| Turnout | 14,893 | 83.96 | +7.27 | ||
| Registered electors | 17,738 | ||||
| BDP hold | Swing | −3.42 | |||
2009 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | Shaw Kgathi | 5,899 | 53.83 | +0.70 | |
| BCP | Taolo Lucas | 5,059 | 46.17 | −0.70 | |
| Margin of victory | 840 | 7.66 | +1.40 | ||
| Total valid votes | 10,958 | 97.93 | +0.81 | ||
| Rejected ballots | 232 | 2.07 | −0.81 | ||
| Turnout | 11,190 | 76.69 | −0.05 | ||
| Registered electors | 14,592 | ||||
| BDP hold | Swing | +0.70 | |||
2004 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | Shaw Kgathi | 4,258 | 53.13 | −26.67 | |
| BCP | Taolo Lucas | 3,756 | 46.87 | +26.67 | |
| Margin of victory | 502 | 6.26 | −53.34 | ||
| Total valid votes | 8,014 | 97.12 | +3.15 | ||
| Rejected ballots | 238 | 2.88 | −3.15 | ||
| Turnout | 8,252 | 76.74 | −4.88 | ||
| Registered electors | 10,753 | ||||
| BDP hold | Swing | −26.67 | |||
1999 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | James Maruatona | 4,913 | 79.80 | −2.37 | |
| BCP | Taolo Lucas | 1,244 | 20.20 | N/A | |
| Margin of victory | 3,669 | 59.60 | −4.74 | ||
| Total valid votes | 6,157 | 93.97 | N/A | ||
| Rejected ballots | 395 | 6.03 | N/A | ||
| Turnout | 6,552 | 75.52 | +5.01 | ||
| Registered electors | 9,035 | ||||
| BDP hold | Swing | −2.37 | |||
1994 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | James Maruatona | 4,714 | 82.17 | −5.11 | |
| BNF | L.S. Letubo | 1,023 | 17.83 | +5.11 | |
| Margin of victory | 3,691 | 64.34 | −10.22 | ||
| Turnout | 5,737 | 70.51 | +3.03 | ||
| Registered electors | 8,137 | ||||
| BDP hold | Swing | −5.11 | |||
1989 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | James Maruatona | 4,853 | 87.28 | −5.72 | |
| BNF | Balebeng Marumo | 707 | 12.72 | +5.72 | |
| Margin of victory | 4,146 | 74.56 | −11.44 | ||
| Turnout | 5,560 | 67.48 | −6.96 | ||
| Registered electors | 8,240 | ||||
| BDP hold | Swing | −5.72 | |||
1984 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | Walter Mosweu | 5,542 | 93.00 | −3.98 | |
| BNF | Nicolas Selelo | 417 | 7.00 | N/A | |
| Margin of victory | 5,125 | 86.00 | −7.96 | ||
| Turnout | 5,959 | 74.44 | +19.54 | ||
| Registered electors | 8,005 | ||||
| BDP hold | Swing | −3.98 | |||
1979 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | Walter Mosweu | 4,269 | 96.98 | ||
| BPP | G.F. Manowe | 133 | 3.02 | ||
| Margin of victory | 4,136 | 93.96 | |||
| Turnout | 4,402 | 54.90 | |||
| Registered electors | 8,018 | ||||
| BDP hold | |||||
1974 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | Abel Sikunyane | Walkover | N/A | N/A | |
| BDP hold | |||||
1969 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | Abel Sikunyane | 3,243 | 95.52 | −2.60 | |
| BNF | M.E. Malema | 152 | 4.48 | N/A | |
| Margin of victory | 3,091 | 91.04 | −5.95 | ||
| Turnout | 3,395 | 60.22 | N/A | ||
| Registered electors | 5,637 | ||||
| BDP hold | Swing | −2.60 | |||
1965 election
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BDP | Archelaus Tsoebebe | 5,382 | 98.12 | ||
| BPP | J. Sechele | 62 | 1.13 | ||
| BIP | B. Nwako | 41 | 0.75 | ||
| Margin of victory | 5,320 | 96.99 | |||
| Turnout | 5,485 | N/A | |||
| Registered electors | N/A | ||||
| BDP win (new seat) | |||||