Botswana: Shock election results end governing party's 6-decade rule

By Linda Bordoni

The shock defeat of the long-Botswana Democratic Party has been attributed largely to mounting economic grievances, particularly among young people.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat on Friday evening after preliminary results showed his party had lost its parliamentary majority by a landslide in this week’s election, ending nearly six decades in power.

Masisi has promised to go forward in a smooth power transition and is currently handing over to new president, 54-year-old Duma Boko of the Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition.

The election result registers the anger of citizens over economic stagnation linked to a decline in the diamond trade, upon which the country’s economy depends.

Unlike many, observers say Botswana’s leaders have largely resisted the urge to steal or squander their commodity windfall, instead spending it on health, education and social welfare, but a downturn in the global diamond market caused economic growth to plummet this year to a projected 1%, while unemployment rose to 28%.

Botswana is the world's top producer by value of diamonds, and the government owns a 15% stake in diamond giant De Beers, a unit of Anglo American. Masisi last year negotiated a bigger share of its raw diamonds with the company.

The new president has said Boko said he would try to reach out to De Beers "as quickly as possible" to hear its concerns. He has also campaigned on issues such as raising the minimum wage and increasing social grants.

Africa analysts have pointed to the outcome of this election saying it should serve as a warning to other long-time ruling parties across the continent to heed the message that without economic progress and employment opportunities, political dominance will falter.