1979 Botswana general election

{{Infobox election

| country = Botswana

| type = Legislative

| previous_election = 1974 Botswana general election

| previous_year = 1974

| outgoing_members = 3rd Parliament of Botswana

| election_date = 20 October 1979

| next_election = 1984 Botswana general election

| next_year = 1984

| elected_members = 4th Parliament of Botswana

| seats_for_election = 32 of the 36 seats in the National Assembly

| majority_seats = 17

| registered = 243,483

| turnout = 55.24% (of registered voters) ({{increase}}24.02pp)
46.37% (of eligible population) ({{increase}}20.16pp){{refn|group=n|{{Cite book |url=https://www.iec.gov.bw/images/Voter_Apathy_PRINT.pdf |title=National Study On Voter Apathy in Botswana |publisher=IEC Botswana |others=University of Botswana |year=2022 |pages=17 |language=en-GB}}}}

| image_size = 130x130px

| image1 = Seretse_Khama_during_Independence_Talks.png

| leader1 = Seretse Khama

| party1 = Botswana Democratic Party

| last_election1 = 76.62%, 27 seats

| leaders_seat1 = None{{efn|Incumbent presidents are ineligible to contest National Assembly seats; instead, they serve as ex-officio members of Parliament.}}

| seats1 = 29

| seat_change1 = {{increase}}2

| popular_vote1 = 101,098

| percentage1 = 75.17%

| swing1 = {{decrease}}1.45pp

| image2 = Kenneth Koma.jpg

| leader2 = Kenneth Koma

| party2 = Botswana National Front

| leaders_seat2 = Gaborone
(defeated)

| last_election2 = 11.49%, 2 seats

| seats2 = 2

| seat_change2 = {{steady}}

| popular_vote2 = 17,480

| percentage2 = 13.00%

| swing2 = {{increase}}1.51pp

| image3 = Philip_Matante_during_Independence_Talks.png

| leader3 = Philip Matante

| party3 = BPP

| leaders_seat3 = Francistown (defeated)

| last_election3 = 6.56%, 2 seats

| seats3 = 1

| seat_change3 = {{decrease}}1

| popular_vote3 = 9,983

| percentage3 = 7.42%

| swing3 = {{increase}}0.86pp

| map_size = 380px

| map_image = 1979 Botswana National Assembly election - Results by constituency.svg

| map_caption = Results by constituency

| title = President

| before_election = Seretse Khama

| before_party = Botswana Democratic Party

| after_election = Seretse Khama

| after_party = Botswana Democratic Party

}}

General elections were held in Botswana on 20 October 1979. The result was a fourth successive landslide victory for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which won 29 of the 32 elected seats,Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p113 {{ISBN|0-19-829645-2}} including two in which they were unopposed.[http://www.eisa.org.za/wep/bot1979election.htm Botswana: The October 1979 General Election] EISA

As of the 2019 general elections, this is the last election where the BDP received more than 70% of the popular vote.

Campaign

A total of 69 candidates contested the election. The BDP was the only party to run a full slate of 32 candidates, with the Botswana National Front putting forward 16 candidates, the Botswana People's Party 14 and the Botswana Independence Party five. There were also two independents. The BDP campaigned on opposition to apartheid in South Africa and a call for economic sanctions against Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/BOTSWANA_1979_E.PDF Botswana] Inter-Parliamentary Union

Prior to the elections, the voter roll was completely revamped. The revision was accompanied by a vigorous radio and press campaign by the government to encourage registration. Although the number of registered voters increased by only 6,635 compared to the 1974 elections, this was deemed to be due to the 1974 voter roll having numerous duplications.