2019 Botswana general election
{{Short description|none}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox election
| country = Botswana
| type = parliamentary
| vote_type = Popular
| previous_election = 2014 Botswana general election
| previous_year = 2014
| outgoing_members = 11th Parliament of Botswana
| election_date = 23 October 2019
| next_election = 2024 Botswana general election
| next_year = 2024
| elected_members = 12th Parliament of Botswana
| registered = 925,478
| seats_for_election = 57 of the 65 seats in the National Assembly
| needed_votes =
| majority_seats = 29
| turnout = 84.06% (of registered voters) ({{decrease}}0.69pp)
48.82% (of eligible population) ({{decrease}}6.27pp){{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}}}}
| image1 = {{CSS image crop
|Image = Mokgweetsi E.K. Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana.jpg
|bSize = 150
|cWidth = 125
|cHeight = 130
|oTop = 10
|oLeft = 20
}}
| leader1 = Mokgweetsi Masisi
| party1 = Botswana Democratic Party
| leaders_seat1 = None{{efn|Incumbent presidents are ineligible to contest National Assembly seats; instead, they serve as ex-officio members of Parliament.}}
| last_election1 = 46.45%, 37 seats
| seats1 = 38
| seat_change1 = {{increase}} 1
| popular_vote1 = 406,561
| percentage1 = 52.65%
| swing1 = {{increase}} 6.20pp
| image2 = {{CSS image crop
|Image = Duma_Boko_2025_(cropped).jpg
|bSize = 130
|cWidth = 125
|cHeight = 130
|oTop = 10
|oLeft = 5
}}
| leader2 = Duma Boko
| party2 = Umbrella for Democratic Change
| leaders_seat2 = Gaborone Bonnington North (defeated)
| last_election2 = 30.01%, 17 seats
| seats2 = 15
| seat_change2 = {{decrease}} 3{{efn|During the 2014–19 parliamentary term, the Botswana Movement for Democracy (2 seats) left the UDC, whilst the Botswana Congress Party (3 seats) joined the UDC, resulting in the UDC holding 18 seats prior to the election}}
| popular_vote2 = 277,071
| percentage2 = 35.88%
| swing2 = {{increase}} 5.87pp
| image4 =
| leader4 = Biggie Butale
| party4 = Botswana Patriotic Front
| leaders_seat4 = Tati West (defeated)
| last_election4 = –
| seats4 = 3
| seat_change4 = New
| popular_vote4 = 34,068
| percentage4 = 4.41%
| swing4 = New
| image5 = {{CSS image crop
|Image = VP_Gaolathe_(cropped).jpg
|bSize = 130
|cWidth = 125
|cHeight = 130
|oTop = 8
|oLeft = 5
}}
| leader5 = Ndaba Gaolathe
| party5 = Alliance for Progressives
| leaders_seat5 = Gaborone Bonnington South (defeated)
| last_election5 = –
| seats5 = 1
| seat_change5 = New
| popular_vote5 = 39,561
| percentage5 = 5.12%
| swing5 = New
| title = President
| before_election = Mokgweetsi Masisi
| before_party = Botswana Democratic Party
| after_election = Mokgweetsi Masisi
| after_party = Botswana Democratic Party
| map_image = 2019 Botswana National Assembly election - Results by constituency.svg
| map_caption = Winning party shaded by vote share in each constituency
}}{{Politics of Botswana}}
General elections were held in Botswana on 23 October 2019 to elect MPs and local government councillors.[https://news24.com/Africa/News/botswana-to-hold-elections-on-october-23-20190831 in May 2019] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200304151836/https://www.news24.com/Africa/News/botswana-to-hold-elections-on-october-23-20190831 |date=2020-03-04 }} News 24, 31 August 2019 Despite a high profile split in the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) in May 2019 when former President Ian Khama left the party and switched his support to the new Botswana Patriotic Front, the BDP's vote share increased to almost 53% as the party won 38 of the 57 elected seats in the National Assembly, a gain of one compared to the 2014 elections. The elections were the twelfth straight victory for the BDP. As of {{CURRENTYEAR}}, this is the last time the BDP has won a general election.
Background
Following the 2014 elections, there were two opposing factions in parliament: the Umbrella for Democratic Change (an alliance of the Botswana National Front, the Botswana Movement for Democracy and the Botswana People's Party), and the Botswana Congress Party (BCP). In February 2017, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) also joined the Umbrella for Democratic Change, uniting all parliamentary opposition parties.[http://www.weekendpost.co.bw/wp-news-details-archive.php?nid=3455 Boko unveils new UDC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101130440/http://www.weekendpost.co.bw/wp-news-details-archive.php?nid=3455 |date=2020-01-01 }} Weekend Post, 13 February 2017 However, in October 2017, the Alliance for Progressives, led by Ndaba Gaolathe, broke away from the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD).[https://allafrica.com/stories/201710300228.html Botswana: Alliance for Progressives Launches] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120194616/https://allafrica.com/stories/201710300228.html |date=2019-01-20 }} Botswana Daily News The BMD was expelled from the coalition in October 2018 after it refused to forgo contesting constituencies that had originally been allocated to it.[http://www.weekendpost.co.bw/wp-news-details.php?nid=5758 UDC kicks out BMD, at last…] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121010723/http://www.weekendpost.co.bw/wp-news-details.php?nid=5758 |date=2019-01-21 }} Weekend Post, 29 October 2018[http://apanews.net/en/news/-23 Botswana: Lowest levels of registration undermine elections] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190120194520/http://apanews.net/en/news/-23 |date=2019-01-20 }} APA News, 14 January 2019
On 1 April 2018, Mokgweetsi Masisi of the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) was sworn in as Botswana's fifth president, replacing Ian Khama. The BDP held its primary elections on 20 January and 25 August 2018 to select its candidates, with over 1,300 candidates running to be selected to contest the general elections.[https://allafrica.com/stories/201808240254.html Botswana: BDP, AP Hold Primary Elections] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191104020231/https://allafrica.com/stories/201808240254.html |date=2019-11-04 }} Botswana Daily News Following a falling out with Masisi, Khama left the BDP in May 2019 and announced that he would campaign against his former party in support of the Botswana Patriotic Front.[http://www.sundaystandard.info/khama-officially-quits-bdp-new-party-confirmed Khama officially quits BDP as new party is confirmed] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190905023418/http://www.sundaystandard.info/khama-officially-quits-bdp-new-party-confirmed |date=2019-09-05 }} Sunday Standard, 26 May 2019
Electoral system
The 65 members of the National Assembly consisted of 57 MPs elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post, six members appointed by the governing party, and two ex-officio members (the President and speaker).{{cite web |title=FAQs |url=https://www.parliament.gov.bw/index.php/frequently-asked-questions#q1 |website=Parliament of Botswana |access-date=21 April 2022}}
Voters were required to be citizens of Botswana and at least 18 years old, and have been resident in the country for at least 12 months prior to voter registration. People who were declared insane, held dual citizenship, were under a death sentence, had been convicted of an electoral offence or imprisoned for at least six months were not allowed to vote.[http://archive.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2041_B.htm Electoral system] IPU Candidates had to be citizens of Botswana, at least 21 years old, without an undischarged bankruptcy and be able to speak and read English sufficiently well to take part in parliamentary proceedings.
Several proposed amendments to the Electoral Law, including the introduction of electronic voting and an increase in nomination fees, were dropped in September 2018.[https://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/botswana/politics-2019.htm Botswana - 2019 Election] Global Security
Election day and the two following days were declared public holidays.Menzi Ndhlovu: [https://mg.co.za/article/2019-10-17-khamas-hand-still-rocks-botswana Khama’s hand still rocks Botswana.] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191023140538/https://mg.co.za/article/2019-10-17-khamas-hand-still-rocks-botswana/ |date=2019-10-23 }} Mail & Guardian, 17 October 2019.
Results
{{Election results
|image= File:Botswana Parliament 2019.svg
|alliance1=Botswana Democratic Party|votes1=406561|seats1=38|sc1=+1
|alliance2=Umbrella for
Democratic
Change|aspan2=4|party2=Botswana National Front|votes2=148122|seats2=4|sc2=–4
|party3=Botswana Congress Party|votes3=112479|seats3=11|sc3=+8
|party4=Botswana People's Party|votes4=16470|seats4=0|sc4=0
|atotal5=277071|aseats5=15|sc5=–2
|alliance6=Botswana Patriotic Front|votes6=34068|seats6=3|sc6=New
|alliance7=Alliance for Progressives|votes7=39561|seats7=1|sc7=New
|alliance8=Botswana Movement for Democracy|votes8=2058|seats8=0|sc8=–9
|alliance9=Real Alternative Party|votes9=145|seats9=0|sc9=New|acolor9=#76402b
|alliance10=Independents|votes10=12694|seats10=0|sc10=0
|row11=Appointed and ex officio members|seats11=8|sc11=+2
|invalid=6185
|total_sc=0
|electorate=925478
|source=[https://www.iec.gov.bw/images/Botswana_2019_General_Elections_REPORT(1).pdf IEC]
}}
Aftermath
African Union and SADC called the elections free and fair, but criticized the lack of indelible ink and translucent ballot boxes at the polling stations.{{Cite web |url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/botswana/freedom-world/2020 |title=Botswana: Freedom in the World 2020 Country Report |access-date=2020-05-18}} International observers declared the election to be "free and fair."{{cite news | url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-botswana-election-idUSKBN1X40KS | title=Botswana's Masisi retains presidency as BDP wins election | newspaper=Reuters | date=25 October 2019 }}
However, in November 2019 opposition leader Duma Boko claimed that there had been "massive electoral discrepancies" and stated that he planned to challenge the results in court.{{cite web|website=IOL|date=1 November 2019|title=Botswana opposition leader questions election results, wants to challenge them court|author=MTHOKOZISI DUBE|url=https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/botswana-opposition-leader-questions-election-results-wants-to-challenge-them-court-36432492|access-date=November 2, 2019|archive-date=November 2, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191102204727/https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/botswana-opposition-leader-questions-election-results-wants-to-challenge-them-court-36432492|url-status=live}} The appeal was initially dismissed by the High Court in December, but Boko appealed successfully to the Court of Appeal in early January 2020.{{cite web|title=Botswana opposition wins right to challenge election result - France 24|url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200108-botswana-opposition-wins-right-to-challenge-election-result|website=France 24|language=en|date=8 January 2020|access-date=18 January 2020|publication-date=|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200112095003/https://www.france24.com/en/20200108-botswana-opposition-wins-right-to-challenge-election-result|archive-date=12 January 2020|url-status=dead}} However, in the full hearing in late January, the Court of Appeal dismissed the petitions on the basis that it did not have sufficient jurisdiction to hear them.[https://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=84202&dir=2020/january/31 Court of Appeal ends UDC petition case with dismissal] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201004052128/https://www.mmegi.bw/index.php?aid=84202&dir=2020%2Fjanuary%2F31 |date=2020-10-04 }} Mmegi Online, 31 January 2020
See also
Notes
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