Southern Africa: Botswana’s Soft Political Transition Shines Light On SADC

“Our democracy has demonstrated, more than it has before, that this is a mature democracy.”

These had been the words talked about by Duma Boko after being inaugurated because the sixth President of Botswana on 1 November following his celebration’s victory within the favored elections held on 30 October.

In what modified into largely an surprising consequence, the Umbrella for Democratic Alternate (UDC), a coalition of veteran opposition parties, comprehensively gained the favored elections before the then governing celebration, the Botswana Democratic Fetch collectively (BDP) which is led by veteran President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

The BDP, formed by Botswana’s founding President Sir Seretse Khama, had been in vitality for 58 years since independence in 1966, and had largely been tipped to uncover the polls.

Botswana uses a single constituency electoral system of First-Previous-The-Post for the election of MPs. Elected MPs then act as an electoral college to resolve the President, on the full the leader of the celebration with the supreme parliamentary seats.

To function a authorities, a celebration wished to uncover at the least 31 out of the 61 contested nationwide assembly seats.

Final outcomes released by the Self reliant Electoral Payment of Botswana (IEC) masks that the UDC had 36 seats, adopted by the Botswana Congress Fetch alongside with 14, the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) with five and the BDP a a lot away fourth design, with four seats.

For a celebration formed in 2012, before the 2014 current elections, this modified into the UDC’s third attempt at forming a brand new authorities, having reach short at the first two makes an attempt.

In the final elections held in 2019, the UDC managed to uncover 15 seats in opposition to the BDP’s 38 and three for BPF.

“It is an enormous responsibility, it’s a humbling responsibility. I dare not fail, I dare not disappoint,” talked about Boko on taking on because the new Head of Whine.

Boko (54) studied legislation at the College of Botswana (UB) for his first diploma and at Havard Legislation College for Masters. After obtaining his grasp’s diploma, he returned as a lecturer at UB, whereas also running a non-public practise as a lawyer.

He grew to become the leader of the Botswana National Front (BNF) in 2010, before deciding to affix with three other parties to function the UDC two years later.

In its marketing campaign message, the UDC promised commerce, insisting that the BDP has time previous law failed to divulge inclusive boost, which cascades to an improved associated outdated of living for the associated outdated person.

The celebration promised voters this could maybe well also merely “transform Botswana into a regional hub in tourism and hospitality, transportation and infrastructure, banking and finance, innovation and information communication technologies, education and health.”

High on the UDC’s election guarantees had been the introduction of at the least 100 000 jobs within the first one year in vitality, an lengthen within the minimum wage to 3,000 Pula and cost of an mild age pension of 1,500 Pula month-to-month.

Boko talked about his speedy job modified into to stabilize the economy, moreover work in opposition to its diversification to discontinuance the over-reliance on diamonds.

“We have to try and safe guard the goose that lays the golden egg in the short to medium term while we look at how to diversify the economy,” he talked about.

Boko’s ascension to the helm of Botswana’s leadership modified into welcomed by leaders all via SADC, who lauded the gentle political transition which attests to the correct tenets of democracy the space is aiming to form.

SADC is striving to form obvious that every person member states apply the Revised SADC Rules and Techniques Governing Democratic Elections (2021) to consolidate democracy within the space by enhancing

finest electoral practices.

The SADC Electoral Observation Mission described the elections as performed in a “peaceful and orderly manner where the Batswana people exercised their democratic right to vote.”

One amongst the principle attributes in opposition to reaching peace, security and correct governance as espoused within the Regional Indicative Strategic Type Belief (RISDP) 2020-2030 and SADC Imaginative and prescient 2050 is to form obvious seamless vitality handovers when elections masks a consequence that necessitate a commerce in authorities.

Masisi conceded that the BDP lost the election, congratulating Boko for winning, even before the IEC announced the closing outcomes.

“Together, let us uphold the values of peace and ensure a smooth and seamless transition. This moment is a testament to our commitment to democracy and the strength of our nation,” he talked about.

On 4 November, Masisi performed the administrative handover of the Plan of job of the President to the new Head of Whine.

The chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation, President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania lauded the gesture.

“I salute His Excellency President Mokgweetsi Masisi and the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) leadership for their commitment to ensuring a smooth transition,” she talked about.

SADC chairperson, President Emmerson Mnangagwa of Zimbabwe talked about he looked forward to working with the new leader “at regional, continental and multilateral fora, in pursuit of a just global, political and economic order.”

The President of South Africa, Cyril Ramaphosa talked about, “The success of the election in our sister nation is an important and affirming demonstration of democratic maturity in our region and on our continent.”

Botswana is one among the founding member states of SADC and hosts the regional organisation’s headquarters.

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