Botswana ruling party of 58 years looses election.

[Karol]

Another liberation party in Africa is changed, it took 58 years.

Well done for Masisi for conceding.

GABORONE, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat on Friday 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.

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa...er-2024-11-01/

[PAT n WOLF]

It's the Youth, because of lack of jobs after finishing at universities, that brought these change. The age between 18 - 25 years old. They voted in record numbers. Its the first time, atleast to my knowledge, to see a ruling party loose so bad, from ruling party, to he lowest in seats (Only 4 in parliament out of 57 seats) of all 4 parties in parliament. This meant, the people were very dissatisfied. Hoping for a NEW start, New Tourism minister and more new economic opportunities.

[alannymarce]

Its the first time, atleast to my knowledge, to see a ruling party loose so bad, from ruling party, to he lowest in seats (Only 4 in parliament out of 57 seats) of all 4 parties in parliament. .

In the 1993 Canadian election the ruling Progressive Conservative party in Canada, holding 156 seats out of 295, ended up with 2 seats! They ended up 5th out of 5 parties.

More relevant to the thread - good to see an honest handover from Masisi.

[KobusDJ]

UDC Manifesto for 2024 : https://www.mmegi.bw/news/job-promis...manifesto/news

https://dailynews.gov.bw/news-detail/81068

President Advocate Duma Gideon Boko.

.

[NewLandy]

Now just for Zimbabweans to kick their govt out.

Jobs,jobs,jobs...All of Africa needs to create jobs. Rather depressing, because many lower skilled jobs will dissappear over the next 10 yrs, only well educated, technology orientated, relatively cheap labour will be required. Not good for sub-sahara Africa at all because our education systems, expensive labour will prevent us from competing with China, India..

I think Africa will drop even further into joblessness and poverty going forward.

[JLK]

Lets see how it goes. If they can do it the rest of Southern African will follow.

[retailer]

If a political party promises jobs, you can know that they have no intention to do anything but to seize the power for own gain. These guys are making all the wrong noises.

[Jeepiscool]

I thought that Botswana was doing well over the years, not anything like our ruling party..

[Greenhorn]

The tide is turning. Mozambique also has some disruptions, now waiting for Zimbabwe to make a change

[retailer]

Exactly, in Africa Stability is order and order is not very popular. Chaos, on the other hand, creates opportunities for a number of things.

[Patroller]

It's the Youth, because of lack of jobs after finishing at universities, that brought these change. The age between 18 - 25 years old. They voted in record numbers. Its the first time, atleast to my knowledge, to see a ruling party loose so bad, from ruling party, to he lowest in seats (Only 4 in parliament out of 57 seats) of all 4 parties in parliament. This meant, the people were very dissatisfied. Hoping for a NEW start, New Tourism minister and more new economic opportunities.

Sadly in our case our youth does not vote as much. Or else many are told their predicament is due to WMC.

[PAT n WOLF]

Sadly in our case our youth does not vote as much. Or else many are told their predicament is due to WMC.

The Youth here took the responsibility and voted in record numbers. How can you stay home with a University degree and the private sector isn't hiring.
Botswana is doing great economically and many live comfortably but it's time to take it to another level. Jobs that pays, technology jobs and a vibrant tourism industry. The Botswana tourism industry, from the recent report, almost 70% of revenues stayes outside Botswana. We need to close that loophole.

The incoming President is a very loved guy and very smart. We are going to give him all the support and see if in 5 years he can atleast give us direction of his ideas.
YES, the handing over was smooth and no one ever proposed any violence. That must be applauded.

[Pradoman]

Can we hope they will improve the roads in general and in the parks?

[Kalahari Safari]

The Youth here took the responsibility and voted in record numbers. How can you stay home with a University degree and the private sector isn't hiring.
Botswana is doing great economically and many live comfortably but it's time to take it to another level. Jobs that pays, technology jobs and a vibrant tourism industry. The Botswana tourism industry, from the recent report, almost 70% of revenues stayes outside Botswana. We need to close that loophole.

The incoming President is a very loved guy and very smart. We are going to give him all the support and see if in 5 years he can at least give us direction of his ideas.
YES, the handing over was smooth and no one ever proposed any violence. That must be applauded.

Very well said Pat.

TIC the Motswana do not like violence (crime "yes") and they certainly don't know how to protest or riot
Remember the teachers some year back when they tried and got themselves summarily dismissed and had to re-apply for their jobs afterwards.

Not that it would have helped in any way and smooth transition is always the best option.

But well done Botswana showing class even in defeat.

As a side note, we never really had a so called "liberation party" as there was no need for liberation.
It was a protectorate initially and left into independence without a struggle presumably when it was a dirt poor piece of desert landscape, lucky enough the first diamonds were only detected a year after.

[ArthurB]

What happens to the ex president that returned now, is this good or bad news for him?

[Half-Pint]

Credit to Masisi as well who conceded defeat as soon as it became clear that they had lost rather than hanging on and then crying foul when the tide turned against him. Some other super power nations could learn from this.

[Karol]

What happens to the ex president that returned now, is this good or bad news for him?

If you are referring to Ian Khama, I believe he put his support behind the new President Elect.

I know Masisi was gunning for Khama to be arrested until recently and was living self opposed exile between SA and Eswatini. Its rumor here that King Mswati smoothed things over with Masisi so he could return.

[KobusDJ]

The First Lady : https://calitob.com/kaone-boko-biography/

[alannymarce]

As a side note, we never really had a so called "liberation party" as there was no need for liberation.
It was a protectorate initially and left into independence without a struggle presumably when it was a dirt poor piece of desert landscape, lucky enough the first diamonds were only detected a year after.

Orapa was discovered, as Kalahari Safari notes, in 2067. The Selebi copper/nickel/cobalt discovery was in 1963 and Phikwe in 1967, with production starting in 1973.

At that time, when I went to live in Botswana, the GDP was USD 26 per year!

I've also lived in Congo, worked in Egypt, Algeria, Gabon, and Angola, and travelled extensively in RSA, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Tunisia, Libya, and Morocco - Botswana is one of the best run countries in Africa with which I'm familiar, with Namibia and Rwanda at about the same level (although the Botswana Immigration Department leaves a lot to be desired) . Let's hope things continue positively.