Botswana’s ruling party defeated after nearly 60 years

In a stunning political shift, Botswana’s ruling party of nearly six decades, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), was defeated as voters voiced their frustration over economic stagnation driven by a downturn in the diamond trade.

Opposition candidate Duma Boko, 54, from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition, won the presidential election, marking the first time in 58 years that the BDP lost power.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded on Friday after his party’s landslide defeat, signaling a peaceful transition.

“From tomorrow… I will start the process of handover,” Masisi said in an audio message to Boko shared on social media.

Boko, in his inaugural address, expressed gratitude for the mandate. “I pledge with every fibre of my being that I will do everything I can, not to fail, not to disappoint, appreciating always the enormity of the responsibility bestowed upon me by the people of this republic. It is their government,” he said.

Analysts attribute the BDP’s defeat to widespread economic dissatisfaction, especially among younger voters, in a country of approximately 2.5 million that has been under BDP rule since independence from Britain in 1966.

Like many African countries, Botswana’s economy has largely depended on the export of a single commodity – in its case, diamonds.

READ MORE FROM: NIGERIAN TRIBUNE