2024 Botswana general election

General elections will be held in Botswana in 2024 to elect a new National Assembly as well as local councils across the country. Ever since the first election in 1965, the Botswana Democratic Party has held a majority of seats in the National Assembly and thus governed alone for 57 years without interruption, making Botswana a dominant-party system.

2024 Botswana general election
By October 2024
61 of the 69 seats in the National Assembly[lower-alpha 1]
31 seats needed for a majority
 
Leader Mokgweetsi Masisi Duma Boko Dumelang Saleshando
Party BDP UDC BCP
Last election 52.65%, 38 seats 35.88%, 15 seats 14.57%, 11 seats[lower-alpha 2]
Current seats 38 12[lower-alpha 3] 7
Seats needed Steady Increase 19 Increase 24
Incumbent President

Mokgweetsi Masisi
BDP


Politics of Botswana
Constitution
Government
Parliament
Judiciary
Administrative divisions
Elections
Foreign relations

Background

Following the 2019 elections, there were three opposing parties in the National Assembly: the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) and the Alliance for Progressives (AP). On 6 August 2022, the BPF joined the UDC alliance, uniting all opposition parties in the National Assembly save for the AP.[2]

The Botswana Congress Party (BCP), a major member of the UDC had expressed interest in leaving the UDC alliance after disagreements between BCP leader, Dumelang Saleshando and UDC leader, Duma Boko.[3] Saleshando had his position as Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly stripped away from him by the UDC.[4] The BCP had proposed forming a new electoral alliance composed of the AP and the newly formed minor political party, the Botswana Labour Party (BLP).[5] However, the AP withdrew from the coalition talks after unspecified disagreements with the BCP, opting to join the UDC instead.[6][7]

On 27 May 2023, the party's Central Committee unanimously decided to participate in the 2024 elections separate from the UDC alliance. The party cited concerns over the UDC's disregard for good democratic governance and vulnerability of their party leaders to capture by private interests, as reasons for their exit.[8] The 2024 election is widely expected expected to be a three horse race à la the 2014 election.

Political parties
See also: 12th Parliament of Botswana and Political parties in Botswana

The table below lists the political parties represented in the 12th National Assembly.

Name Ideology Political position Leader 2019 result Current seats
Percentage (%) Seats
BDP Botswana Democratic Party Paternalistic conservatism Centre to centre-right Mokgweetsi Masisi 52.65
38 / 57
38 / 57
UDC Umbrella for Democratic Change Social democracy Centre-left Duma Boko 35.88
15 / 57
12 / 57
BCP Botswana Congress Party Social democracy Centre-left Dumelang Saleshando 14.57[lower-alpha 2]
11 / 57
[lower-alpha 2]
7 / 57

Electoral system

For the 2024 elections, the membership of the National Assembly consists of 61 MPs elected in single-member constituencies by first-past-the-post voting, six members appointed by the governing party, and two ex-officio members (the President and the Speaker).[9]

Voters are 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 are declared insane, hold dual citizenship, under a death sentence, convicted of an electoral offence or imprisoned for at least six months are not allowed to vote.[10] Candidates have 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.[10] They must also obtain a nomination from at least two voters in their constituency and the support of seven. A deposit is required, which is refunded if the candidate receives at least 5% of the vote in the constituency. Members of the Ntlo ya Dikgosi cannot stand for election to the National Assembly.[10]

The President of Botswana will be elected by the National Assembly after the general elections.

Seat redistribution

In accordance with section 64. (1) of the Constitution of Botswana, a Delimitation Commission was appointed on 13 May 2022 (following the release of the decennial 2022 Botswana Census) to redistribute the constituencies of the National Assembly. The National Assembly passed a bill increasing the number of constituencies by four seats from 57 to 61 seats.[11]

Consultations with the public and various interest groups ran from 20 June to 28 November 2022. The Commission presented its finalised report to the President on 10 February 2023.[12]

New seats
  1. Mogoditshane West
  2. Maun North
  3. Okavango West
  4. Okavango East
  5. Kgatleng Central

Eliminated seat
  1. Mmathethe-Molapowabojang

Opinion polls
Polling firm Fieldwork date Sample
size		 BDP UDC BCP Others Undecided Lead
Afrobarometer 23 Jul–10 Aug 2022 1,200 22.3% 40.9%[lower-alpha 4] 7.9% 1.2%[lower-alpha 5] 27.8%[lower-alpha 6] 18.6%
2019 election 23 October 2019 – 52.7% 35.9% – 11.4% – 16.8

Notes
  1. Eight of the seats in the 69-member legislature are not directly elected by the voters. Out of these eight seats, six are 'specially-elected' members appointed by the President and approved by the National Assembly. The remaining two seats are occupied by the Speaker and the President as ex-officio members."
  2. As part of the UDC alliance.
  3. Since the prohibition of floor crossings in 2021, the UDC currently has a de-jure 18 MPs, including the 7 BCP MPs who have expressed interest in leaving the alliance.[1] The seat figure presented here represents the de-facto number of UDC MPs.
  4. "UDC" only–29.4%
    BNF–5.1%
    AP–2.9%
    BPF–3.4%
    BPP–0.1%
  5. RAP (disbanded on March 2023)–0.1%
    BMD–0.3%
    All others–0.8%
  6. Would not vote–14.6%
    Refused to answer–7.4%
    Don't know–5.8%

References
  1. Tlhankane, Mompati (5 June 2023). "UDC accused of destabilising BCP". Mmegi. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  2. Admin. ""BPF is a member of UDC" – Mohwasa". Botswana Gazette. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  3. Tlhankane, Mompati (26 December 2022). "Boko, Saleshando exchanges". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
  4. "KEORAPETSE NEW LOO". dailynews.gov.bw. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  5. Tlhankane, Mompati (27 February 2023). "BCP yet to officially ditch UDC". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
  6. "AP withdraws from cooperation talks". Mmegi. 17 April 2023. Retrieved 18 April 2023.
  7. Dube, Chakalisa (31 July 2023). "AP joins fight against vote 'rigging'". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 13 October 2023.
  8. "Botswana Congress Party". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
  9. "FAQs". Parliament of Botswana. Retrieved 21 April 2022.
  10. Electoral system IPU
  11. Mathala, Sharon (15 February 2023). "Four new constituencies come 2024". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  12. Galeragwe, Moshe (12 February 2023). "DELIMITATION COMMISSION PRESENTS REPORT". dailynews.gov.bw. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
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