The dramatic loss of power by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had governed Botswana since independence in 1966, will go down in history as one of the biggest electoral upsets in Africa.
Duma Boko (54), of the Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition, has replaced Mokgweetsi Masisi as the southern African country’s president. The Botswana Democratic Party’s share of support dropped to 31% in the October 2024 elections, giving it only four out of 61 constituencies. The Umbrella for Democratic Change claimed 36 seats. We asked University of Botswana historian and political economist Christian John Makgala for his insights.
