Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi has conceded defeat after preliminary results showed his party losing its parliamentary majority by a landslide in the recent election, marking the end of nearly six decades in power. The opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has taken a significant lead, with its leader, lawyer Duma Boko, poised to become the new president.
Analysts attribute the ruling Botswana Democratic Party's (BDP) downfall to mounting socio-economic grievances, particularly among the youth. Botswana, heavily reliant on diamond revenue, faced economic challenges this year due to a global downturn in the diamond market, leading to a significant drop in economic growth and a rise in unemployment to 28%.
