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Botswana - Politics

Although the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) had easily won every election since multiparty democracy was established in 1965, in the general election of 1994 the main opposition party, the Botswana National Front (BNF), won 13 seats (37% of the vote) as against the BDP’s 27 seats (54%), with the smaller parties failing to win any seats.

In November 1997 at the age of 73, President Sir Ketumile Masire announced he would retire as head of state on 31 March 1998. On 1 April Festus Mogae, who had served as vice-president since 1992, was sworn in as president. He also became leader of the BDP. The only new member of Mogae’s first cabinet was Lt Gen. Ian Khama (son of former President Sir Seretse Khama), who retired as commander of the Botswana Defence Force to take up the key post of minister of presidential affairs and public administration and was appointed vice-president in July 1998, and was elected as chairman of the BDP in July 2003.

In the October 1999 general election, the BDP was again successful, increasing its number of seats to 33, with 57% of the votes, while the BNF held six seats, with 26% of the votes. There was an increase in the numbers of female and younger parliamentarians.

In October 2004 the BDP won with 44 of the 57 seats in the enlarged assembly and 51.7% of the votes and Mogae was returned for a second term as president. The BNF took 12 seats and 26.1% of the votes, and Botswana Congress Party (BCP), one seat and 16.6%.

In July 2007 Festus Mogae announced that on 31 March 2008 he would retire from office. On 1 April 2008 Mogae’s deputy, Lt Gen. Seretse Khama Ian Khama, became the country’s fourth president.