Botswana has sworn in Duma Boko as the country’s new president after his landslide election victory kicked out the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had been in power for nearly 60 years.
In a historic ceremony held Friday, Boko, 54, took the oath of office before several thousand spectators at the national stadium, marking a dramatic shift in the country’s political landscape just nine days after his party’s overwhelming victory at the polls.
The left-leaning Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) led by Boko secured a decisive victory, winning 36 parliamentary seats compared to the conservative BDP’s mere four seats.
This outcome represents a stunning reversal for the BDP, which had maintained uninterrupted control over the diamond-rich nation since its independence from the United Kingdom in 1966.
“For nearly three score years, our democracy remained unbroken, unproven and untested. On the 30th of October this year, together, we tested this democracy,” Boko said in a speech.
“It is with pride, and perhaps even a tinge of relief, that I can proudly say we have passed this test with flying colours,” he said to cheers from the crowd.
“Together, we usher in a new political dawn.”
The inauguration ceremony drew attendance from various regional leaders, with representatives from neighboring countries including Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe present to witness this significant transition of power.
Despite some expressions of disapproval from the crowd toward outgoing president Masisi, Boko demonstrated a reconciliatory tone in his inaugural address. “Please give him some love,” Boko urged the stadium attendees, emphasizing unity over division.
The new president praised his predecessor’s handling of the transition, highlighting the peaceful transfer of power. “Botswana has set the example of a true democracy at work for the whole world to see and emulate. For that singular act, the former president will remain inscribed prominently in our hearts,” Boko declared.
This transition marks a watershed moment in Botswana’s political history, ending the BDP’s nearly six-decade grip on power and ushering in a new era under UDC leadership. The peaceful transfer of power has drawn international attention as a model of democratic transition in Africa.
The inauguration sets the stage for Boko’s administration to begin implementing its agenda, with observers keen to see how the new government will manage Botswana’s crucial diamond industry and address key economic and social challenges facing the nation.
Young voters made up about a third of the more than one million people registered to vote in the arid and sparsely populated country.
Botswana, often held up as one of Africa’s greatest success stories, ranks among the wealthiest and most stable democracies on the continent. But a global downturn in demand for mined diamonds, which account for more than 80 percent of Southern African exports, has taken a toll on the economy.
Many voters said they wanted change after nearly six decades of BDP rule, with the main concerns being unemployment, the disparity between rich and poor and the economy, which has been hit by plummeting diamond sales, the mainstay of Botswana’s revenues.
Masisi’s government was also accused of mismanagement, nepotism and corruption.
Boko has said a priority for his government will be stabilising relations with partners in the diamond industry, while diversifying the economy away from its dependence on the international diamond market.
