So far as the presidential election wages on, Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi, has lost majority seats to Duma Boko of the Coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), and other presidential aspirants.
State television revealed that the UDC had won 28 seats out of the 61 seats in parliament while the current president’s party, the BDP had only 3.
Botswana Congress Party, represented by Dumelang Saleshando, according to a report by the East African, has won 8 seats, while Ian Khama of Botswana Patriotic Front boasts six.
In Botswana, which has one of Africa’s most sturdy democracies, a party must win 31 seats to get the majority needed to form an administration, thus the foregone conclusion that Mokgweetsi Masisi has lost.
“We got it wrong big time in the eyes of the people,” Masisi told a news conference in the capital, Gaborone.
We were really convinced of our message. But every indication, by any measure, is that there’s no way that I can pretend that we’re going to form a government,” the President said.
“We are quite happy to retreat into being a loyal opposition and to hold the government accountable,” said the 63-year-old leader,” the president added.
Since gaining independence from Britain in 1966, the diamond-rich nation has been governed by his party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
However, in a move that is being lauded, the president of Botswana conceded defeat stating, “I wish to congratulate the opposition on their victory and concede the election.”
The final election results are expected later in the day.
