Politics

President Maisi concedes as Botswana’s ruling party loses 58-year reign

Published

5 hours ago

November 1, 2024

Following preliminary results showing his party lost its legislative majority by a landslide in this week’s election, Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, announced his party’s defeat on Friday, ending nearly 60 years in power.

The opposition coalition, Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), held a sizable lead with over half of the constituencies reporting, placing its leader, attorney Duma Boko, in a strong position to win the presidency.

According to analysts, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has controlled the small southern African nation since gaining independence from Britain in 1966, was overthrown by growing socioeconomic dissatisfaction, especially among young people.

Botswana has always relied heavily on its diamond industry for revenue, but this year’s economic growth was severely hampered by a decline in the world diamond market, and unemployment increased to 28%.

According to results from 41 of the 61 constituencies up for election, the UDC had gained 26 seats in parliament, while the BDP had only three, according to state television. The president is chosen by the members of parliament.

Boko, who hasn’t made any public statements since the outcome, ran on a platform of increasing social grants and the minimum wage.

“Although I wanted to stay on as your president, I respect the will of the people and I congratulate the president-elect. I will step aside and I will support the new administration,” Masisi said at a press conference.

Small groups of supporters of the opposition celebrated in the streets of Gaborone, the capital, on Friday morning, which was peaceful.

“I did not ever think I would witness this change in my life,” said 23-year-old student Mpho Mogorosi. “The BDP had stayed too long in power and I am proud to be part of the people that removed them for a better Botswana.”

After South Africa’s African National Congress lost its legislative majority after 30 years in power and was compelled to form a coalition government, the BDP became the second long-ruling party in southern Africa to lose at the polls this year.

Later this month, elections will be held in neighbouring Namibia, where the SWAPO party, which has ruled since 1990, is anticipated to face fierce opposition.

“The outcome of Botswana’s elections should serve as a warning to long-time ruling parties across southern Africa and beyond that without economic progress and employment opportunities, political dominance will falter,” said Zaynab Hoosen, an Africa analyst at Pangea-Risk.

Related Topics:Botswana Featured Mokgweetsi Masisi

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Politics

Kenya’s Supreme Court overturns 2023 finance law verdict. What this means

Published

2 days ago

October 30, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Following demonstrations that caused President William Ruto to rescind this year’s finance bill, the Supreme Court of Kenya has overturned an appeal court’s ruling declaring the 2023 financial law null and void.

The government primarily uses the finance bills to outline revenue-raising initiatives, and with the repeal of this year’s legislation, Ruto’s administration has been depending on the 2023 finance law to keep collecting taxes.

“We hereby set aside the Court of Appeal’s finding declaring the entire Finance Act 2023 unconstitutional,” the Supreme Court said in its ruling.

Following a spate of protests organised by the opposition last year, the 2023 law was challenged in court after Ruto’s government used it to hike the top personal income tax rate, implement a housing charge, and triple the value-added tax on fuel, among other measures.

After taking power in September 2022, Ruto’s administration attempted to enact a fresh round of tax increases this year, which infuriated many citizens and led to violent riots in June and July that claimed over 60 lives.

Shortly after the national legislature ratified this year’s version of the finance law, Ruto was obliged to withdraw it due to the disturbance, which also caused a delay in the approval of a fresh funding tranche from the International Monetary Fund.

Ruto has maintained that the tax hikes are required to pay off a significant amount of public debt and support development initiatives in Kenya, the largest economy in East Africa.

After Kenya met the goals established by the Fund in a review of its loan program, the executive board of the IMF is scheduled to convene on Wednesday to approve the new payout. The 2023 finance law was ruled unconstitutional by Kenya’s Court of Appeal in July, but the top court stayed the decision until it considered a government appeal.

Politics

President Masisi seeks 2nd- term as Diamond-rich Botswana set to vote

Published

4 days ago

October 28, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

On Wednesday, Botswana, a diamond-rich southern African state, will hold a general election in which President Mokgweetsi Masisi will face three opponents for a second term.

Although a divided opposition offers the advantage to Masisi’s Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has governed the nation of 2.3 million people since its independence from Britain in 1966, commentators predict the poll might be competitive.

Botswana has seen stability and relative prosperity thanks to its small population, which receives free healthcare and education, and its income from diamonds. On the basis of gem value, it is the world’s leading producer.

However, the government has struggled to diversify its economy in recent years due to a decline in the diamond market, which has squeezed income. Critics claim the BDP has been in power for too long and accuse it of corruption and poor economic management, both of which it disputes.

“Our diamonds have not been selling since April so yes, our revenues are down but the economic fundamentals remain intact,” said Masisi at a presidential debate last week.
“We are going to continue with the projects and policies we have come up with that are aimed at putting more money and wealth into the hands of the citizens of this country,” he said.

Negotiating a new deal with diamond tycoon De Beers that will increase Botswana’s portion of its rough diamonds was one of his first term’s accomplishments.

In order to support farmers, he also reinstated a ban on the import of certain product goods and lifted the ban on elephant hunting, which he claims aids rural areas.

Duma Boko of the opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) is his principal opponent.

Supported by former President Ian Khama, who left the BDP following a dispute with Masisi over the removal of the hunting prohibition and other matters, the other contenders are Mephato Reatile of the Botswana Patriotic Front and Dumelang Saleshando of the Botswana Congress Party.

Masisi’s economic record has come under fire from critics, who point to the country’s rising unemployment rate of about 28%.

“It is not acceptable that a country such as ours which is the fifth richest per capita in Africa still has so many people living in poverty,” said Boko at the debate.

Among sub-Saharan African nations, Botswana actually has the fourth-highest GDP per capita, according to World Bank data.

In order to raise social subsidies and more than double the minimum wage, Boko has promised to cut back on unnecessary spending.

Although the BDP’s popularity has been waning, it still holds a sizable majority in parliament after winning 38 of the 57 seats up for grabs in 2019. UDC took home 15 seats. In Botswana, the president is chosen by legislators, who are chosen by voters.