2024 Botswana general election

2024 Botswana general election

← 2019 30 October 2024
← outgoing members elected members →
61 of the 69 seats in the National Assembly[n 2] 31 seats needed for a majority
Registered	1,038,275 12.19%[n 1]
Turnout	81.42% (2.73pp)
First party Second party   Leader Duma Boko Dumelang Saleshando Party UDC BCP Leader's seat Did not stand Maun North Last election 35.88%, 15 seats 11 seats[n 4] Seats before 8[n 3] 7 Seats won 36 15 Seat change 28 8 Popular vote 310,862 175,326 Percentage 37.22% 20.99% Swing 1.34pp new   Third party Fourth party   BPF Leader Mephato Reatile Mokgweetsi Masisi Party BPF BDP Leader's seat Jwaneng-Mabutsane (defeated) None[n 5] Last election 4.41%, 3 seats 52.65%, 38 seats Seats before 4 38[n 6] Seats won 5 4 Seat change 1 34 Popular vote 69,414 254,632 Percentage 8.31% 30.49% Swing 3.90pp 22.16pp
Winning party shaded by vote share in each constituency
President before election Mokgweetsi Masisi BDP Elected President Duma Boko UDC

Politics of Botswana
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General elections were held in Botswana on 30 October 2024 to determine the composition of the 13th Parliament of Botswana as well as local councils across the country. Up for election were 61 seats of the National Assembly as well as 609 local council seats, all elected through the first-past-the-post voting system.

The centre-right Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had dominated the country's politics since independence in 1966, was decisively beaten by the centre-left opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). Large voter swings toward opposition parties led to the BDP falling to fourth place.^[4][5][6]

The UDC took first place with 36 seats, a majority of five. This ensured Duma Boko, leader of both the UDC and its largest component, the Botswana National Front (BNF), would be elected as President of Botswana. The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) took second place, becoming the official opposition.^[7] The Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) achieved significant growth in the Central District, increasing its number of seats. The BDP was reduced to a rump of four seats, suffering one of the worst defeats of a sitting government in the Commonwealth.

Incumbent president Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat on the morning of 1 November 2024 and ensured a peaceful transfer of power.^[8] Later that day, President Boko was sworn-in by Chief Justice Terence Rannowane, allowing him to form the first government since independence with no BDP participation.^[9]

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