EFF congratulates the Umbrella for Democratic Change led by Duma Boko for winning the General Elections in Botswana

1 November 2024

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) would like to congratulate the opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) led by Duma Boko for the winning the 2024 General Election (GE) in Botswana beating the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) which has been in power for 58 years. During the 2019 elections, BDP won 38 of 57 contested seats, but this time around the people of Botswana have decided differently, thereby give new impetus to a new political chapter in Botswana.

This seismic shift attests to the reality that no liberation movement is ordained to wield power forever in that once the social contract between citizens and the state is broken due to neglect by the ruling elite, people have a constitutional obligation to replace those in power through a vote. We have seen this phenomenon unfolding in many countries including South Africa where the former liberation movement, African National Congress (ANC) has now been reduced to below 50% thus lost the hegemonic power to run the state on its own, hence the so called Government of National Unity (GNU).

History informs us that after 80 years as a British protectorate, Bechuanaland attained self-government in 1965, becoming the independent Republic of Botswana on September 30, 1966. Subsequent to these political developments, Sir Seretse Khama was elected the first President of the Republic Botswana and served until his death in 1980 and followed by Ketumile Masire as second President. After his voluntary retirement from his Presidential office in 1998, he (Masire) was succeeded by Festus Mogae who ran the country as President until he finished his second term in 2008.

Masire was then succeeded by Ian Khama in 2008.

The current President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi (63) took over from his predecessor, Ian Kama who had served his maximum 10 years (2008 — 2018). Masisi ascended to power in 2018 and kept the job as a President beyond the 2019 General Electoral victory of BDP until today's political defeat by UDC.

EFF commends President Masisi for his courage to concede defeat and respect of the will of the people of Botswana wherein he states that, "The public service is apolitical and serves the government of the day. So I expect all focus to shift and stand ready to take instruction and subscribe to the dictates of the new administration. We are Botswana and we will continue and God is always with us".

This courageous act by Masisi sends out a strong message to other African leaders who often at times refuse to accept electoral defeat after an election because of their insatiable desire to cling on to power at all costs, thus descending their countries into political chaos that often result in the deaths of many innocent people.

Botswana is one of the leading countries when it comes to diamond deposits and according to the World Bank (WB) it accounts for more than 80 percent of Botswana's exports and a quarter of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Botswana is the second biggest producer of diamonds after the Russia Federation (RF) and further to this, it is in Botswana where the second largest diamond has recently been unearthed. It is, however, deeply troubling that such a rich country with natural deposits in the form of diamonds would have rising unemployment skyrocketing to 27% leaving many young people out of work and vulnerable.

EFF calls on the new leadership of Botswana to work together to ensure sustainable peace, stability and shared prosperity for the people of Botswana, region and the rest of the African continent. We further call on the leadership of Botswana to remain steadfast and super vigilant in their collective fight against Euro-Western imperialist influences, thus adhere to the African Union (AU) transformative blueprint, Agenda 2063 vision of bringing the African continent closer to the Africa We Want.

Issued by Leigh-Ann Mathys, National Spokesperson, EFF, 1 November 2024