A
quiet revolution
took place in
southern
Africa last
week. In
Botswana, the
Botswana
Democratic Party
(BDP), which has
governed the
country since
independence in
1966, was
soundly defeated
in national
elections after
nearly six
decades in
power. The
opposition
Umbrella for
Democratic
Change (UDC),
led by Duma
Boko, won by a
landslide
victory, while
the BDP came
last.
The speed and
extent of the
BDP's downfall
were unexpected;
the party won
just four
parliamentary
seats, compared
to the 38 it
held five years
ago. Outgoing
Vice-President
Slumber Tsogwane
publicly
expressed
disbelief,
reflecting the
shock within
the BDP’s
leadership. That
said, unlike
many elections
on the
continent, the
BDP under the
leadership of
President
Mokgweetsi
Masisi, accepted
the result and
Boko was sworn
in as the new
president last
Friday.
It is a result
that has not
gone unnoticed
in the rest of
sub-Saharan
Africa,
particularly
following on the
heels of South
Africa’s
national
elections
earlier this
year, when the
ruling ANC lost
its
parliamentary
majority for the
first time since
the end of
apartheid, and
the violence
that has
followed the
disputed
election in
Mozambique last
month, widely
believed to have
been rigged in
favour of the
ruling
party.
The
BDP’s
dominance
since
independence
in
1966
was
so
entrenched
that
its
leadership
seemed
almost
unshakable.
However,
a
confluence
of
factors
–
economic,
social,
and
political
–
has
reshaped
public
sentiment.
Botswana’s
economy,
long
reliant
on
diamond
exports,
has
suffered
a
downturn
due
to
global
shifts
in
this
market.
A
faltering
economy
also
exposed
deeper
issues,
including
high
unemployment
at
about
28%,
especially
among
the
youth,
and
rising
inequality.
The
UDC’s
victory,
however,
signals
that
Batswana
were
ready
to
hold
their
leaders
accountable
and
to
take
a
leap
of
faith
with
a
new
administration.
It
is
in
this
context
that
Botswana’s
recent
election
is
not
only
a
victory
for
the
UDC
but
also
a
milestone
for
democracy
in
Africa.
In
a
region
where
many
ruling
parties
have
held
power
for
decades,
the
peaceful
transfer
of
power
following
a
clear
mandate
from
the
people
is
a
powerful
statement
of
anger
with
corruption,
lack
of
accountability,
and
the
unresponsiveness
of
elected
leaders.
