Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced on Friday that he would “step aside” after preliminary tallies showed his party suffered a major defeat in the recent general elections.
“I congratulate the opposition on their victory and concede the election,” Masisi stated at a press conference, acknowledging that it had been “a good journey.”
His party, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), has governed the diamond-rich nation since its independence from Britain in 1966.
Preliminary results from Wednesday’s vote are set to be confirmed by the electoral commission later on Friday, but early counts indicate that a coalition of three opposition parties has won at least 31 out of 61 seats in the national legislature. Botswana’s electoral rules dictate that the first party to reach 31 seats will be declared the winner, allowing its candidate to become president.
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Masisi, who has served as president since 2018, stated he would “begin all administrative work to facilitate the transition.”
“We are happy to transition into a loyal opposition to hold the government accountable,” said the 63-year-old leader, who had anticipated a second term.
The left-leaning opposition party, Umbrella for Democratic Change, led by Harvard-educated human rights lawyer Duma Boko, secured more than 24 seats, according to party official Mike Keakopa, and was aiming to reach 31 seats for an outright win.
The two other opposition parties, the Botswana Congress Party and Botswana Patriotic Front, together claimed about a dozen seats.
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