Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi held a press conference on November 1, 2024, to officially acknowledge his party's defeat in the October 30 general elections. The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) lost to the opposition coalition, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), marking a significant shift in the country’s political landscape.

On this occasion, Masisi admitted that the BDP had lost its parliamentary majority in a dramatic fashion, bringing an end to nearly sixty years of governance. Preliminary reports indicated that the UDC, led by lawyer Duma Boko, was poised to claim victory as more than half of the constituencies had been reported.

Experts attributed the BDP's loss to growing socio-economic discontent, especially among the youth, who have expressed dissatisfaction with the party's handling of various issues. Since gaining independence from Britain in 1966, Botswana has relied heavily on diamond exports; however, a recent decline in the global diamond market has resulted in a sharp economic downturn, with unemployment soaring to 28%.

State television announced that, with results from 41 of the 61 constituencies counted, the UDC secured 26 parliamentary seats, while the BDP only managed to win three. In Botswana, members of parliament are responsible for electing the president.Although Duma Boko has not yet made a public statement regarding the election results, his campaign focused on critical issues such as increasing the minimum wage and enhancing social grants.

"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.On Friday morning, the atmosphere in the capital city of Gaborone was tranquil, with small clusters of opposition supporters gathered in the streets to celebrate.

"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.

"This year, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) became the second long-standing party in southern Africa to experience a loss at the polls, following South Africa's African National Congress, which lost its parliamentary majority after three decades in power and had to establish a coalition government.

In the coming weeks, neighboring Namibia will conduct elections, where the ruling SWAPO party, in power since 1990, is anticipated to encounter a significant challenge."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.