25 Oct 2019

As it is the norm for Botswana to hold general elections after every five years, the nation went to polls on Wednesday.

The Independence Electoral Commission had set up polling stations in all the 490 polling districts that made 57 constituencies, where 924 000 registered voters were expected to exercise their democratic rights of choosing their preferred councillors and Members of Parliament.

As of 8am on Friday, Chief Justice Terrence Rannowane had announced leader of Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi as winner of the presidential contest as his party, had already garnered 29 parliamentary seats out of the 57 contested for.

At the end of the counting process, BDP emerged victorious with 38 parliamentary seats while Umbrella for Democratic Change secured 15 seats in parliament. The new kid on the bloc, Botswana Patriotic Front got three and Alliance for Progressives is sending only one member to Parliament.

A total of 11 women contested the elections for the National Assembly. Three of them, who were from BDP, won. The trio are; Talita Monnakgotla of Kgalagadi North, Nnaniki Makwinja of Mmopane/Lentsweletau and Anna Mokgethi of Gaborone Bonnington North. END