By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Botswana’s president Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat after preliminary results showed his party had lost its parliamentary majority in this week’s election.
Preliminary results from Wednesday’s election, with counting still underway, showed three opposition parties had together won at least 31 of 61 seats in the national legislature.
The main opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change held a strong lead in the partial results, making its candidate, Duma Boko, the favorite to become president of a southern African country that is one of the world’s biggest producers of mined diamonds.
Masisi said he had called Boko to inform him he was conceding defeat.
“I concede the election,” Masisi said in an early-morning press conference two days after the election. “I am proud of our democratic processes. Although I wanted a second term, I will respectfully step aside and participate in a smooth transition process.”
“I look forward to attending the coming inauguration and cheering on my successor. He will enjoy my support.”
Masisi’s BDP dominated politics in Botswana for nearly six decades, since independence from Britain in 1966. The nation of just 2.5 million people will now be governed by another party for the first time in its democratic history.
Botswana has enjoyed stability and relative prosperity thanks to its diamond wealth and small population, which gets free healthcare and education. The country is the world’s top producer by value of the gem.
But a downturn in the diamond market has put a squeeze on revenues in the last few years, and the country has struggled to diversify its economy.