Duma Boko has become the new President of Botswana after winning a big election victory. He removed the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) from power, a party that had been in charge for nearly 60 years.
After his win, President Boko praised a police officer who saluted him while he was voting as an opposition candidate.
This act of respect for him as an opposition leader showed how strong democracy is in Botswana and received much appreciation from the public.
Boko, who is 54 years old, took the oath of office on Friday in front of thousands of people at the national stadium. This event happened just nine days after his party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), defeated the BDP at the polls.
In his speech, Boko reflected on Botswana’s democracy, saying, “For nearly sixty years, our democracy remained unbroken, unproven, and untested. On October 30th of this year, we tested this democracy together.”
He expressed pride and relief, stating, “We have passed this test with flying colors,” which got cheers from the crowd. He ended his speech by saying, “Together, we usher in a new political dawn,” signaling hope for the future of Botswana under his leadership.
