Duma Boko has been sworn in as the new president of Botswana. He is 54 years old and took office just nine days after his party won a big victory against the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had been in power for almost 60 years.
On Friday, Boko took the oath of office at a ceremony in a national stadium filled with thousands of people. His party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), won 36 seats in parliament, while the BDP only managed to get four seats. This was a surprising change for a party that had governed Botswana since the country gained independence from the UK in 1966.
In his speech, Boko celebrated the victory, saying, “For nearly sixty years, our democracy was untested. On October 30, we tested this democracy together.” He expressed pride that they had passed this test with great success, which made the crowd cheer loudly.
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Former President Mokgweetsi Masisi was in the audience as well.
He accepted his party’s defeat shortly after the election results were announced. Some people in the crowd booed Masisi, but Boko praised him for being a good leader and asked the crowd to show him respect. “Botswana has shown the world what true democracy looks like, and for that, we will remember the former president fondly,” he said.
Young voters played a big role in the election, making up about one-third of the more than one million people registered to vote in Botswana. The country is often seen as one of Africa’s success stories, known for being wealthy and stable. However, a decline in the demand for diamonds, which are a major source of income for the country, has affected its economy.
Many voters wanted change after nearly 60 years of BDP rule. They were concerned about issues like unemployment, the gap between the rich and poor, and the struggling economy due to falling diamond sales. Masisi’s government faced accusations of mismanagement and corruption.
Boko has announced that one of his top goals will be to improve relationships with partners in the diamond industry while also working to diversify the economy so it is not solely dependent on diamonds.
