Botswana: Incumbent president Masisi admits defeat

Seismic moment of change for Botswana. Outgoing President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat in the general election Friday (Nov. 1).

This marks the end of 58 years of rule for the party who ascended to power after from the UK.

The Botswana Democratic Party trails in fourth place in the parliamentary elections in what appeared to be a humbling rejection by voters and a landslide victory for the main opposition party.

The opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change held an overwhelming 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.

So far, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, the main oppositio, party, has won 25 out of the 61 parliamentary seats decided by voters, according to the official partial count. It needs 31 to clinch a majority. The Botswana Congress Party has seven seats, the Botswana Patriotic Front five seats, and the ruling BDP just three.

Masisi said he had called Boko to inform him he was conceding defeat and said that Boko was now effectively the president-elect.

Botswana, the world’s second biggest natural diamond producer has faced new challenges in recent years following a downturn in the global demand. The economy was the central issue for the campaign.