Botswana’s new president set to be inaugurated amidst high expectations

On Friday, Botswana will inaugurate Duma Boko as its sixth president in a ceremony that will highlight a smooth transition of power in one of Africa’s strongest democracies.

Mr Boko, a lawyer, defeated the sitting president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, to take the helm of affairs of a country challenged by unemployment, poverty, crime and high levels of drug abuse.

Mr Boko’s victory ends the Botswana Democratic Party, BDP’s nearly six decades of rule.

Mr Boko’s party, the Umbrella for Democratic Change, will form the next government.

“Change is here,” the president-elect said in the capital Gaborone. It is the third time that he has run for president, previously contesting in 2014 and 2019.

“Botswana today, sends a message to the whole world and says democracy is alive here, democracy is in action,” Mr Boko added at a handover ceremony on Monday.

“This is democracy in motion; this is democracy exemplified, sent as an abiding lesson to the whole world to say to the African continent — it must happen, it can happen and when it does, it is one of the most beautiful experiences a country can go through.”

The inauguration on Friday is expected to be a colourful event in the diamond-rich southern African country.

Analysts said the fall of the ruling BDP was expected, following an internal crisis that destabilised the party. From an absolute majority in the 2019 election, this year, the BDP finished the election in fourth place.

Among other challenges, Mr Boko now faces the daunting task of addressing gender inequality in public office, the prevalence of HIV/AIDS, and unemployment.

Currently, there are only five women in the 33-person federal cabinet.

In the parliament, most of the positions: the speaker, deputy speaker, opposition whip, and leader of the opposition are all occupied by men.

Gender activists have been advocating for more positions for women in political offices. The country’s police commissioner Dinah Marathe, is a female. Botswana’s ambassadors to Nigeria and Brazil are also women.

However, advocates expect more women representation in Mr Boko’s cabinet. Gaborone-based entrepreneur Khutsi Thipane frowns at the current gender disparities and hopes that the new administration will address them and revive the economy.

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At nearly 25 per cent, unemployment is at its highest in 20 years even as the country’s GDP per capita has grown gradually, to $7,250 – Africa’s fifth highest, according to World Bank data.

“Unemployment is too high. Local small businesses are suffering,” Ms Thipane said, adding that the government is folding its arms while the country is flooded with cheap products that undercut domestic businesses and hurt local manufacturing.

Mr Boko, a former student leader, has outlined tackling “unemployment, poverty, crime” and other ills among his priorities.

Nigeria has congratulated Mr Boko and paid homage to outgoing President Masisi, for “embracing the result and charting a way forward for the country”.

Several world leaders also congratulated the southern African country on a successful election.

International relations expert Refilwe Kgabanyane described Botswana’s change of guard as the “perfect definition of a smooth transition of power.”