Duma Boko, the leader of Umbrella for Democratic Change who defeated the governing party, Botswana Democratic Party, in the recent elections, was successfully inaugurated today at the national stadium in Gaborone, Botswana. Image: AP.
(The Post News)- (The Post News)- Botswana welcomed its new president, Duma Boko, on Friday, signifying a successful transfer of power after his remarkable electoral victory that concluded almost sixty years of governance by the former party.
Boko swore his oath before the thousands assembled at the national stadium in Gaborone, the capital city. The occasion was attended by the leaders of various southern African countries, including representatives from Madagascar, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. While taking his oath of office, Boko declared that he would uphold the Constitution of Botswana and follow its laws. He also stated that he would dedicate his efforts to serving the people and enhancing their welfare without bias or partiality.
Boko’s left-leaning Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) obtained 36 parliamentary seats in the election on October 30, while the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) achieved just four, representing a significant change for the party that has ruled over diamond-rich Botswana since it gained independence from Britain in 1966.
The former president, Mokgweetsi Masisi, who quickly admitted his loss a week ago when the results became clear, was also in attendance at the event as well. Boko, wearing a blue shirt and black tie that symbolize the Botswana flag, commenced the ceremony by driving around the stadium in a car, joined by galloping white horses, and waving to the excited crowd. Boko’s choice to declare today a holiday provided Batswana the opportunity to attend this momentous occasion.
As the election approached in the sparsely populated, dry country of about 2.6 million, unemployment and a declining economy dominated voters’ worries. The Southern African Development Community observer mission’s report indicates that voter turnout hit 80 percent, with young people making up approximately 34 percent of the more than one million registered voters. Ipotseng Negroes, a 35-year-old farmer who attended the inauguration, noted the youth has proven that it is ready to lead now, not just in the future.
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