Leader of opposition and Botswana Congress Party President, Dumelang Saleshando, assistant Minister of Trade and Industry Keletso Rakhudu, assistant Mister of Health Gaotlhaetse Matlhabaphiri and assistant Minister of Local Government & Rural Development Olebile Gaborone and BDP veteran Daniel Kwelagobe were the first casualties of the cut throat 2014 general elections.
By Saturday noon, indications were that the Umbrella for Democratic Change would win all five Gaborone seats ousting Botswana Congress Party president and parliamentary candidate for Gaborone Central Dumelang Saleshando from both his parliamentary seat and position as leader of opposition. UDC president, Duma Boko who was on pole position to win his constituency is set to take over as leader of opposition.
The UDC was also on course to snatch the Tlokweng constituency from assistant minister Olebile Gaborone. All in all the UDC was expected to take home between 15 and 20 constituencies while the BCP, hitherto the country’s official opposition was expected to five about five in a very generous speculation.
The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) on the other hand was expected to win more than 35 constituencies, dashing opposition hope for a hang parliament.
The BDP, however was expected to fall below the 50% majority, far below the 56% projected by their Israeli Constants Timor Consultancies.
The results are expected to alter the country’s political landscape with both the BCP and the BDP suffering the worst of it.
The BCP which up to now has been the fastest growing party in the country is expected to split into two centers of power with its President now outside parliament and a new leader emerging from within its representatives in Parliament.
The BDP President Lt Gen Ian Khama on the other hand finds himself with a small back-bench which may prove difficult to control making it difficult to push through his succession agenda.
