- Confident BDP will secure more than 31 seats
- States: “We are not speaking to any party”
GAZETTE REPORTER
President Mokgweetsi Masisi has ruled out the possibility of a hung parliament resulting from this year’s general elections, asserting that the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) will obtain the 31 constituencies that are required to form a majority in the 13th Parliament, thus precluding a hung parliament.
President Masisi – who is also the president of the BDP – said this at the Gaborone High Court where party leaders gathered to present themselves as presidential nominees last Saturday.
Significant milestones
In recent months, political observers have speculated about a potential hung parliament due to perceived failure of the BDP to deliver on promises made in 2019.
However, a confident Masisi rejected such speculation over the weekend. “There is no way the BDP will fail to obtain the 31 plus constituencies needed to form a majority,” he told journalists covering the presidential nominations.
He asserted that his government has achieved significant milestones over the past five years.
Land and water
“When I assumed office, unemployment, especially amongst the youth, shortage of land and water were major concerns,” he said.
“In terms of water and land, we have managed to address most of the challenges. The BDP government has spent a lot of money and resources trying to address all these.
“We have introduced programmes such as free electricity connections. Our main aim is to try and make life easier for every Motswana.”
“We are sure we are winning”
He remained obstinate in the face of speculation about his party waning electoral prospects. “We are more than confident we will win this election convincingly,” he said.
“There is no need for us to be speaking to any other political party because we are sure we are winning and there will be nothing such as a hung parliament.”
The conversation around a possible hung parliament in Botswana was prompted by the results of general elections in South Africa which saw the ruling African National Congress (ANC) recently losing its majority and negotiating with others to form a coalition government.
BCP likelier
Reports subsequently emerged that President Masisi was advised by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) about potential for a similar scenario in which the BDP failed to win an outright majority.
In the event of a hung parliament, the Botswana Congress Party is seen as a likelier coalition partner of the BDP than the Umbrella for Democratic Change.