“I’ll respectfully step apart,” stated the person who misplaced an election, “and take part in a clean transition course of.” The velocity with which President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat on November 1st was putting—all of the extra so provided that his Botswana Democratic Celebration (BDP) had dominated this diamond-rich southern African nation for six a long time, ever since independence from Britain in 1966.
On November 4th Mr Masisi was formally changed by Duma Boko (pictured), a Harvard-educated lawyer, whose Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) was the primary social gathering to defeat the BDP, after 13 makes an attempt. Mr Boko praised his predecessor for the graceful transition. “Botswana immediately sends a message to the entire world and says, democracy is alive right here,” he declared. It was a putting distinction with close by Mozambique, the place police have been capturing at anti-government protesters since October twenty fourth, when Frelimo, an equally long-serving ruling social gathering, claimed victory in elections observers say had been rigged.
Though at all times dominated by the identical social gathering till now, Botswana just isn’t a one-party state. Voters freely selected the BDP repeatedly, largely as a result of its document was fairly good. At independence, Botswana was poor in addition to landlocked, and had been described by one colonial official as “a ineffective piece of territory” (he was unaware of the diamonds). However the elites who took energy ruled fairly nicely. In contrast to most African nations, it has by no means had a coup or army rule.
Smart governance has fostered financial progress. The dividends from Botswana’s diamonds have been used pretty properly, which is uncommon in nations that discover mineral wealth earlier than their establishments have matured. Diamond {dollars} have been poured into clinics, colleges and a rainy-day fund for Botswana’s 2.5m folks. It has had an extended, mutually useful partnership with De Beers, a worldwide diamond agency. Its GDP per individual has elevated 80-fold since 1966, and at greater than $7,200 is now among the many highest on the sub-Saharan African mainland.
But Botswana doesn’t sparkle as brightly because it used to. The value of pure diamonds, which make up greater than 80% of exports, has slumped by about 30% over the previous three years. Covid-19 hit tourism, the second-largest supply of international earnings. The knock-on results of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine damage a rustic closely depending on meals imports. Botswana’s mannequin might have run out of steam, whilst its efforts to show pure wealth into human capital are worryingly incomplete.
Mr Masisi made some unhealthy strikes. Most Botswanans thought of his authorities considerably corrupt, a worrying shift for a reasonably clear nation. He interfered in courts’ independence and in areas reserved for conventional leaders. Many disliked his chumminess with the autocratic authorities in next-door Zimbabwe.
Most essential, he was seen to be doing little concerning the nation’s underlying financial weaknesses. Each unemployment, an important challenge for voters, and inequality are nearly as excessive as in South Africa, its neighbour to the south. Though the diamond wealth has not been stolen, Botswana has struggled to develop the form of “value-added” industries, equivalent to chopping, sprucing and jewellery-making, that may have created jobs.
The BDP’s defeat can be proof of an anti-incumbent development in African politics that echoes comparable traits elsewhere. In Could the African Nationwide Congress, hitherto South Africa’s hegemonic social gathering, misplaced its parliamentary majority for the primary time, requiring it to manipulate in a coalition. Incumbents may lose elections in Namibia and Ghana later this 12 months.
As a result of sub-Saharan Africa has a quickly rising inhabitants, with 15m folks getting into the labour pressure yearly, each election is about jobs. The votes in Namibia, on November twenty seventh, and Ghana, on December seventh, shall be no exception. One message from Botswana is that incumbents that depend on the previous, moderately than trying to the long run, will take a kicking. The opposite is that democracy gives an opportunity for a reset—if the folks in energy let it work.
© 2025, The Economist Newspaper Ltd. All rights reserved.
From The Economist, revealed beneath licence. The unique content material will be discovered on www.economist.com
