GABORONE, Botswana — Botswana’s new president Duma Boko was inaugurated in front of thousands of people on Friday, with Zimbabwe’s president Emmerson Mnangagwa and his opposition rival Nelson Chamisa both in attendance.
After 12 years in the opposition, Boko ended the Botswana Democratic Party’s 58-year rule when he led his Umbrella for Democratic Change to victory in the October 30 elections, gaining 36 of the 61 seats in parliament to deny denied former president Mokgweetsi Masisi a second term.
Boko made the point to invite leaders of several opposition parties in the region with whom he formed alliances in the opposition trenches, including Chamisa and Julius Malema, leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters in South Africa.
During a rolling coverage of the inauguration, Botswana state TV interviewed Chamisa who lost a bitter election battle with Mnangagwa in August last year. His Citizens Coalition for Change, which he has since quit, accused Mnangagwa’s Zanu PF of committing electoral fraud.
“I’m here representing the people of Zimbabwe, their aspirations, their hopes for democracy and their freedom,” Chamisa said.
He claimed to have “defeated Zanu PF twice but they refused to go,” adding: “We hope that Mr Mnangagwa who is here will learn one or two lessons about life after politics, life after public office.”
Mnangagwa, the current SADC chairman, and close ally of the beaten Masisi, appeared tense throughout and shrugged off a request for an interview by the SABC as he arrived.
Boko took his oath in front of thousands of citizens and delegates in the capital Gaborone after arriving in an open top vehicle accompanied by flag-carrying soldiers on white horses.
Addressing the nation in his first official speech as president, Boko encouraged those in attendance to give his predecessor — who was often subjected to jeers — some love and praised his willingness to concede power without incident.
He described the change of government in Botswana as a historic moment and stressed the need to avoid squabbles and personal rifts.
“This is indeed a historic moment most humbling and most sobering. It is one of the rarest moments that can only be acknowledged in retrospect,” he said.
He expressed his love for his country and the appreciation they had shown him in electing him to the country’s highest office.
“It gives me great pleasure when I look at you and you look back at me and say that’s my boy. You say so because you raised the boy. You love the boy. You know and understand that this boy loves you,” said Boko in a colourful inauguration speech fuelled by optimism but thin on details of his party’s plans for national development.
During the campaign, his party promised to fight corruption and introduce a minimum wage of P4,000 Pula ($302) per month, unemployment allowance and to increase old age benefits and build new enterprises.
A recent Afrobarometer survey shows that unemployment is the most pressing concern for citizens, far surpassing other issues such as health, crime, poverty, education and corruption.
Official statistics show that unemployment has increased to 27.6 percent in 2024 from 25.9 percent in 2023.
“We want the government to create jobs and make better use of public funds,” said Onkutule Ntwayagae, a self-employed 42-year-old from the village of Mahalapye, attended the inauguration.
Ntwayagae said he was expecting a change and an improvement in the livelihood of ordinary people.
Diamonds account for 80 percent of Botswana’s exports but the global downturn in demand for mined diamonds has affected the revenues of Debswana, the mining company the government owns with mining conglomerate De Beers, each with a 50 percent share.
There have been calls for Botswana to have increased ownership and to benefit more from the arrangement.
“If he is able to renegotiate the deal with De Beers it would create jobs. Debswana is our main cash cow and if it is experiencing difficulty we have serious problems.” Ntwayagae said.
Some Batswana believed that they would never witness a peaceful transfer of power to opposition.
“It means a lot for me because I never thought this day would come. We have seen the opposition fighting for power for so long. I am happy to have been able to witness this historic moment”, said Gosego Moleele, a teacher from Jwaneng. – AP
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