1989 Botswana general election explained

Country:Botswana
Type:Legislative
Previous Election:1984 Botswana general election
Previous Year:1984
Outgoing Members:5th Parliament of Botswana
Election Date:7 October 1989
Next Election:1994 Botswana general election
Next Year:1994
Elected Members:6th Parliament of Botswana
Seats For Election:34 of the 38 seats in the National Assembly
Majority Seats:18
Registered:367,069
Image1:Quett Masire detail DF-SC-85-12044.JPEG
Leader1:Quett Masire
Party1:Botswana Democratic Party
Last Election1:68.00%, 29 seats
Leaders Seat1:None
Seats1:31
Seat Change1:2
Popular Vote1:162,277
Percentage1:64.78%
Swing1:3.22pp
Leader2:Kenneth Koma
Party2:Botswana National Front
Leaders Seat2:Gaborone South
Last Election2:20.44%, 4 seats
Seats2:3
Seat Change2:1
Popular Vote2:67,513
Percentage2:26.95%
Swing2:6.51pp
President
Before Election:Quett Masire
Before Party:Botswana Democratic Party
After Election:Quett Masire
After Party:Botswana Democratic Party

General elections were held in Botswana on 7 October 1989, alongside local elections.[1] The result was the sixth straight landslide victory for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which won 31 of the 34 elected seats.[2]

As of the 2019 general elections, this is the last time the BDP received more than the 60% of the popular vote.

Background

A referendum on electoral reform had been held in 1987, and resulted in the creation of a Supervisor of Elections, which would be appointed by the government. Both the BDP and the Botswana National Front (BNF) hold primary elections to select candidates.

Campaign

The BNF went into the elections suffering from instability; Bathoen Gaseitsiwe resigned as party leader in 1985 after becoming head of the Customary Court of Appeal. Prior to the elections Bathoen criticised new party leader Kenneth Koma for his left-wing policies, resigned from the BNF and established the Botswana Freedom Party (BFP). The new BFP ran as a nationalist and pro-free market party. The ruling BDP campaigned on its record in government around economic development and political stability.[1]

A total of 91 candidates contested the elections, with the BDP being the only party to field a full slate of 34 candidates. The BNF put forward 31 candidates, the Botswana People's Party 11, the Botswana Independence Party 9, the Botswana Freedom Party 2 and the Botswana Progressive Union and Botswana Liberal Party both had a single candidate.[3]

Aftermath

Following the elections, the BNF claimed that there had been irregularities in the Mochudi constituency, where they lost to the BDP by 29 votes. The High Court ruled in the BNF's favour, resulting in a by-election in June 1990 in which the BDP retained the seat.[3]

Notes and References

  1. http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2041_89.htm Elections held in 1989
  2. [Dieter Nohlen]
  3. https://www.eisa.org.za/wep/bot1989election.htm Botswana: The October 1989 General Election