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What to know about Botswana’s new President Boko

Analysts describe Duma Boko as the president who did the unthinkable.

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by BRIAN ORUTA

Africa03 November 2024 - 14:30
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In Summary


  • The new ruling party Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) is led by Duma Boko who has already been sworn in as President.
  • For more than 50 years opposition politicians have dreamt of unseating the mighty Botswana Democratic Party, but only Boko has made that a reality.


This past week, Botswana went to the polls and citizens made clear their feelings about the previous government.

They overwhelmingly voted in a new government throwing the former ruling party under the bus after 58 years in power.

The people of Botswana cited poor economic growth and high unemployment as the reasons for their decision to vote out the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) led by former President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

The party only managed four parliamentary seats in the election.

The new ruling party Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) is led by Duma Boko who has already been sworn in as President.

This makes him the sixth president of Botswana.

Analysts describe him as the president who did the unthinkable. For more than 50 years opposition politicians have dreamt of unseating the mighty Botswana Democratic Party, but only Boko has made that a reality.

So, who is Duma Boko?

He was born in 1969, in the country's Central District, in the small town of Mahalapye.

Boko studied law at the University of Botswana (UB), where he was involved in student politics and was elected to the Student Representative Council (SRC). 

He would later join Harvard Law School, where he obtained a Master of Laws degree.

Boko returned to teach law at UB from 1993 to 2003, while he also ran a law firm.

He is married to Kaone Boko.

Boko became the leader of the Botswana National Front (BNF) in 2010.

He previously served as the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly from 2014 to 2019.

This was after he led the UDC to a second-place finish in the National Assembly, winning 17 seats to the Botswana Democratic Party's (BDP) 37 seats.

In the 2019 general election, Boko lost his Gaborone Bonnington North constituency seat and therefore lost his title of Leader of the Opposition.

Boko pioneered the creation of an alliance of the parties opposed to the government and the UDC was born.

Boko captivated the nation going through difficult economic times as he campaigned with the promises of change, employment and government stipends.


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