Botswana president concedes election defeat, BDP loses power after 58 years
President Mokgweetsi Masisi says he will ‘step aside’ after shock outcome for the governing Botswana Democratic Party.
Gaborone:Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has conceded defeat as preliminary results showed his governing party lost its parliamentary majority after nearly six decades in power.
Masisi’s concession on Friday came before the final results were announced, with his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) trailing in fourth place, according to tallies by the electoral commission.
The president, who was seeking a second five-year term in Wednesday’s election, said he would “step aside”.
I wish to congratulate the opposition on their victory and concede the election,” Masisi told a news conference.
The results are expected to be confirmed by the electoral commission later on Friday, but early counts showed that three opposition parties had together won at least 31 of 61 seats in the legislature.
Under the country’s electoral system, the first party to take 31 seats will be declared the winner, install its candidate as president and form a government.
Source:Al Jazeera
