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1965 Bechuanaland general election

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FieldValue
countryBechuanaland Protectorate
typeLegislative
previous_election1961 Bechuanaland general election
previous_year1961
election_date1 March 1965
next_election1969 Botswana general election
next_year1969
elected_members1st Parliament of Botswana
seats_for_election31 of the 35 seats in the National Assembly
majority_seats16
registered188,950
turnout74.55% (of registered voters)
69.46% (of eligible population)
image1Seretse_Khama_during_Independence_Talks.png
leader1Seretse Khama
party1Botswana Democratic Party
leaders_seat1Serowe North
seats1**28**
popular_vote1**113,167**
percentage1**80.38%**
image2Philip_Matante_during_Independence_Talks.png
leader2Philip Matante
party2BPP
leaders_seat2Francistown/Tati East
seats23
popular_vote219,964
percentage214.18%
map_image1965 Botswana National Assembly election - Results by constituency.svg
map_captionResults by constituency
titlePrime Minister
after_electionSeretse Khama
after_partyBDP

69.46% (of eligible population)

General elections were held in the Bechuanaland Protectorate on 1 March 1965, the country's first election under universal suffrage. The result was a landslide victory for the Bechuanaland Democratic Party (BDP), with Seretse Khama becoming Prime Minister. Following the elections, the country became independent as Botswana on 30 September 1966, at which point Khama became President. The BDP would go on to win the next twelve elections, maintaining its grip on power until its defeat at the 2024 general election 59 years later.

Campaign

The elections were contested by three main parties; the Bechuanaland Democratic Party led by Khama, the Bechuanaland People's Party (BDP) led by Philip Matante and the Bechuanaland Independence Party led by Motsamai Mpho. There was also a single independent candidate, G.E.N. Mannathoko, who ran in Tati West. In the Lobatsi and Barolong constituency, there were two candidates from the Bechuanaland People's Party, one of which represented the Motsete branch.

Despite acceptance that the BDP was likely to win easily, there was widespread interest in the elections. The BDP was seen as a moderate party with responsible leaders and realistic policies; in contrast the leaders of the other parties were perceived to be quarrelsome and overly ethnocentric. Three BDP candidates were elected unopposed in Ghanzi, Kgalagadi and Kweneng West.

Results

References

References

  1. [https://www.eisa.org.za/wep/bot1965election.htm Botswana: The 1965 Pre-Independence General Election] EISA
  2. [[Dieter Nohlen]], Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) ''Elections in Africa: A data handbook'', p113 {{ISBN. 0-19-829645-2
  3. Gossett, CW, and Lotshwao, K., 2009, Report on the 1965 General Election and the 1966 Local Government Election, ''Botswana Notes & Records'', Vol. 41, pp.47-63
  4. [http://www.electionpassport.com/files/BW/BW.xlsx Botswana Election Results] Election Passport
Info: Wikipedia Source

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elections-in-botswana 1965-elections-in-africa 1965-in-bechuanaland-protectorate election-and-referendum-articles-with-incomplete-results 1965-elections-in-the-british-empire democratization
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