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1994 Botswana general election

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Field	Value
country	Botswana
type	Legislative
previous_election	1989 Botswana general election
previous_year	1989
outgoing_members	6th Parliament of Botswana
election_date	15 October 1994
next_election	1999 Botswana general election
next_year	1999
elected_members	7th Parliament of Botswana
seats_for_election	40 of the 44 seats in the National Assembly
majority_seats	21
registered	370,169
turnout	76.55% (of registered voters) (8.31pp)
44.63% (of eligible population) (3.27pp)
image1	File:Masire 1980 (cropped).jpg
leader1	Quett Masire
party1	Botswana Democratic Party
last_election1	64.78%, 31 seats
leaders_seat1	None
seats1	27
seat_change1	4
popular_vote1	154,705
percentage1	54.59%
swing1	10.19pp
image2	Kenneth Koma.jpg
leader2	Kenneth Koma
party2	Botswana National Front
last_election2	26.95%, 3 seats
seats2	13
leaders_seat2	Gaborone South
seat_change2	10
popular_vote2	105,109
percentage2	37.09%
swing2	10.14pp
title	President
before_election	Quett Masire
before_party	Botswana Democratic Party
after_election	Quett Masire
after_party	Botswana Democratic Party
map_image	1994 Botswana National Assembly election - Results by constituency.svg
map_caption	Results by constituency

44.63% (of eligible population) (3.27pp)

General elections were held in Botswana on 15 October 1994, alongside simultaneous local elections. The result was a victory for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which had won every election since 1965. However, the elections also saw a strong performance from the Botswana National Front (BNF), which tripled its number of MPs and won all four seats in the capital Gaborone.

Background

Following the 1991 census, constituency boundaries were redrawn and six new constituencies were created. Five of these were in urban areas, which was deemed to be a more realistic apportionment of constituencies; Gaborone gained three, Francistown one and Lobatse became a new constituency.

Campaign

The elections were contested by a record nine parties, with a total of 108 candidates running. The BNF considered boycotting the elections after the government refused to reform the electoral system or reduce the voting age from 21, but eventually contested the elections due to the belief that the government was vulnerable.

The BDP campaigned on its record of economic and political stability, whilst the BNF campaign centred on high rent and utility costs, as well as unemployment.

Results

The four indirectly elected members were elected on 26 October by members of the National Assembly, based on a list of eight candidates produced by President Ketumile Masire.

Aftermath

Following the elections, the National Assembly convened on 17 October to elect the President. Incumbent President Masire (BDP) was challenged by Kenneth Koma (BNF) and Knight Maripe (BPP). Masire was re-elected and inaugurated on 19 October. The new government was announced on 25 October.

The 13 opposition MPs were the most the BDP had faced since independence. It would be the BNF's best showing until the 2024 elections, when the BNF-led Umbrella for Democratic Change would defeat the BDP.

Notes

References

(1995). "Election Watch". Journal of Democracy.
[[Dieter Nohlen]], Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) ''Elections in Africa: A data handbook'', p113 {{ISBN. 0-19-829645-2
[https://www.eisa.org.za/wep/bot1994election.htm Botswana: The October 1994 General Election] EISA
[http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2041_94.htm Elections held in 1994] IPU
[https://web.archive.org/web/20200412163125/https://www.parliament.gov.bw/index.php?option=com_dropfiles&format=&task=frontfile.download&catid=37&id=845&Itemid=1000000000000 Parliament of Botswana]

Info: Wikipedia Source

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