Botswana general election, 1999
Encyclopedia
The Botswana general election of 1999 was fought between the Botswana Democratic Party
(BDP) and four opposition parties. 40 seats in the Parliament were contested, with the largest opposition party, the Botswana Congress Party
(BCP) losing its leader and ten seats, reducing the party to a mere seat. The new opposition party became the Botswana National Front
(BNF), which had been the opposition party previous to 1998 when the BCP split from the BNF. The election was won, as predicted, by the BDP, which obtained 33 seats in the new National Assembly
. Voter turnout was 77.1%.
Prior to the election, the National Assembly was dissolved in late July 1999. Because fewer than half of the roughly 800,000 eligible voters had registered, it was decided in late July to introduce supplementary voter registration. On August 27, it was reported that President Festus Mogae
had set the election date for October 16. However, announcing the date invalidated the supplementary voter registration because the names of the recently registered voters had not yet been published for inspection. As a result, Mogae declared a state of emergency so that the National Assembly could meet again to amend legislation in order to allow the addition of about 60,000 people to the voters roll; this was the first time a state of emergency had been declared since Botswana became independent. A spokesman for the Botswana Electoral Commission described the situation as "very normal" and said that the election date would not be changed. The opposition Botswana Alliance Movement
(BAM) and BCP were critical, however, with the former's Lepetu Setshwaelo describing it as "the biggest scandal since our independence" and calling the government "totally incompetent". The BCP said that the state of emergency was unnecessary.
National Assembly
election results
|- style="background:#E9E9E9;"
! colspan="2" align="center" |Parties
! align="center" | Votes
! align="center" | %
! align="center" | Seats
! align="center" | +/–
|-
| bgcolor="#FF0000" |
|align="left"|Botswana Democratic Party
(BDP)
|align="center"|192,598
|align="center"|57.15%
|align="center"|33
|align="center"|+6
|-
| bgcolor="#008000" |
|align="left"|Botswana National Front
(BNF)
|align="center"|87,457
|align="center"|25.95%
|align="center"|06
|align="center"|-7
|-
| bgcolor="#006600" |
|align="left"|Botswana Congress Party
(BCP)
|align="center"|40,096
|align="center"|11.90%
|align="center"|01
|align="center"|+1
|-
| bgcolor="#0000CD" |
|align="left"|Botswana Alliance Movement
(BAM)
|align="center"|15,805
|align="center"|4.69%
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|±0
|-
| bgcolor="#FF3333" |
|align="left"|MELS Movement of Botswana (MELS)
|align="center"|22
|align="center"|0.01%
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|±0
|-
| bgcolor="#DDDDDD" |
|align="left"|Independent
s
|align="center"|1,004
|align="center"|0.30%
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|±0
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|colspan="2" align="left"|Total
|align="center"|336,983
|align="center"|100.00%
|align="center"|40
|align="center"|±0
|-
| colspan="6" align="left" | Source: EISA
|}
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
(BDP) and four opposition parties. 40 seats in the Parliament were contested, with the largest opposition party, the Botswana Congress Party
Botswana Congress Party
The Botswana Congress Party is a social-democratic political party in Botswana, considered the third largest party in Botswana.The BCP was founded in 1998 in a split from the Botswana National Front, with most of the BNF's sitting Members of Parliament joining the new party after a leadership...
(BCP) losing its leader and ten seats, reducing the party to a mere seat. The new opposition party became the Botswana National Front
Botswana National Front
The Botswana National Front has been the main opposition party in Botswana since the 1969 elections.It achieved its greatest electoral success in the 1994 elections, when it won 37.1% of the vote and 13 of 40 parliamentary seats. A factional conflict in 1998 led to the departure of 11 of these...
(BNF), which had been the opposition party previous to 1998 when the BCP split from the BNF. The election was won, as predicted, by the BDP, which obtained 33 seats in the new National Assembly
National Assembly of Botswana
The National Assembly of Botswana is the legislature of the country's unicameral Parliament. It is advised by the House of Chiefs, which is not a house of Parliament....
. Voter turnout was 77.1%.
Prior to the election, the National Assembly was dissolved in late July 1999. Because fewer than half of the roughly 800,000 eligible voters had registered, it was decided in late July to introduce supplementary voter registration. On August 27, it was reported that President Festus Mogae
Festus Mogae
Festus Gontebanye Mogae is a Botswana politician who was President of Botswana from 1998 to 2008. He succeeded Quett Masire as President in 1998 and was reelected in October 2004; after ten years in office, he stepped down in 2008 and was succeeded by Lieutenant General Ian Khama...
had set the election date for October 16. However, announcing the date invalidated the supplementary voter registration because the names of the recently registered voters had not yet been published for inspection. As a result, Mogae declared a state of emergency so that the National Assembly could meet again to amend legislation in order to allow the addition of about 60,000 people to the voters roll; this was the first time a state of emergency had been declared since Botswana became independent. A spokesman for the Botswana Electoral Commission described the situation as "very normal" and said that the election date would not be changed. The opposition Botswana Alliance Movement
Botswana Alliance Movement
The Botswana Alliance Movement is a progressive political party in Botswana, led by Ephraim Lepetu Setshwaelo. Prior to the 2009 election the party entered into an electoral pact with the Botswana Congress Party. In the 2009 elections the party won a seat in the National Assembly of Botswana for...
(BAM) and BCP were critical, however, with the former's Lepetu Setshwaelo describing it as "the biggest scandal since our independence" and calling the government "totally incompetent". The BCP said that the state of emergency was unnecessary.
Election results
Summary of the 16 October 1999 BotswanaBotswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
National Assembly
National Assembly of Botswana
The National Assembly of Botswana is the legislature of the country's unicameral Parliament. It is advised by the House of Chiefs, which is not a house of Parliament....
election results
|- style="background:#E9E9E9;"
! colspan="2" align="center" |Parties
! align="center" | Votes
! align="center" | %
! align="center" | Seats
! align="center" | +/–
|-
| bgcolor="#FF0000" |
|align="left"|Botswana Democratic Party
Botswana Democratic Party
The Botswana Democratic Party is the governing conservative party in Botswana. Its chairman is Daniel Kwelagobe.BDP was shaped by Sir Seretse Khama, who is celebrated for nurturing the economic and political success of Botswana. The party's base is in the traditional Setswana communities, and it...
(BDP)
|align="center"|192,598
|align="center"|57.15%
|align="center"|33
|align="center"|+6
|-
| bgcolor="#008000" |
|align="left"|Botswana National Front
Botswana National Front
The Botswana National Front has been the main opposition party in Botswana since the 1969 elections.It achieved its greatest electoral success in the 1994 elections, when it won 37.1% of the vote and 13 of 40 parliamentary seats. A factional conflict in 1998 led to the departure of 11 of these...
(BNF)
|align="center"|87,457
|align="center"|25.95%
|align="center"|06
|align="center"|-7
|-
| bgcolor="#006600" |
|align="left"|Botswana Congress Party
Botswana Congress Party
The Botswana Congress Party is a social-democratic political party in Botswana, considered the third largest party in Botswana.The BCP was founded in 1998 in a split from the Botswana National Front, with most of the BNF's sitting Members of Parliament joining the new party after a leadership...
(BCP)
|align="center"|40,096
|align="center"|11.90%
|align="center"|01
|align="center"|+1
|-
| bgcolor="#0000CD" |
|align="left"|Botswana Alliance Movement
Botswana Alliance Movement
The Botswana Alliance Movement is a progressive political party in Botswana, led by Ephraim Lepetu Setshwaelo. Prior to the 2009 election the party entered into an electoral pact with the Botswana Congress Party. In the 2009 elections the party won a seat in the National Assembly of Botswana for...
(BAM)
|align="center"|15,805
|align="center"|4.69%
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|±0
|-
| bgcolor="#FF3333" |
|align="left"|MELS Movement of Botswana (MELS)
|align="center"|22
|align="center"|0.01%
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|±0
|-
| bgcolor="#DDDDDD" |
|align="left"|Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
s
|align="center"|1,004
|align="center"|0.30%
|align="center"|-
|align="center"|±0
|- style="background-color:#E9E9E9"
|colspan="2" align="left"|Total
|align="center"|336,983
|align="center"|100.00%
|align="center"|40
|align="center"|±0
|-
| colspan="6" align="left" | Source: EISA
|}