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Botswana Congress Party

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Botswana Congress Party
PresidentDumelang Saleshando
ChairmanSamuel Rantuana
Secretary-GeneralGoretetse Kekgonegile
Vice-presidentTaolo Lucas
Publicity secretaryMpho Pheko
FoundedJune 20, 1998 (1998-06-20)
Split fromBotswana National Front
IdeologySocial democracy
Political positionCentre-left
National affiliationNone
Formerly: Umbrella for Democratic Change
(2017–2022)
Colours  Green
National Assembly
15 / 61
Pan African Parliament
1 / 4

The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is a social democratic political party in Botswana. Founded in 1998 as a result of a split from the Botswana National Front (BNF), the party attracted most of the BNF's sitting MPs due to a leadership dispute involving the BNF's leader, Kenneth Koma.

History

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The BCP was formed by 11 sitting MPs and immediately became the official opposition in parliament. Party president Michael Dingake served as Leader of the Opposition until parliament was dissolved in advance of the 1999 general elections. In the 1999 general elections, the BCP won 11.9% of the vote and retained only one seat (out of 40). In the elections, 30 October 2004, the party won 16.6% of the popular vote and one out of 57 seats. The sole BCP member of parliament was Dumelang Saleshando, the son of then BCP president, Gilson Saleshando.

In 2009, the party contested the 2009 election in a pact with the Botswana Alliance Movement. However, talks to form an alliance with the Botswana National Front proved fruitless.

The 2009 elections proved a decisive success for the party. The BCP won 19.2% of the popular vote and four parliamentary seats. Its 19.2% popular vote makes it the third largest political movement in Botswana.[1] The BCP retained the Gaborone Central constituency and won the Chobe, Okavango, and Selebi Phikwe West constituencies from the BDP. Pact partner BAM won 2.3% of the vote and defeated the former Minister of Education and Skills Development, Jacob Nkate, in the Ngami constituency. Despite its losses to the BCP, the BDP won enough constituencies from the BNF to increase its overall representation by one seat.

In May 2010, the BCP and the BAM merged under the BCP label with a new party symbol that incorporates elements of the parent parties.[2] Following the merger, the BCP controlled five seats in the National Assembly.

On 4 September 2010, the BCP contested by elections in Tonota North constituency with the support of the other three opposition parties, Botswana National Front (BNF), Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) and the BDP breakaway party Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD). The BCP candidate increased her vote share slightly, to 36.1%, but lost to the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).The party recently lost a key member, Member of parliament for Okavango Hon Bagalatia Aaron, who defected to the ruling Botswana Democratic Party.[3][4]

Election results

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National Assembly

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Election Leader Votes % Seats +/– Position Status
1999 Michael Dingake 40,096 11.90%
1 / 40
 New Increase 3rd Opposition
2004 Otlaadisa Koosaletse 68,556 16.62%
1 / 57
 Steady 0 Steady 3rd Opposition
2009 Gilson Saleshando 104,302 19.15%
4 / 57
 Increase 3 Steady 3rd Opposition
2014 Dumelang Saleshando 140,998 20.43%
3 / 57
 Decrease 1 Steady 3rd Opposition
2019[a] 112,479 14.57%
11 / 57
 Increase 8 Increase 2nd Opposition
2024 175,326 20.99%
15 / 61
 Increase 4 Steady 2nd Opposition
  1. ^ Run as part of the Umbrella for Democratic Change coalition.

References

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  1. ^ "Botswana". The World Factbook. CIA. 3 February 2023.
  2. ^ "Mmegi Online :: BCP,BAM Merge". Mmegi Online. 17 May 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  3. ^ reporters, Justice Kavahematui &Nicholas Mokwena-BG. "'Arone joining BDP for the money' - Botswana Guardian". www.botswanaguardian.co.bw. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
  4. ^ "Arone finally leaves BCP for BDP". Botswana Gazette. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
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