2014 Botswana general election
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General and local elections were held in Botswana on 24 October 2014.[1] The result was an eleventh straight victory for the Botswana Democratic Party, which won 37 of the 57 elected seats. Incumbent President Ian Khama was sworn in for a second term on 28 October.[2]
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57 of the 63 seats in the National Assembly 29 seats needed for a majority | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Turnout | 84.75% (8.04pp) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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The period leading up to the elections was characterized by an unprecedented economic downturn in the country, a direct result of the global financial crisis of 2009. Additionally, there was a surge in social conflict, including a lengthy public service strike in mid-2011, which was orchestrated by the Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU).[3] Ian Khama received significant criticism for his handling of these issues, and internal conflicts within the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) deepened. As a result, a more liberal faction of the party, opposed to Khama's leadership, splintered from the BDP and established the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) under the leadership of Gomolemo Motswaledi.[4]