National Assembly (Botswana)

The National Assembly is the legislative body within Botswana's unicameral Parliament. It is advised by the Ntlo ya Dikgosi which is not a house of Parliament.[2]

National Assembly

Palamente ya Botswana
12th Parliament
Type
Type
Term limits
None
History
Founded1966
New session started
5 November 2019
Leadership
Deputy Speaker
Mabuse Pule, BDP
Leader of the House
Attorney General
Abraham Keetshabe
Leader of the Opposition
Government Whip
Liakat Kablay, BDP
Opposition whip
Structure
Seats65
Political groups
Government (47)
  •   Botswana Democratic Party (39)
  •   Specially elected (6) [1]
  •   Ex-officio (2)

Official opposition (14)

Other (4)

Length of term
5 years
Elections
First-past-the-post
Last election
23 October 2019
Next election
2024
Motto
Pula
Meeting place
National Assembly Chamber
Gaborone

The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 23 October 2019, has a total of 65 members. 57 members are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority (or first-past-the-post) system for a term of five years. Six members are co-opted (by secret ballot of the rest of the Assembly) while the remaining two (the President and Attorney-general) are ex officio.

Current composition

PartySeats
Botswana Democratic Party 39
Specially elected MPs 6
President of Botswana 1
Attorney General 1
Umbrella for Democratic Change 14
Botswana Patriotic Front 3
Alliance for Progressives 1
Total
65

Previous National Assembly election results

Political party Election year
1965 1969 1974 1979 1984 1989 1994 1999 2004 2009 2014 2019
Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) 28 24 27 29 29 31 27 33 44 45 37 38
Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) 17
Botswana National Front (BNF) 3 2 2 4 3 13 6 12 6 15
Botswana People's Party (BPP) 3 3 2 1 1
Botswana Congress Party (BCP) 1 1 4 3
Botswana Independence Party (BIP) 1 1
Botswana Alliance Movement (BAM) 1
Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) 3
Alliance for Progressives (AP) 1
Independents 1
Total 31 31 32 32 34 34 40 40 57 57 57 57

Note: In the pre-independence 1965 election, the Botswana Democratic Party was known as the Bechuanaland Democratic party and the Botswana People's Party was known as the Bechuanaland People's Party. The chart also does not include ex-officio and co-opted members.

Despite being a one party dominant state since independence, all elections held in the country have been considered democratic, free, and fair.

See also

Notes

  1. Pono Moatlhodi who served as the opposition whip had resigned from the UDC on 18 December 2020.

    References

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