The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) has successfully defended the parliamentary seat for Kgalagadi South, a victory that reinforces the ruling coalition’s political hold and offers a key statistical insight into its enduring support. The bye-election was held to fill the vacancy created by the passing of the area’s representative, Dr. Micus Chimbombi.
The UDC candidate secured a firm win with 6,766 votes. The official results placed the main contender, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), second with 3,926 votes. The remaining votes were distributed among the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) with 946 votes, an Independent Candidate with 116 votes, and the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) with 99 votes. The total turnout was 11,909, including 46 spoilt votes.
The results inevitably draw comparison to the October 2024 general elections, where overall engagement was much higher. In that poll, the UDC secured 8,700 votes, the BDP 6,070, and the BPF 1,074, leading to a total turnout of 16,029. The bye-election therefore saw a reduction of 4,120 votes in total ballots cast, reflecting the common challenge of voter apathy in snap polls.
While the absolute number of votes for the UDC dropped by 1,934, a closer look at the percentages reveals a rise in its proportional strength. In the general election, the UDC’s 8,700 votes constituted 54.91% of the valid vote. However, in the recent bye-election, the party’s 6,766 votes accounted for 57.08% of the valid vote. This increase of over two percentage points suggests that the UDC was notably more successful than its rivals in galvanising its core base to participate.
The combined opposition parties—the BDP, BCP, BPF, and the Independent candidate—saw their collective share of the valid vote decline from 45.09% in the general election to 42.92% in the bye-election.
The political good news for the UDC was not confined to the polling stations. Adding to the celebratory mood over the election weekend, President Duma Boko reached a significant digital milestone by surpassing one million followers on Facebook. This achievement instantly makes him the most followed politician in Botswana’s history in the social media era, cementing his personal brand and reach beyond the traditional media landscape, and outstripping the followings of former presidents Mokgweetsi Masisi and Sir Seretse Khama Ian Khama.
This combination of a proportional increase in electoral support and unprecedented digital engagement underscores the UDC’s current dominance. The twin successes at the polls and on social media indicate that the ruling coalition is effectively mastering both traditional campaigning and modern digital outreach, posing a dual challenge that the fragmented opposition cannot compete with as things stand.
