Gaborone Central is a constituency in Gaborone represented in the National Assembly of Botswana by the Minister of International Affairs, Phenyo Butale of the Umbrella for Democratic Change since the 2024 general election.

Constituency profile

The constituency was created in 1994 as part of an expansion that increased the number of Gaborone constituencies from two to four. It is the swingiest seat in the country, having only re-elected an incumbent once. The constituency is not necessarily marginal i.e., usually being won by small majorities. Despite electing MPs with large majorities, these majorities are frequently easily overturned from one election to the next. The constituency serves as a bellwether of national electoral trends, with the notable exceptions of 2004 and 2009, when Dumelang Saleshando, the future leader of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), ran a well-organized and "high-profile" campaign in 2004 and became the party’s sole MP in the 9th Parliament.[1][2] He was re-elected in 2009 with the largest majority ever recorded in the constituency—35 percentage points.

However, at the 2014 general election, Saleshando's large majority was overturned as he lost the seat to Phenyo Butale of the UDC who benefitted from a combination of sympathy votes following the death of the initial UDC candidate, the Botswana Movement for Democracy leader, Gomolemo Motswaledi in July, as well as voter dissatisfaction with Saleshando and the BCP for not joining the UDC to form a united opposition against the BDP.

Since its creation, the BDP has won the constituency only twice (1999 and 2019), both times with less than 50% of the vote. The constituency is entirely urban and contains a diverse mix of communities. It is home to both the nation's wealthiest suburbs and the city's most impoverished neighbourhoods, as well as the University of Botswana and a Botswana Defence Force encampment. The kaleidoscopic nature of the constituency means it's home to many swing voters and explains its political volatility.

It encompasses the following locations:[3]

  1. Station Mall
  2. Main Mall
  3. Botswelelo
  4. Phologolo
  5. Madibeng
  6. Partial
  7. Tshimotharo
  8. Ginger
  9. Maruapula
  10. Broadhurst
  11. Extension 39
  12. Village
  13. Badiri
  14. Government Enclave

Members of Parliament

Key:   BNF   BDP   BCP   UDC   UDC

Election Winner
1994 election Michael Dingake
1999 election Margaret Nasha
2004 election Dumelang Saleshando
2009 election
2014 election Phenyo Butale
2019 election Tumisang Healy
2024 election Phenyo Butale

Election results

2024 election

General election 2024: Gaborone Central[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UDC Phenyo Butale 5,493 47.30 +16.89
BCP Mpho Pheko 3,112 26.80 N/A
BDP Bontsi Monare 2,826 24.34 −23.82
BPF Kemmonye Sekati 122 1.05 N/A
BMD Magdeline Nkumba 35 0.30 N/A
Independent Jafta Radibe 24 0.21 +0.05
Margin of victory 2,381 20.50 N/A
Total valid votes 11,612 98.80 −0.76
Rejected ballots 141 1.20 +0.76
Turnout 11,753 76.41 −2.88
Registered electors 15,381
UDC gain from BDP Swing +21.85

2019 election

General election 2019: Gaborone Central[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BDP Tumisang Healy 4,886 48.16 +20.54
UDC Mpho Pheko 3,085 30.41 −9.41
AP Phenyo Butale 2,106 20.76 N/A
Independent Letsweletse Moses 53 0.52 N/A
Independent Jafta Radibe 16 0.16 N/A
Margin of victory 1,801 17.75 N/A
Total valid votes 10,146 99.56 −0.03
Rejected ballots 45 0.44 +0.03
Turnout 10,191 79.29 −3.31
Registered electors 12,853
BDP gain from UDC Swing +14.98

2014 election

General election 2014: Gaborone Central[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UDC Phenyo Butale 4,601 39.82 N/A
BCP Dumelang Saleshando 3,727 32.26 −29.49
BDP Rupert Hambira 3,191 27.62 +0.68
Independent Sidney Baitsile 35 0.30 N/A
Margin of victory 874 7.56 N/A
Total valid votes 11,554 99.53 +1.52
Rejected ballots 55 0.47 −1.52
Turnout 11,609 82.60 +6.34
Registered electors 14,054
UDC gain from BCP Swing +34.66

2009 election

General election 2009: Gaborone Central[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BCP Dumelang Saleshando 6,102 61.75 +23.87
BDP Kgomotso Mogami 2,662 26.94 −9.79
BNF Calvin Thutlwe 1,118 11.31 −12.96
Margin of victory 3,440 34.81 +33.66
Total valid votes 9,882 98.01 −1.65
Rejected ballots 201 1.99 +1.65
Turnout 10,083 76.26 +0.05
Registered electors 13,222
BCP hold Swing +16.83

2004 election

General election 2004: Gaborone Central[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BCP Dumelang Saleshando 2,992 37.88 +21.58
BDP Margaret Nasha 2,901 36.73 −10.82
BNF Kathleen Letshabo 1,917 24.27 −6.80
NDF Violet Mphuting 89 1.13 N/A
Margin of victory 91 1.15 N/A
Total valid votes 7,899 99.66 +0.47
Rejected ballots 34 0.34 −0.47
Turnout 7,926 76.21 +1.80
Registered electors 10,400
BCP gain from BDP Swing +16.20

1999 election

General election 1999: Gaborone Central[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BDP Margaret Nasha 2,868 47.55 +9.07
BNF Mareledi Giddie 1,874 31.07 −29.37
BCP Michael Dingake 983 16.30 N/A
BAM Ephraim Setshwaelo 293 4.86 N/A
MELS Themba Joina 13 0.22 N/A
Margin of victory 994 16.48 N/A
Total valid votes 6,031 99.19 N/A
Rejected ballots 49 0.81 N/A
Turnout 6,080 74.41 −3.60
Registered electors 8,171
BDP gain from BNF Swing +19.22

1994 election

General election 1994: Gaborone Central[10]
Party Candidate Votes %
BNF Michael Dingake 3,490 60.44
BDP G.U.S. Matlhabaphiri 2,222 38.48
UDF Mareledi Giddie 62 1.07
Margin of victory 1,268 21.96
Turnout 5,774 78.01%
Registered electors 7,402
BNF win (new seat)

References

  1. ^ Good, Kenneth (2008). Diamonds, Dispossession and Democracy in Botswana. Boydell & Brewer. p. 30. doi:10.7722/j.ctt1bh2kzv. ISBN 978-1-84701-312-5.
  2. ^ "Botswana: Saleshando Wins But BDP Protests". Mmegi. 1 November 2004.
  3. ^ 2022 DELIMITATION COMMISSION REPORT (PDF). 2022. p. 59.
  4. ^ "Butale wins Gaborone Central". DailyNews. 31 October 2024.
  5. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2019
  6. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2014
  7. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2009
  8. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2004
  9. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 1999
  10. ^ Results by constituency
Allikas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaborone_Central
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