Botswana Congress Party
Encyclopedia
The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is a social-democratic political party
in Botswana
, considered the third largest party in Botswana.
The BCP was founded in 1998 in a split from the Botswana National Front
, with most of the BNF's sitting Members of Parliament joining the new party after a leadership dispute with Kenneth Koma. MPs who helped found the party included Michael Dingake
, Gilson Saleshando, Paul Rantao, Maitshwarelo Dabutha, Isaac Mabiletsa and Vain Mamela. The BCP's first national conference was held in April 1999, before the general election
in October 1999.
From 1998 to 2001 the BCP was led by Michael Dingake
. In 2001 Otlaadisa Koosaletse became its leader. In 2005 Gilson Saleshando defeated Koosaletse to lead the party. It is affiliated with the New Democratic Front and the Social Democratic Party.
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 1 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 4 parliamentary seats. Its 19.2% popular vote makes it the third largest political movement in Botswana. 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. Following the merger, the BCP controlled 5 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).
Political party
A political party is a political organization that typically seeks to influence government policy, usually by nominating their own candidates and trying to seat them in political office. Parties participate in electoral campaigns, educational outreach or protest actions...
in Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, considered the third largest party in Botswana.
The BCP was founded in 1998 in a split from the Botswana National Front
Botswana National Front
The Botswana National Front has been the main opposition party in Botswana since the 1969 elections.It achieved its greatest electoral success in the 1994 elections, when it won 37.1% of the vote and 13 of 40 parliamentary seats. A factional conflict in 1998 led to the departure of 11 of these...
, with most of the BNF's sitting Members of Parliament joining the new party after a leadership dispute with Kenneth Koma. MPs who helped found the party included Michael Dingake
Michael Dingake
Michael Kitso Dingake is a Botswana political activist and writer.-Life:Educated in South Africa, Dingake joined the African National Congress in 1952. In 1966 he was sentenced to 15 years on Robben Island. Released in 1981, he worked at the University of Botswana...
, Gilson Saleshando, Paul Rantao, Maitshwarelo Dabutha, Isaac Mabiletsa and Vain Mamela. The BCP's first national conference was held in April 1999, before the general election
Botswana general election, 1999
The Botswana general election of 1999 was fought between the Botswana Democratic Party and four opposition parties. 40 seats in the Parliament were contested, with the largest opposition party, the Botswana Congress Party losing its leader and ten seats, reducing the party to a mere seat...
in October 1999.
From 1998 to 2001 the BCP was led by Michael Dingake
Michael Dingake
Michael Kitso Dingake is a Botswana political activist and writer.-Life:Educated in South Africa, Dingake joined the African National Congress in 1952. In 1966 he was sentenced to 15 years on Robben Island. Released in 1981, he worked at the University of Botswana...
. In 2001 Otlaadisa Koosaletse became its leader. In 2005 Gilson Saleshando defeated Koosaletse to lead the party. It is affiliated with the New Democratic Front and the Social Democratic Party.
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
Botswana general election, 2004
The Botswana general election of 2004 was contested by the Botswana Democratic Party and eight opposition parties. 57 seats in the Parliament were contested, with the largest opposition party, the Botswana National Front , accusing the Independent Election Commission of fundamental errors in its...
, 30 October 2004, the party won 16.6% of the popular vote and 1 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
Botswana general election, 2009
General elections were held in Botswana on 16 October 2009. They were the 10th general elections held since Botswana's independence in 1966. Botswana's parliament has 61 seats, of which 57 are elected using a single-member district plurality system, meaning there are 57 constituencies, each...
in a pact with the Botswana Alliance Movement
Botswana Alliance Movement
The Botswana Alliance Movement is a progressive political party in Botswana, led by Ephraim Lepetu Setshwaelo. Prior to the 2009 election the party entered into an electoral pact with the Botswana Congress Party. In the 2009 elections the party won a seat in the National Assembly of Botswana for...
. 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 4 parliamentary seats. Its 19.2% popular vote makes it the third largest political movement in Botswana. 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. Following the merger, the BCP controlled 5 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).
Notable members
- Michael Dingake
- Gilson Saleshando
- Dumelang Saleshando
- Taolo Lucas
- Ephraim Setshwaelo
- Bagalatia Aarone
- Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang
- Motsei Madisa-Rapelana
- Dick Bayford
- Nehemiah Modubule
- Modise Mokwadi FlyModise Mokwadi FlyModise Mokwadi Fly is a Botswana politician and activist who was convicted and sentenced to death in 2008 of murdering his two-year-old son.Fly was the general secretary of the Botswana Congress Party Youth League. On 27 November 2006, Fly killed his son Tawana Mosinyi with an axe while the boy was...