1979 Botswana general election
20 October 1979
32 of the 36 seats in the National Assembly
17 seats needed for a majority
Registered230,231
  Majority party Minority party Third party
 
Leader Seretse Khama Kenneth Koma Philip Matante
Party BDP BNF BPP
Last election 76.62%, 27 seats 11.49%, 2 seats 6.56%, 2 seats
Seats won 29 2 1
Seat change Increase2 Steady Decrease1
Popular vote 101,098 17,480 9,983
Percentage 75.17% 13.00% 7.42%
Swing Decrease1.45pp Increase1.51pp Increase0.86pp
Results by constituency
President before election

Seretse Khama
BDP

 Elected President

Seretse Khama
BDP

General elections were held in Botswana on 20 October 1979. The result was a fourth successive landslide victory for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which won 29 of the 32 elected seats,[1] including two in which they were unopposed.[2]

As of the 2019 general elections, this is the last time the BDP received more than 70% of the vote.

Campaign

A total of 69 candidates contested the election. The BDP was the only party to run a full slate of 32 candidates, with the Botswana National Front putting forward 16 candidates, the Botswana People's Party 14 and the Botswana Independence Party five. There were also two independents.[2] The BDP campaigned on opposition to apartheid in South Africa and a call for economic sanctions against Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.[3]

Prior to the elections, the voter roll was completely revamped. The revision was accompanied by a vigorous radio and press campaign by the government to encourage registration. Although the number of registered voters increased by only 6,635 compared to the 1974 elections, this was deemed to be due to the 1974 voter roll having numerous duplications.

Results

PartyVotes%Seats+/–
Botswana Democratic Party101,09875.1729+2
Botswana National Front17,48013.0020
Botswana People's Party9,9837.421–1
Botswana Independence Party5,6574.210–1
Independents2780.2100
Indirectly-elected members4–
Total134,496100.00360
Registered voters/turnout230,231–
Source: EISA, Nohlen et al.

References

  1. ↑ Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p113 ISBN 0-19-829645-2
  2. 1 2 Botswana: The October 1979 General Election EISA
  3. ↑ Botswana Inter-Parliamentary Union
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