1965 Bechuanaland general election

1965 Bechuanaland general election

←  1961 1 March 1965 1969  →
elected members  →
31 of the 35 seats in the National Assembly 16 seats needed for a majority
Registered	188,950
Turnout	74.55% (of registered voters) 69.46% (of eligible population) [n 1]
Majority party Minority party   Leader Seretse Khama Philip Matante Party BDP BPP Leader's seat Serowe North Francistown/Tati East Seats won 28 3 Popular vote 113,167 19,964 Percentage 80.38% 14.18%
Results by constituency
Elected Prime Minister Seretse Khama BDP

General elections were held in the Bechuanaland Protectorate on 1 March 1965, the country's first election under universal suffrage. ^[1] The result was a landslide victory for the Bechuanaland Democratic Party (BDP), ^[2] with Seretse Khama becoming Prime Minister. Following the elections, the country became independent as Botswana on 30 September 1966, at which point Khama became President. ^[1] After these elections BDP will rule the country uninterrupted up until 2024.

Campaign

The elections were contested by three main parties; ^[3] the Bechuanaland Democratic Party led by Khama, the Bechuanaland People's Party (BDP) led by Philip Matante and the Bechuanaland Independence Party led by Motsamai Mpho. There was also a single independent candidate, G.E.N. Mannathoko, who ran in Tati West. ^[4] In the Lobatsi and Barolong constituency, there were two candidates from the Bechuanaland People's Party, one of which represented the Motsete branch. ^[4]

Despite acceptance that the BDP was likely to win easily, there was widespread interest in the elections. The BDP was seen as a moderate party with responsible leaders and realistic policies; in contrast the leaders of the other parties were perceived to be quarrelsome and overly ethnocentric. ^[1] Three BDP candidates were elected unopposed in Ghanzi, Kgalagadi and Kweneng West. ^[4]

Results

Party		Votes	%	Seats
	Bechuanaland Democratic Party	113,167	80.38	28
	Bechuanaland People's Party	19,964	14.18	3
	Bechuanaland Independence Party	6,491	4.61	0
	Bechuanaland People's Party (Motsete Branch)	377	0.27	0
	Independents	789	0.56	0
Indirectly-elected members				4
Total		140,788	100.00	35
Registered voters/turnout		188,950	–
Source: Nohlen et al.

References

1. National Study On Voter Apathy in Botswana (PDF). University of Botswana. IEC Botswana. 2022. p. 17.

1. Botswana: The 1965 Pre-Independence General Election EISA
2. Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p113 ISBN   0-19-829645-2
3. Gossett, CW, and Lotshwao, K., 2009, Report on the 1965 General Election and the 1966 Local Government Election, Botswana Notes & Records, Vol. 41, pp.47-63
4. Botswana Election Results Election Passport