Bobirwa (Botswana constituency)

Bobirwa
Single-member constituency for the National Assembly
District	Central District
Population	47,103
Major settlements	Bobonong
Area	8,593 km2
Current constituency
Created	1965
Party	BCP
MP	Taolo Lucas
Margin of victory	2,343 (12.2 pp)

Bobirwa is a constituency in Botswana represented in the National Assembly of Botswana by Taolo Lucas, a Botswana Congress Party (BCP) MP since 2019.

Constituency profile

The seat was a stronghold for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), consistently supporting it with large majorities from its establishment in 1965 until the 2019 general election where perennial candidate Taolo Lucas flipped it to the opposition column, ending the BDP's 54-year grip on the constituency. The constituency was subject to modest boundary changes and was renamed to Bobonong in the run-up to the 2014 general election. This win aligned with the broader success the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) achieved in the northern part of Botswana during the 2019 election. Posterior to the exit of the BCP from the UDC, Taolo Lucas held the seat with a twelve-point margin of victory, his best performance yet.

The predominantly rural constituency encompasses the following localities: ^[1]

1. Bobonong
2. Gobojango
3. Mabolwe
4. Semolale
5. Moletemane
6. Tsetsebjwe
7. Mathathane
8. Molalatau
9. Lentswelemoriti
10. Motlhabaneng
11. Lepokole

Members of Parliament

Key:  BDP   UDC   BCP

Election	Winner
1965 election		Archelaus Tsoebebe
1969 election		Abel Sikunyane
1974 election
1979 election		Walter Mosweu
1984 election
1989 election		James Maruatona
1994 election
1999 election
2004 election		Shaw Kgathi
2009 election
2014 election
2019 election		Taolo Lucas
2024 election

Election results

2024 election

General election 2024: Bobirwa ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BCP	Taolo Lucas	10,074	52.57	+3.11
	BDP	Francisco Kgoboko	7,731	40.34	−4.41
	UDC	Tshepang Makwati	703	3.67	N/A
	BPF	Boitshepelo Jakoba	656	3.42	N/A
Margin of victory			2,343	12.23	+7.52
Total valid votes			19,164	99.28	−0.12
Rejected ballots			139	0.72	+0.12
Turnout			19,303	82.91	−1.61
Registered electors			23,282
	BCP hold		Swing	+3.76

2019 election

General election 2019: Bobonong ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UDC	Taolo Lucas	8,956	49.46	−0.68
	BDP	Francisco Kgoboko	8,103	44.75	−5.11
	Independent	Jan Moshokwa	762	4.21	N/A
	BMD	Ofentse Dukes	287	1.58	N/A
Margin of victory			853	4.71	N/A
Total valid votes			18,108	99.40	+0.41
Rejected ballots			109	0.60	−0.41
Turnout			18,217	84.52	+0.56
Registered electors			21,554
	UDC gain from BDP		Swing	+2.22

2014 election

General election 2014: Bobonong ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Shaw Kgathi	7,350	49.86	−3.97
	BCP	Taolo Lucas	7,230	49.04	+2.87
	UDC	Kgaugelo Machete	162	1.10	N/A
Margin of victory			120	0.82	−6.84
Total valid votes			14,742	98.99	+1.06
Rejected ballots			151	1.01	−1.06
Turnout			14,893	83.96	+7.27
Registered electors			17,738
	BDP hold		Swing	−3.42

2009 election

General election 2009: Bobirwa ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Shaw Kgathi	5,899	53.83	+0.70
	BCP	Taolo Lucas	5,059	46.17	−0.70
Margin of victory			840	7.66	+1.40
Total valid votes			10,958	97.93	+0.81
Rejected ballots			232	2.07	−0.81
Turnout			11,190	76.69	−0.05
Registered electors			14,592
	BDP hold		Swing	+0.70

2004 election

General election 2004: Bobirwa ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Shaw Kgathi	4,258	53.13	−26.67
	BCP	Taolo Lucas	3,756	46.87	+26.67
Margin of victory			502	6.26	−53.34
Total valid votes			8,014	97.12	+3.15
Rejected ballots			238	2.88	−3.15
Turnout			8,252	76.74	−4.88
Registered electors			10,753
	BDP hold		Swing	−26.67

1999 election

General election 1999: Bobirwa ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	James Maruatona	4,913	79.80	−2.37
	BCP	Taolo Lucas	1,244	20.20	N/A
Margin of victory			3,669	59.60	−4.74
Total valid votes			6,157	93.97	N/A
Rejected ballots			395	6.03	N/A
Turnout			6,552	75.52	+5.01
Registered electors			9,035
	BDP hold		Swing	−2.37

1994 election

General election 1994: Bobirwa ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	James Maruatona	4,714	82.17	−5.11
	BNF	L.S. Letubo	1,023	17.83	+5.11
Margin of victory			3,691	64.34	−10.22
Turnout			5,737	70.51	+3.03
Registered electors			8,137
	BDP hold		Swing	−5.11

1989 election

General election 1989: Bobirwa ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	James Maruatona	4,853	87.28	−5.72
	BNF	Balebeng Marumo	707	12.72	+5.72
Margin of victory			4,146	74.56	−11.44
Turnout			5,560	67.48	−6.96
Registered electors			8,240
	BDP hold		Swing	−5.72

1984 election

General election 1984: Bobirwa

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Walter Mosweu	5,542	93.00	−3.98
	BNF	Nicolas Selelo	417	7.00	N/A
Margin of victory			5,125	86.00	−7.96
Turnout			5,959	74.44	+19.54
Registered electors			8,005
	BDP hold		Swing	−3.98

1979 election

General election 1979: Bobirwa ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	BDP	Walter Mosweu	4,269	96.98
	BPP	G.F. Manowe	133	3.02
Margin of victory			4,136	93.96
Turnout			4,402	54.90
Registered electors			8,018
	BDP hold

1974 election

General election 1974: Bobirwa ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Abel Sikunyane	Walkover	N/A	N/A
	BDP hold

1969 election

General election 1969: Bobirwa ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Abel Sikunyane	3,243	95.52	−2.60
	BNF	M.E. Malema	152	4.48	N/A
Margin of victory			3,091	91.04	−5.95
Turnout			3,395	60.22	N/A
Registered electors			5,637
	BDP hold		Swing	−2.60

1965 election

General election 1965: Bobirwa ^[12]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	BDP	Archelaus Tsoebebe	5,382	98.12
	BPP	J. Sechele	62	1.13
	BIP	B. Nwako	41	0.75
Margin of victory			5,320	96.99
Turnout			5,485	N/A
Registered electors			N/A
	BDP win (new seat)

References

1. 2022 DELIMITATION COMMISSION REPORT (PDF). 2022.
2. "Bobirwa Constituency goes to". DailyNews. 1 November 2024.
3. Report to the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration on the 2019 General Elections (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). 2020.
4. Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2014
5. Report To The Minister Of Presidential Affairs And Public Administration On The 2009 General Elections (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
6. BOTSWANA GENERAL ELECTIONS 30th OCTOBER 2004 POLLING RESULTS (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
7. Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 1999
8. Results by constituency
9. Democracy in the face of a weak Opposition in Botswana, Brian T. Mokopakgosi & Mpho G. Molomo (2000)
10. Report to the Minister of State on the general elections, 1974 (PDF). Supervisor of Elections. 1974.
11. "Report on the General Elections 1969" (PDF). 1969.
12. Gossett, Charles W.; Kebapetse, Lotshwao (21 April 2013). "Report on the 1965 General Election and the 1966 Local Government Election". Botswana Notes & Records. 41. Rochester, NY: Social Science Research Network (published 2009): 53. Retrieved 2024-01-27.