Mahalapye East

Mahalapye East
Single-member constituency for the National Assembly
District	Central
Population	30,047
Major settlements	Mahalapye
Area	5,031 km2
Current constituency
Created	2004
Party	UDC
Created from	Mahalapye
MP	Augustine Nyatanga
Margin of victory	4,140 (30.8 pp)

Mahalapye East is a constituency in the Central District represented in the National Assembly of Botswana by Augustine Nyatanga of the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) since 2024.

Constituency profile

The constituency was created in 2004 as part of an increase in the number of Mahalapye constituencies from one to two. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) won the seat in its inaugural election in 2004 and held on to it for the next two elections. The 2014 saw the BDP dip below 50% for the first time. In 2019, echoing a broader trend within the district, a significant political realignment occurred as Ian Khama, paramount chief of the Ngwato tribe fell out with the incumbent president, Mokgweetsi Masisi and leader of the BDP. This political discord impacted the constituency's voting patterns. ^{[1] [2]} The Umbrella for Democratic Change flipped the seat, largely benefitting from the BPF siphoning away votes from the BDP. The seat was held by the UDC at a larger majority in 2024.

The rural constituency encompasses the following locations: ^[3]

1. Eastern Mahalapye
2. Taupye
3. Makwate
4. Shakwe
5. Dovedale
6. Mokoswane
7. Kudumatswe
8. Mmaphashalala
9. Mookane
10. Palla Road
11. Parr's Halt Border Post

Members of Parliament

Key:  BDP   UDC

Election	Winner
2004 election		Botlogile Tshireletso
2009 election
2014 election
2019 election		Yandani Boko
2024 election		Augustine Nyatanga

Election results

2024 election

General election 2024: Mahalapye East ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UDC	Augustine Nyatanga	7,140	53.03	+10.87
	BDP	Thebe Setlalekgosi	3,000	22.28	−14.64
	BCP	Ethel Gaampone	2,100	15.60	N/A
	BPF	Lazarus Lekgoanyane	1,224	9.09	−11.83
Margin of victory			4,140	30.75	+25.51
Total valid votes			13,464	99.00	+0.32
Rejected ballots			135	1.00	−0.32
Turnout			13,599	82.04	−2.67
Registered electors			16,577
	UDC hold		Swing	+12.76

2019 election

General election 2019: Mahalapye East ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UDC	Yandani Boko	4,323	42.16	+2.24
	BDP	Ecco Maje	3,786	36.92	−11.58
	BPF	Lazarus Lekgoanyana	2,145	20.92	N/A
Margin of victory			537	5.24	N/A
Total valid votes			10,254	98.68	+1.16
Rejected ballots			137	1.32	−1.16
Turnout			10,391	84.71	+0.38
Registered electors			12,267
	UDC gain from BDP		Swing	+6.91

Note: UDC vote share is compared to the total vote share of the UDC and BCP in 2014.

2014 election

General election 2014: Mahalapye East ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Botlogile Tshireletso	4,406	48.50	−18.51
	UDC	Harry Mothei	2,479	27.29	−4.13
	BCP	Enerst Nthobelang	1,147	12.63	−28.11
	Independent	Neo Magowe	1,053	11.59	N/A
Margin of victory			1,927	21.21	−14.38
Total valid votes			9,085	97.52	−0.48
Rejected ballots			231	2.48	+0.48
Turnout			9,316	84.33	+9.24
Registered electors			11,047
	BDP hold		Swing	−7.19

Note: UDC vote share is compared to the vote share of the BNF in 2009.

2009 election

General election 2009: Mahalapye East ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Botlogile Tshireletso	5,178	67.01	+3.58
	BNF	Basimane Mannaesi	2,428	31.42	−0.15
	Independent	Roosevelt Kgosi	121	1.57	N/A
Margin of victory			2,750	35.59	+3.73
Total valid votes			7,727	98.00	+0.22
Rejected ballots			157	2.00	−0.22
Turnout			7,884	75.09	−1.18
Registered electors			10,499
	BDP hold		Swing	+1.87

2004 election

General election 2004: Mahalapye East ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	BDP	Botlogile Tshireletso	3,979	63.43
	BNF	Wame Boitumelo	1,836	31.57
Margin of victory			2,143	31.86
Total valid votes			5,815	97.78
Rejected ballots			132	2.22
Turnout			5,947	76.27
Registered electors			7,797
	BDP win (new seat)

References

1. Basimanebotlhe, Tsaone (2022-10-10). "Serowe constituencies vulnerable as BPF rumpus continues". Mmegi Online . Retrieved 2024-04-12.
2. Seabo, Batlang; Nyenhuis, Robert (2021-11-23). "Botswana's 2019 General Elections: A Referendum on General Ian Khama" . African Studies Review. 64 (4): 854–883. doi:10.1017/asr.2021.69. ISSN   0002-0206. S2CID   244539238.
3. 2022 DELIMITATION COMMISSION REPORT (PDF). 2022.
4. "UDC wins Mahalapye East Constituency". DailyNews. 1 November 2024.
5. Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2019
6. Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2014
7. Report To The Minister Of Presidential Affairs And Public Administration On The 2009 General Elections (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
8. BOTSWANA GENERAL ELECTIONS 30th OCTOBER 2004 POLLING RESULTS (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).