Mmadinare (Botswana constituency)

Mmadinare
Single-member constituency for the National Assembly
District	Central District
Population	30,460
Major settlements	Mmadinare
Area	5,614 km2
Current constituency
Created	1965
Party	UDC
MP	Ketlhalefile Motshegwa
Margin of victory	38 (0.4 pp)

Mmadinare is a constituency in Botswana represented in the National Assembly of Botswana since 2024 by Ketlhalefile Motshegwa, an Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) MP since 2024.

Constituency profile

The seat was a stronghold for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), consistently delivering large majorities in its favor from its establishment in 1965 until the 2024 Botswana general election, when the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) flipped it to the opposition. This shift was mainly due to a steep collapse in the BDP vote, ending the party’s 58-year grip on the constituency. Notably, the seat had long been considered a safe one for the BDP, particularly for a constituency outside Serowe for instance, it was the safest non-Serowe based seat for the BDP in the country in the 2014 general election. This victory reflected the broader success of the UDC in northern Botswana during the 2024 election, where the BDP was completely locked out of the Central District — historically its strongest region.

The predominantly rural constituency anchored around the mining town of Selebi-Phikwe encompasses the following localities: ^[1]

1. Mmadinare
2. Sefophe
3. Tobane
4. Tshokwe
5. Robelela
6. Damochojenaa

Members of Parliament

Key:  BDP   UDC

Election	Winner
1965 election		Amos Dambe
1969 election
1974 election		Kebatlamang Morake
1979 election
1984 election		Ponatshego Kedikilwe
1989 election
1994 election
1999 election
2004 election
2009 election
2014 election		Kefentse Mzwinila
2019 election		Molebatsi Molebatsi
2024 election		Ketlhalefile Motshegwa

Election results

2024 election

General election 2024: Mmadinare ^[2]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UDC	Ketlhalefile Motshegwa	3,285	30.33	+1.24
	BCP	Sennye Obuseng	3,247	29.98	N/A
	BDP	Kefentse Mzwinila	2,849	26.31	−23.73
	BPF	Jacob Mosimanyana	1,333	12.31	−4.51
	BMD	Lame Bothman-Hall	116	1.07	N/A
Margin of victory			38	0.35	N/A
Total valid votes			10,830	98.93	−0.19
Rejected ballots			117	1.07	+0.19
Turnout			10,947	80.63	−1.61
Registered electors			13,577
	UDC gain from BDP		Swing	+15.61

2019 election

General election 2019: Mmadinare ^[3]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Molebatsi Molebatsi	6,847	50.04	−20.11
	UDC	Joseph Bagwasi	3,980	29.09	−0.76
	BPF	Felicity Keleeme	2,301	16.82	N/A
	AP	Motshereganyi Madingwane	555	4.06	N/A
Margin of victory			2,867	20.95	−19.35
Total valid votes			13,683	99.12	+1.26
Rejected ballots			121	0.88	−1.26
Turnout			13,804	82.54	+1.28
Registered electors			16,725
	BDP hold		Swing	−9.68

2014 election

General election 2014: Mmadinare ^[4]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Ponatshego Kedikilwe	7,325	70.15	−1.11
	BCP	Christopher Motsholapheko	3,117	29.85	+1.11
Margin of victory			4,208	40.30	−2.22
Total valid votes			10,442	97.86	−0.06
Rejected ballots			228	2.14	+0.06
Turnout			10,670	81.26	+4.54
Registered electors			13,131
	BDP hold		Swing	−1.11

2009 election

General election 2009: Mmadinare ^[5]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Ponatshego Kedikilwe	6,304	71.26	−7.27
	BCP	Christopher Motsholapheko	2,542	28.74	+7.27
Margin of victory			3,762	42.52	−14.54
Total valid votes			8,846	97.92	+1.32
Rejected ballots			188	2.08	−1.32
Turnout			9,034	76.72	+6.19
Registered electors			11,776
	BDP hold		Swing	−7.27

2004 election

General election 2004: Mmadinare ^[6]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Ponatshego Kedikilwe	4,258	78.53	−10.05
	BCP	Christopher Motsholapheko	1,137	21.47	N/A
Margin of victory			3,021	57.06	−20.10
Total valid votes			5,295	96.26	+5.64
Rejected ballots			206	3.74	−5.64
Turnout			5,501	70.53	+2.30
Registered electors			7,800
	BDP hold		Swing	−10.05

1999 election

General election 1999: Mmadinare ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Ponatshego Kedikilwe	4,398	88.58	+3.17
	BNF	R.J. Lesedi	567	11.42	−3.17
Margin of victory			3,831	77.16	+6.34
Total valid votes			4,965	90.62	N/A
Rejected ballots			514	9.38	N/A
Turnout			5,479	68.23	+10.86
Registered electors			8,030
	BDP hold		Swing	+3.17

1994 election

General election 1994: Mmadinare ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Ponatshego Kedikilwe	3,871	85.41	−3.89
	BNF	Moses Seeletso	661	14.59	+3.89
Margin of victory			3,210	70.82	−7.78
Turnout			4,532	57.37	−14.17
Registered electors			7,900
	BDP hold		Swing	−3.89

1989 election

General election 1989: Mmadinare ^[7]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Ponatshego Kedikilwe	4,650	89.30	−2.80
	BNF	Gabaikitse Kolenyane	557	10.70	+2.80
Margin of victory			4,093	78.60	−5.60
Turnout			5,207	71.54	−8.27
Registered electors			7,278
	BDP hold		Swing	−2.80

1984 election

General election 1984: Mmadinare

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Ponatshego Kedikilwe	4,817	92.10	+5.59
	BNF	Nicolas Selelo	417	7.90	+2.39
Margin of victory			4,400	84.20	+5.66
Turnout			5,230	79.81	+23.19
Registered electors			6,553
	BDP hold		Swing	+3.99

1979 election

General election 1979: Mmadinare ^[8]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	BDP	Kebatlamang Morake	5,068	86.51
	BPP	P.K. Pudiephatshwa	467	7.97
	BNF	M. Giddie	323	5.51
Margin of victory			4,601	78.54
Turnout			5,858	56.62
Registered electors			10,345
	BDP hold

1974 election

General election 1974: Mmadinare ^[9]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Kebatlamang Morake	Walkover	N/A	N/A
	BDP hold

1969 election

General election 1969: Madinare ^[10]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Amos Dambe	4,222	96.48	+0.82
	BIP	M.L. Mabengano	82	1.87	+0.06
	BPP	L. Sentufhe	72	1.65	−0.89
Margin of victory			4,140	94.61	+1.49
Turnout				64.24	−24.4
Registered electors			6,812
	BDP hold		Swing	+0.44

1965 election

General election 1965: Madinare ^[11]

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	BDP	Amos Dambe	6,144	95.66
	BPP	K.J. Letoa	163	2.54
	BIP	L. Mabeganu	116	1.81
Margin of victory			5,981	93.12
Turnout			6,423	88.6
Registered electors			N/A
	BDP win (new seat)

References

1. 2022 DELIMITATION COMMISSION REPORT (PDF). 2022.
2. "Motshegwa wins Mmadinare Constituency". DailyNews. 31 October 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. Results by constituency
8. Democracy in the face of a weak Opposition in Botswana, Brian T. Mokopakgosi & Mpho G. Molomo (2000)
9. Report to the Minister of State on the general elections, 1974 (PDF). Supervisor of Elections. 1974.
10. "Report on the General Elections 1969" (PDF). 1969.
11. 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.