Botswana Congress Party

Botswana Congress Party
Botswana Congress Party
Leader Dumelang Saleshando
Spokesperson Taolo Lucas
Founded June 20, 1998 (1998-06-20)
Ideology Social democracy
Political position Centre-left
Parliament of Botswana
5 / 57
Website
http://www.bcp.org.bw

The Botswana Congress Party (BCP) is a social-democratic political party in Botswana, considered the third largest party in Botswana.

The BCP was founded in 1998 in a split from the Botswana National Front, with most of the BNF's sitting Members of Parliament joining the new party after a leadership dispute with Kenneth Koma. MPs who helped found the party included Michael Dingake, Gilson Saleshando, Paul Rantao, Maitshwarelo Dabutha, Isaac Mabiletsa and Vain Mamela. The BCP's first national conference was held in April 1999, before the general election in October 1999.[1]

From 1998 to 2001 the BCP was led by Michael Dingake. In 2001 Otlaadisa Koosaletse became its leader. In 2005 Gilson Saleshando defeated Koosaletse to lead the party. It is affiliated with the New Democratic Front and the Social Democratic Party.

The BCP was formed by 11 sitting MPs and immediately became the official opposition in parliament. Party president Michael Dingake served as Leader of the Opposition until parliament was dissolved in advance of the 1999 general elections. In the 1999 general elections, the BCP won 11.9% of the vote and retained only one seat (out of 40). In the elections, 30 October 2004, the party won 16.6% of the popular vote and 1 out of 57 seats. The sole BCP member of parliament was Dumelang Saleshando, the son of then BCP president, Gilson Saleshando.

In 2009, the party contested the 2009 election in a pact with the Botswana Alliance Movement. However, talks to form an alliance with the Botswana National Front proved fruitless.

The 2009 elections proved a decisive success for the party. The BCP won 19.2% of the popular vote and 4 parliamentary seats. Its 19.2% popular vote makes it the third largest political movement in Botswana. [2] The BCP retained the Gaborone Central constituency and won the Chobe, Okavango, and Selebi Phikwe West constituencies from the BDP. Pact partner BAM won 2.3% of the vote and defeated the former Minister of Education and Skills Development, Jacob Nkate, in the Ngami constituency. Despite its losses to the BCP, the BDP won enough constituencies from the BNF to increase its overall representation by one seat.

In May 2010, the BCP and the BAM merged under the BCP label with a new party symbol that incorporates elements of the parent parties. Following the merger, the BCP controlled 5 seats in the National Assembly.

On 4 September 2010, the BCP contested by elections in Tonota North constituency with the support of the other three opposition parties, Botswana National Front (BNF), Botswana Peoples Party (BPP) and the BDP breakaway party Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD). The BCP candidate increased her vote share slightly, to 36.1%, but lost to the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).


Notable members

  • Michael Dingake
  • Gilson Saleshando
  • Dumelang Saleshando
  • Taolo Lucas
  • Ephraim Setshwaelo
  • Bagalatia Aarone
  • Dr Kesitegile Gobotswang
  • Motsei Madisa-Rapelana
  • Dick Bayford
  • Nehemiah Modubule
  • Modise Mokwadi Fly


  1. ^ Morton, Fred; Ramsay, Jeff; Mgadla, Part Themba (2008). "Congress Party)". Historical Dictionary of Botswana. African Historical Dictionaries. 108 (4th ed.). Metuchen, New Jersey: Scarecrow Press. pp. 77–8. ISBN 978-0-8108-5467-3. 
  2. ^ https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/bc.html

External links



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужна курсовая?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Congress Party — may refer to: Botswana Congress Party, a political party in Botswana Congress Party, a minor defunct political party in Barbados Congress Party for the Independence of Madagascar, a communist political party in Madagascar Indian National Congress …   Wikipedia

  • Malawi Congress Party — Dziko la Malaŵi (Chichewa) Republic of Malawi (englisch) Republik Malawi Flagge …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Botswana — /bot swah neuh/, n. a republic in S Africa: formerly a British protectorate; gained independence 1966; member of the Commonwealth of Nations. 1,500,765; 275,000 sq. mi. (712,250 sq. km). Cap.: Gaborone. Formerly, Bechuanaland. * * * Botswana… …   Universalium

  • Botswana — <p></p> <p></p> Introduction ::Botswana <p></p> Background: <p></p> Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name upon independence in 1966. More than four decades …   The World Factbook

  • Botswana general election, 1999 — The Botswana general election of 1999 was fought between the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and four opposition parties. 40 seats in the Parliament were contested, with the largest opposition party, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) losing its… …   Wikipedia

  • Botswana National Front — The Botswana National Front (or BNF) is the main opposition party in Botswana. At the last elections, on 30 October 2004, the party won 26.1% of the popular vote and 12 out of 57 seats.The BNF was founded in 1965 in the soon to be independent… …   Wikipedia

  • Botswana National Front — Front national du Botswana Pour les articles homonymes, voir BNF. Le Front national du Botswana (Botswana National Front ou BNF) est un parti politique botswanais d opposition, par ailleurs membre observateur de l Internationale socialiste. Lors… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • National Assembly of Botswana — Type Type Lower house …   Wikipedia

  • List of Botswana-related topics — This is a list of topics related to Botswana. Those interested in the subject can monitor changes to the pages by clicking on Related changes in the sidebar. Botswana * Botswana * Botswana Railways * Botswana diplomatic missions * Sankuyo… …   Wikipedia

  • List of political parties in Botswana — This article lists political parties in Botswana. Botswana is a one party dominant state with the Botswana Democratic Party in power. Opposition parties are allowed, but are widely considered to have no real chance of gaining power. There is no… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”