David Tshere achieves record vote share and margin of victory in Botswana's 2024 General Election
via Mmegi2 min read
In the 2024 General Election, David Tshere, the incumbent legislator for Mahalapye-West, was re-elected with 73% of the vote and a 58 percentage point margin. This represents the highest vote share and margin of victory ever attained by a non-BDP candidate in Botswana's electoral history, surpassing the 71% record set by Bathoen II 55 years prior. The Botswana Democratic Party BDP lost national power for the first time since 1966, with its vote share in Mahalapye-West declining to 14.8%, its second-lowest performance in any constituency. The UDC, by contrast, saw a 21-percentage-point increase in its vote share compared to the 2019 election. Tshere began his political career in 2011 after resigning from his position as head of the Biomedical Engineering unit at Princess Marina Hospital in 2009. He cites the 2008 regime change within the BDP and an economic recession as factors that influenced his decision to enter politics, believing politics could make a difference in people's lives. His background in public service, including serving in middle management and as chairperson of a tender evaluation committee, has provided him with knowledge of protocols and procedures, which he finds helpful in his current ministerial role.
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