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Botswana held a general election in October 2019. Though it was more competitive than previous elections, it resulted in a victory for the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and won an addition term for President Mokgweetsi Masisi. Botswana saw an escalation in the rivalry between Masisi and his predecessor Ian Khama, with Khama leaving the Botswana Democratic Party to support the Botswana Patriotic Front and the Umbrella for Democratic Change. Following the BDP's victory, opposition leaders challenged the results of the election.
The Sewelô diamond was discovered in April 2019, and two other diamonds, the Okavango Blue and the Lesedi La Rona, were unveiled in the same month. The nation's ban on elephant hunting was controversially lifted in May 2019. Botswana's law criminalising homosexuality was overturned by the High Court of Botswana in June 2019, prompting a challenge from the government.