Botswana Movement for Democracy

Botswana Movement for Democracy
LeaderThuso Tiego
Founded29 May 2010
Split fromBotswana Democratic Party
IdeologyNational conservatism
Right-wing populism
Christian right
Anti-LGBT sentiment[1]
Historical:
Liberalism[2]
Political positionRight-wing[3]
Historical:
Centre
National affiliationNone
Formerly: Umbrella for Democratic Change
(2012–2018)
Continental affiliationAfrica Liberal Network[4]
National Assembly
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The Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) is a political party in Botswana, founded in 2010 by MPs and other politicians who parted ways with the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) due to differences with Ian Khama, the leader of the BDP and the President of Botswana at the time.[5]

It marked a significant break from the BDP, which had held power in Botswana since the country's independence in 1966. The inaugural congress of the BMD took place on May 2, 2011, during which Gomolemo Motswaledi was elected as its first leader. Botsalo Ntuane, then-Gaborone West South constituency MP and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, assumed the role of party Vice President. Sydney Pilane, who had been the party's Public Relations Officer since its inception, lost his bid for Party President to Motswaledi. The primary objective was to remove the existing "undemocratic" Khama-led government through constitutional and democratic means, with the aim of restoring and promoting a united, non-racial, non-sexist, and democratic Botswana.[6]

In preparation for the 2014 general election, the BMD joined forces with the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) alliance, ultimately becoming the country's second-largest party, with nine of its candidates securing seats in Parliament. However, in 2018, the BMD was expelled from the UDC after it refused to relinquish certain constituencies that had been allocated to the Botswana Congress Party following its entry into the alliance.[7]

Initially liberal in orientation, the party shifted to right-wing populist[3] and Christian-conservative discourse in 2023 after Thuso Tiego became party leader.

  1. ^ Tshepo, Kehimile (29 September 2023). "BMD disapproves homosexuality". Weekend Post. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
  2. ^ Hallink, Courtney (July 2019). Defending negative freedoms: Liberalism as a response to the rising authoritarianism of the Botswana Democratic Party. University of Cape Town. ISBN 978-1-77011-426-5.
  3. ^ a b "Botswana • Africa Elects". Africa Elects. Retrieved 2 October 2023.
  4. ^ "Our Member Parties – Africa Liberal Network". Retrieved 15 April 2024.
  5. ^ "Botswana Breakaway Party Launched in Split With Khama (Update1)". Bloomberg Businessweek. 29 May 2010. Archived from the original on 16 April 2011. Retrieved 27 October 2014.
  6. ^ Constitution of the BMD[permanent dead link‍]
  7. ^ "UDC suspends BMD". Mmegi Online. 26 September 2018. Retrieved 2 October 2023.