National Assembly (Botswana)
| National Assembly Palamente ya Botswana | |
|---|---|
| 11th Parliament | |
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
Term limits | None |
| History | |
| Founded | 1966 |
New session started | 29 October 2014 |
| Leadership | |
Speaker | |
Deputy Speaker |
Kagiso Molatlhegi, BDP |
Leader of the Opposition | |
| Structure | |
| Seats |
63 29 needed for control and presidency |
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Political groups |
Government (44)
Official opposition (17)
Other (2)
|
Length of term | 5 years |
| Elections | |
| First-past-the-post | |
Last election | 24 October 2014 |
Next election | October 2019 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Gaborone, Botswana | |
|
|---|
| This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Botswana |
| Constitution |
|
The National Assembly is the legislative body within Botswana's unicameral Parliament. It is advised by the Ntlo ya Dikgosi (Tswana for "House of Chiefs"), which is not a house of Parliament.
The current National Assembly, formed following elections held on 16 October 2009, has a total of 63 members. 57 members are directly elected in single member constituencies using the simple-majority (or First-past-the-post) system for a term of five years. Four members are co-opted (by secret ballot of the rest of the Assembly) while the remaining two (the President and Attorney-general) are ex officio.
Current composition
| Party | Seats | |
|---|---|---|
| Botswana Democratic Party | 38 | |
| Specially elected MPs | 4 | |
| President of Botswana | 1 | |
| Attorney General | 1 | |
| Umbrella for Democratic Change | 13 | |
| Alliance for Progressives | 6 | |
| Total | ||
Previous National Assembly election results
| Political Party | Election Year | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 1969 | 1974 | 1979 | 1984 | 1989 | 1994 | 1999 | 2004 | 2009 | 2014 | |
| Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) | 28 | 24 | 27 | 29 | 29 | 31 | 27 | 33 | 44 | 45 | 37 |
| Botswana National Front (BNF) | – | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 13 | 6 | 12 | 6 | |
| Botswana People's Party (BPP) | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Botswana Independence Party (BIP) | – | 1 | 1 | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | |
| Botswana Congress Party (BCP) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 |
| Botswana Alliance Movement (BAM) | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
| Independents | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | – | 1 | |
| Total | 31 | 31 | 32 | 32 | 34 | 34 | 40 | 40 | 57 | 57 | 57 |
Note: In the pre-independence 1965 election, the Botswana Democratic Party was known as the Bechuanaland Democratic party and the Botswana People's Party was known as the Bechuanaland People's Party.
Despite being a one party dominant state since independence, all elections held in the country have been considered democratic, free, and fair.
See also
- Ntlo ya Dikgosi
- History of Botswana
- Legislative Branch
- List of Speakers of the National Assembly of Botswana
Coordinates: 24°39′31″S 25°54′38″E / 24.65861°S 25.91056°E