In a recent announcement, the President of Botswana proudly introduced the 62 parliamentary candidates representing the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) for the upcoming 2024 elections. In his statement, the President emphasized the commitment of these candidates to serving the nation with dedication and integrity, saying:
“Dumelang Batswana Betsho, I am proud to present our 2024 BDP MP candidates who are ready & committed to serving you and our nation with dedication and integrity. Each one is ready to represent your voice and work towards a brighter future for every Motswana. Let’s work together to bring about positive change and build a stronger, more prosperous Botswana.”
While the announcement was met with optimism from party supporters, there was a noticeable concern raised by the public. Out of the 62 candidates announced, only 7 are women, representing 11.29% of the total.
With Botswana’s population comprising 51.5% women, many feel that the BDP’s representation does not reflect the country’s gender balance. Several Batswana expressed their disappointment in the comment section of the announcement. One commenter wrote:
“Would have loved to see more women candidates instead of the 11% we have. We cannot empower women if we fail to give them a platform for their voices to be heard.”
Another asked pointedly:
“Where are the women Mr President?”
This concern is not new in Botswana, where gender representation in politics has been a long-standing issue. Although strides have been made toward gender equality in various sectors, the underrepresentation of women in political leadership continues to be a critical issue for many.
