1965 Bechuanaland general election

none April 2022 Bechuanaland Protectorate Legislative 1961 Bechuanaland general election 1961 1 March 1965 1969 Botswana general election 1969 1st Parliament of Botswana 31 of the 35 seats in the National Assembly 16 188,950 74.55% (of registered voters)69.46% (of eligible population)n https://www.iec.gov.bw/images/Voter_Apathy_PRINT.pdf National Study On Voter Apathy in Botswana IEC Botswana University of Botswana 2022 17 en-GB Seretse_Khama_during_Independence_Talks.png Seretse Khama Botswana Democratic Party Serowe North 28 113,167 80.38% Philip_Matante_during_Independence_Talks.png Philip Matante BPP Francistown/Tati East 3 19,964 14.18% 1965 Botswana National Assembly election - Results by constituency.svg Results by constituency Prime Minister Seretse Khama BDP General elections were held in the Bechuanaland Protectorate on 1 March 1965, the country's first election under universal suffrage.Botswana: The 1965 Pre-Independence General Election EISA The result was a landslide victory for the Bechuanaland Democratic Party (BDP),Dieter Nohlen, Michael Krennerich & Bernhard Thibaut (1999) Elections in Africa: A data handbook, p113 0-19-829645-2 with Seretse Khama becoming Prime Minister. Following the elections, the country became independent as Botswana on 30 September 1966, at which point Khama became President. The BDP would go on to win the next twelve elections, maintaining its grip on power until its defeat at the 2024 general election 59 years later. Campaign The elections were contested by three main parties;Gossett, CW, and Lotshwao, K., 2009, Report on the 1965 General Election and the 1966 Local Government Election, Botswana Notes & Records, Vol. 41, pp.47-63 the Bechuanaland Democratic Party led by Khama, the Bechuanaland People's Party (BPP) led by Philip Matante and the Bechuanaland Independence Party led by Motsamai Mpho. There was also a single independent candidate, G.E.N. Mannathoko, who ran in Tati West.Botswana Election Results Election Passport In the Lobatsi and Barolong constituency, there were two candidates from the Bechuanaland People's Party, one of which represented the Motsete branch. Despite acceptance that the BDP was likely to win easily, there was widespread interest in the elections. The BDP was seen as a moderate party with responsible leaders and realistic policies; in contrast the leaders of the other parties were perceived to be quarrelsome and overly ethnocentric. Three BDP candidates were elected unopposed in Ghanzi, Kgalagadi and Kweneng West. Results Bechuanaland Democratic Party 113167 28 Bechuanaland People's Party 19964 3 Bechuanaland Independence Party 6491 0 Bechuanaland People's Party (Motsete Branch) 377 0 Independents 789 0 Indirectly-elected members 4 188950 Nohlen et al. References n Category:Elections in Botswana Bechuanaland General Category:Election and referendum articles with incomplete results Bechuanaland Category:Democratization Category:March 1965 in Africa