Botswana Movement for Democracy

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.

Botswana Movement for Democracy
LeaderThuso Tiego
Founded29 May 2010
IdeologyRight-wing populism
Christian right
Nationalism
2010โ€“2023:
Liberalism
Political positionRight-wing
2010โ€“2023:
Centre
National affiliationNone
Formerly: Umbrella for Democratic Change
(2012โ€“2018)
Continental affiliationAfrica Liberal Network
National Assembly
0 / 57
Councillors
1 / 490
  • Politics of Botswana
  • Political parties
  • Elections

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.

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.

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

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