Okavango (Botswana constituency)

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Okavango
Single-member constituency
for the National Assembly
Boundary of Okavango in Botswana
DistrictNorth-West District
Population44,690[1]
Area32,095 km2
Current constituency
Created1965
Party  BCP
MPKenny Kapinga
Margin of victory761 (5.13 pp)

Okavango is a constituency in the North-West District represented in the National Assembly of Botswana by Kenny Kapinga a BCP MP.

Following the completion of the 2022 Delimitation of Parliamentary constituencies, the existing seat will be dissolved and replaced by two new constituencies, Okavango East and Okavango West, to be first contested in the upcoming 2024 general election.[2]

Constituency profile[edit]

The Okavango constituency is located in the north of North-West Distritct and existed with the majority of its boundaries intact from the first inaugural elections in 1965 until 2024, making it one of the longest-running constituencies in Botswana's electoral history.

Throughout its existence, Okavango has generally remained an opposition stronghold, and the region that has voted the least for the BDP since Botswana's independence (the party only won the constituency in 1965, 1979 and 2004). Between 1969 and 1979 it was represented by the BIP, between 1984 and 1999 by the BNF, and from 1999 to 2024 it voted mostly for BCP candidates. In 2022, the delimitation commission recommended the division of Okavango into two constituencies, effectively dissolving the constituency.

The constituency, predominantly rural, encompasses the following villages:[3]

  1. Ikoga
  2. Sepopa
  3. Nxamasere
  4. Samochema
  5. Shakawe
  6. Gani
  7. Mohembo East
  8. Tsodilo
  9. Chukumuchu
  10. Nxauxau
  11. Tobera
  12. Mohembo West
  13. Kauxwi
  14. Xakao
  15. Sekondomboro
  16. Nkarange
  17. Mogotlho
  18. Seronga
  19. Gonutsuga
  20. Eretsha
  21. Beetsha
  22. Gudigwa

Members of Parliament[edit]

Key:   BDP   BIP   BNF   BCP   UDC

Election Winner
1965 election Tsheko Tsheko
1969 election Motsamai Mpho
1974 election
1979 election Bailang Salepito
1984 election Joseph Kavindama
1989 election
1994 election
1999 election
2004 election Vister Moruti
2009 election Bagalatia Arone
2014 election
2019 election Kenny Kapinga

Election results[edit]

2019 election[edit]

General election 2019: Okavango[4]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
UDC Kenny Kapinga 7,577 51.11 +49.40
BDP Mbahahauka Kambimba 6,816 45.98 +2.38
AP Kabelo Mahupe 432 2.91 N/A
Margin of victory 761 5.13 −5.95
Total valid votes 14,825 99.10 +0.47
Rejected ballots 134 0.90 −0.47
Turnout 14,959 84.86 +1.37
Registered electors 17,628
UDC hold Swing +25.89

2014 election[edit]

General election 2014: Okavango[5]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BCP Bagalatia Arone 6,864 54.68 −4.36
BDP Mbahahauka Kambimba 5,473 43.60 +2.64
UDC Vister Moruti 215 1.71 −39.25
Margin of victory 1,391 11.08 −7.0
Total valid votes 12,552 98.63 +1.68
Rejected ballots 174 1.37 −1.68
Turnout 12,726 83.49 +6.89
Registered electors 15,243
BCP hold Swing −3.5

2009 election[edit]

General election 2009: Okavango[6]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BCP Bagalatia Arone 6,211 59.04 +14.0
BDP Vister Moruti 4,309 40.96 −7.07
Margin of victory 1.902 18.08 N/A
Total valid votes 10,520 96.95 +0.53
Rejected ballots 331 3.05 −0.53
Turnout 10,851 76.60 −6.48
Registered electors 14,166
BCP gain from BDP Swing +10.54

2004 election[edit]

General election 2004: Okavango[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BDP Vister Moruti 4,025 48.03 +4.21
BCP Joseph Kavindama 3,774 45.04 +1.03
BAM Sakuze Otukeseng 581 6.93 −2.6
Margin of victory 433 7.67 N/A
Total valid votes 8,380 96.42 −3.33
Rejected ballots 311 3.58 +3.33
Turnout 8,691 83.08 −4.13
Registered electors 10,461
BDP gain from BCP Swing +1.50

1999 election[edit]

General election 1999: Okavango[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BCP Joseph Kavindama 4,308 44.01 −7.01
BDP Vister Moruti 4,226 43.18 −8.10
BAM M. Kwamovu 933 9.53 +4.38
BNF S.A. Sitemo 321 3.28 −47.74
Margin of victory 82 0.83 −15.11
Total valid votes 9,788 93.09 N/A
Rejected ballots 726 6.91 N/A
Turnout 10,514 78.95 +11.49
Registered electors 13,318
BCP hold Swing −7.56

1994 election[edit]

General election 1994: Okavango
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BNF Joseph Kavindama 3,181 51.02 +4.95
BDP Vister Moruti 2,187 35.08 +0.57
IFP M. M. Mogae 1,392 13.91 −5.5
Margin of victory 994 15.94 +4.38
Turnout 6,235 67.46 +6.73
Registered electors 9,242
BNF hold Swing +2.76

1989 election[edit]

General election 1989: Okavango
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BNF Joseph Kavindama 3,304 46.07 +6.98
BDP Vister Moruti 2,475 34.51 +4.48
BIP Motsamai Mpho 1,392 19.41 −11.47
Margin of victory 829 11.56 +3.35
Turnout 7,171 60.73 −12.05
Registered electors 11,808
BNF hold Swing +5.73

1984 election[edit]

General election 1984: Okavango
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BNF Joseph Kavindama 2,719 39.09 +35.12
BIP Motsamai Mpho 2,148 30.88 −4.87
BDP Bailang Salepito 2,089 30.03 −30.25
Margin of victory 571 8.21 N/A
Turnout 6,956 72.78 +14.55
Registered electors 9,557
BNF gain from BDP Swing +20.0

1979 election[edit]

General election 1979: Okavango[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BDP Bailang Salepito 4,099 60.28 +12.13
BIP Motsamai Mpho 2,431 35.75 −16.1
Independent Joseph Kavindama 270 3.97 N/A
Margin of victory 1,668 24.53 N/A
Turnout 6,800 58.23 +33.07
Registered electors 11,678
BDP gain from BIP Swing +14.11

1974 election[edit]

General election 1974: Okavango[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BIP Motsamai Mpho 1,204 51.85 −4.33
BDP Modisang Modisang 1,118 48.15 +4.33
Margin of victory 85 3.7 −8.66
Turnout 2,322 25.16 −22.11
Registered electors 9,230
BIP hold Swing −4.33

1969 election[edit]

General election 1969: Okavango[11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
BIP Motsamai Mpho 1,923 56.18 +9.84
BDP Tsheko Tsheko 1,500 43.82 −9.84
Margin of victory 423 12.36 N/A
Turnout 3,423 47.27 N/A
Registered electors 7,241
BIP gain from BDP Swing +9.84

1965 election[edit]

General election 1965: Okavango[12]
Party Candidate Votes %
BDP Tsheko Tsheko 1,929 53.66
BIP Motsamai Mpho 1,666 46.34
Margin of victory 263 7.32
Turnout 3,595 N/A
Registered electors N/A
BDP win (new seat)

References[edit]

  1. ^ 2022 DELIMITATION COMMISSION REPORT (PDF). 2022. p. 7.
  2. ^ 2022 DELIMITATION COMMISSION REPORT (PDF). 2022.
  3. ^ REPORT OF THE DELIMITATION COMMISSION, 2012 (PDF). 2012.
  4. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2019
  5. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2014
  6. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2009
  7. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2004
  8. ^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 1999
  9. ^ Democracy in the face of a weak Opposition in Botswana, Brian T. Mokopakgosi & Mpho G. Molomo (2000)
  10. ^ Report to the Minister of State on the general elections, 1974 (PDF). Supervisor of Elections. 1974.
  11. ^ "Report on the General Elections 1969" (PDF). 1969.
  12. ^ Gossett, Charles W.; Kebapetse, Lotshwao (21 April 2013). "Report on the 1965 General Election and the 1966 Local Government Election". Botswana Notes & Records. 41. Rochester, NY: Social Science Research Network (published 2009): 17. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
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