What the world can learn from Botswana

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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. “I will respectfully step aside," said the man who lost an election, “and participate in a smooth transition process." The speed with which President Mokgweetsi Masisi conceded defeat on November 1st was striking—all the more so given that his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) had ruled this diamond-rich southern African country for six decades, ever since independence from Britain in 1966. On November 4th Mr Masisi was officially replaced by Duma Boko (pictured), a Harvard-educated lawyer, whose Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) was the first party to defeat the BDP, after 13 attempts.

Mr Boko praised his predecessor for the smooth transition. “Botswana today sends a message to the whole world and says, democracy is alive here," he declared. It was a striking contrast with nearby Mozambique, where police have been shooting at anti-government protesters since October 24th, when Frelimo, an equally long-serving ruling party, claimed victory in elections observers say were rigged.

Although always ruled by the same party until now, Botswana is not a one-party state. Voters freely chose the BDP time and again, largely because its record was pretty good. At independence, Botswana was poor as well as landlocked, and had been described by one colonial official as “a useless piece of territory" (he was unaware of the diamonds).

But the elites who took power governed reasonably well. Unlike most African countries, it has never had a coup or military rule. Sensible governance has fostered economic growth.