Botswana swore in new president Duma Boko Friday, cementing a whirlwind change of government after his landslide election victory kicking out the party in power for nearly 60 years.
Boko, 54, took the oath in front of several thousand people in the national stadium in the capital.
The ceremony was attended by the presidents of other southern African countries, including Madagascar, Namibia, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
“I stand before you today the living embodiment of your deep and true resolve,” the human rights lawyer turned politician told the crowd.
“Together, we usher in a new political dawn,” he said.
“This is your story. Embrace it, be a part of it. Be it, acknowledge the role that you played, and continue to play in its unfolding.”
Boko’s left-leaning Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) won 36 seats in parliament in the October 30 election, compared to four for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).
It was a stunning reversal for the party that has ruled diamond-rich Botswana since its independence from Britain in 1966.
Former president Mokgweetsi Masisi, who swiftly conceded defeat a week ago as the results became clear, was also in the audience.
Boko, dressed in a blue shirt and black tie — the colours of the Botswana flag — started the event by circling the stadium in a vehicle, flanked by galloping white horses, and waving to the cheering crowd.
“For me, the attendance of Batswana from all walks of life demonstrates how united we are and committed to nation-building,” said Wabuya Keobonye, 88, a taxi driver who was in stadium.
“President Duma Boko’s decision to declare today a holiday gave Batswana a chance to come and witness this historic event,” he said.
Ahead of the election in the arid and sparsely populated country of some 2.6 million people, voters said their main concerns were unemployment and a slump in the economy.
Voter turnout was 80 percent, with young people making up around 34 percent of the more than one million registered voters, according to a report by the Southern African Development Community observer mission.
“Young people, we are the leaders of today, not tomorrow, and we demonstrated that through our participation in the vote,” said Ipotseng Negroes, 35, a farmer attending the inauguration.
“The power of Batswana is loud and clear, and what we want is change.”
