Boko pushes direct presidential vote
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Wednesday January 21, 2026 06:00
Addressing traditional leaders on Friday, Boko said that Batswana had long called for the direct election of the President, particularly during the consultations on the Constitutional Review in 2022. However, he noted that despite these submissions, the commissioners at the time ruled against the proposal. He questioned the basis of that decision, arguing that it effectively overturned the wishes of the people without sufficient justification.
“The absence of a Constitutional Court denies citizens an opportunity to legally challenge the commission’s ruling. If such a court existed, Batswana could have tested whether the commissioners had the authority to strike out what the public wanted,' he revealed. According to Boko, this highlighted a gap in Botswana’s constitutional democracy that must be addressed.
“There is no one who can dispute that we need a Constitutional Court,” he said. He made it clear that he fully supports direct presidential elections and believes the process should be open and competitive.
Boko said anyone with the ambition and capacity to lead should be allowed to contest, including former presidents who may still have the willingness to serve. In his view, democracy is strengthened when leadership positions are subjected to open competition and public choice.
Furthermore, Boko argued that directly electing the President would improve governance by clearly separating roles within government. He said such a system would allow the President to appoint an executive of his or her choice, while Members of Parliament would focus squarely on their legislative and oversight responsibilities.
In addition, he said a directly elected President would enjoy stronger legitimacy in the eyes of Members of Parliament. Boko said that, at times, MPs may view presidential decisions with suspicion, believing they lack a direct mandate from the electorate.
With direct elections, he said, the President would be able to demonstrate that his or her mandate comes from the nation as a whole. Meanwhile, Boko used the occasion to criticise what he described as political dishonesty.
He said politicians often fail to tell the public the truth about campaign promises, creating unrealistic expectations. He stressed that such promises do not amount to a binding contract and are not provided for in the Constitution.
Citing a case study, Boko added that voters often make decisions based on emotions, personality, or appearance rather than promises.