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The plight of the rural voter

Friday, November 28, 2025 | 110 Views |

Voters at Kgalagadi South PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO

SUSSEX, UK: Following the by-elections in Kgalagadi South that took place on 15 November 2025, online activists seemed to downplay the election results in a manner that exposed a deeply rooted demeaning perception towards what one critic coined as the ‘rural vote’.

While the victors celebrated, the unfortunate contenders dismissed the outcome as not accurately reflecting the nationwide perspective. Understandably, a lot was riding on this election. It has been a year since the UDC took power, and many saw this as a litmus test, a definitive measure in what will be a continuous assessment until the 2029 elections.

So, I ask the question: Is there really a rural-urban dichotomy in Botswana’s voting patterns?

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