Leader of the Opposition (Botswana)

In Botswana, the Leader of the Opposition is the person who leads the official opposition in Botswana. The position is awarded to the leader of the political party with the largest number of seats in the National Assembly that is not in the government. The position was created shortly before the independence of Botswana, after the first elections under universal suffrage in the then territory of Bechuanaland.

Leader of the Opposition of the National Assembly of Botswana
Coat of Arms of Botswana
Incumbent
Dithapelo Keorapetse
since 12 July 2022
StyleThe Honourable
AppointerLargest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government
Term lengthWhile leader of the largest political party in the National Assembly that is not in government
Inaugural holderPhilip Matante
Formation3 March 1965
SalaryP641,436[1]

As in most countries that are governed under the Westminster parliamentary system, the leader of the Opposition is an elected member of the National Assembly who enjoys numerous particular prerogatives. They are considered the main spokesman for the majority opposition party in the National Assembly and has the right to make official statements in the National Assembly on important national and international issues on behalf of the majority opposition. They have longer speaking times than ordinary members during debates on the State of the Union Address, the Budget Address, or any other major government policy statement, and can be the first to respond to the State of the Nation address, budget speech, or any other major statement of government policy.

By virtue of his position, the leader of the Opposition is an ex officio member of two Parliamentary Committees; the Selection Committee and the Business Advisory Committees. He also holds the positions of Second Vice President of the Botswana Branch of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association, Executive Member of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Parliamentary Forum and is an Executive Member of the Inter-Parliamentary Union Committee.[2] The current Leader of the Opposition is Dithapelo Keorapetse. He succeeded Dumelang Saleshando as Leader of the Oppposition on the 12th of July 2022.[3]

List of the leaders of the opposition

Source:[2]

No. Leader Period Party
Image Name Start End
 1  Philip Matante
(1912-1979)		 3 March 1965 23 August 1969 Botswana People's Party
2 Bathoen Gaseitsiwe
(1908-1990)		 20 October 1969 20 July 1984 Botswana National Front
3 Kenneth Koma
(1923-2007)		 10 January 1985 1 August 2003 Botswana National Front
4 Nehemiah Modubule 1 August 2003 7 November 2005 Botswana National Front
5 Otsweletse Moupo 7 November 2005 21 August 2009 Botswana National Front
6 Olebile Gaborone
(b. 1947)		 17 October 2009 5 August 2010 Botswana National Front
7 Botsalo Ntuane
(b. 1971)		 5 August 2010 12 July 2012 Botswana Movement for Democracy
8 Dumelang Saleshando
(b. 1971)		 12 July 2012 29 August 2014 Umbrella for Democratic Change
9 Duma Boko
(b. 1969)		 25 October 2014 28 August 2019 Umbrella for Democratic Change
(8) Dumelang Saleshando
(b. 1971)		 5 November 2019 12 July 2022[3] Umbrella for Democratic Change
10 Dithapelo Keorapetse
(b. 1982)		 12 July 2022[3] Incumbent Umbrella for Democratic Change

References
  1. National Assembly (Salaries and Allowances) (Amendment) Act, 2019 (PDF). Parliament of Botswana. p. 2.
  2. "Leader of the Opposition". Parliament of Botswana. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
  3. Sejabosigo, Jeremiah (12 July 2023). "KEORAPETSE NEW LOO". DailyNews. Retrieved 25 March 2023.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.