Gaborone (Botswana) (AFP) - Botswana’s president conceded defeat on Friday after his party which has governed the diamond-rich African country for nearly six decades suffered a resounding defeat in general elections.

“I wish to congratulate the opposition on their victory and concede the election,” President Mokgweetsi Masisi told reporters at a press conference.

Masisi said he had already spoken to the leader of the left-leaning Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Harvard-educated human rights lawyer Duma Boko, to arrange handing over the reigns of government.

While counting was still underway after Wednesday’s general election, preliminary results showed the UDC well ahead in the race for seats in the parliament of the arid and sparsely populated nation.

It had secured more than 22 parliamentarians which, when added to around a dozen for two other opposition parties, totalled more than 31 of the 61 seats up for grabs, according to tallies based on reporting from counting centres.

Although the election authority is not likely to confirm the results until later Friday, initial scores meant Masisi’s Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which has been in power since independence from Britain in 1966, could not get enough seats to govern.

It was a major blow for the BDP and Masisi, 63, who took power in 2018 and had been confident of securing a second term.

“We got it wrong big time in the eyes of the people,” Masisi said. “We were really convinced of our message. But every indication, by any measure, is that there’s no way that I can pretend that we’re going to form a government.”

“I will respectfully step aside and participate in a smooth and transparent transition process ahead of inauguration,” he said.

More than one million people were registered to vote, out of a population of 2.6 million, with concerns about unemployment and mismanagement in Masisi’s first term leading complaints.

- ‘New dawn’ -

The self-confident and well-groomed Boko, 54, created the UDC in 2012 to unite opposition groups against the bulwark of the BDP. It is the third time that he has run for president.

“CHANGE IS HERE,” he wrote on Facebook as his party’s strong showing became clear, with small street celebrations breaking out in parts of the capital Gaborone.

“Botswana’s new dawn as Boko, UDC rise,” the independent Mmegi newspaper wrote on Facebook. “BDP faces crushing parliamentary, council defeat,” it added.

The UDC also swept a separate ballot for local councils.

A key concern for voters was unemployment which has risen to 27 percent this year and a slump in the economy due in part to weakened diamond sales, Botswana’s single biggest revenue earner, with growth projected to slow to one percent in 2024.

There have also been allegations of corruption, nepotism and mismanagement by Masisi’s government, while the gap between the rich and poor is one of the largest in the world, according to the World Bank.

“We are expecting more from this new Botswana,” said cleaner, Pelontle Ditshotlo, 41. The BDP had not delivered on its promises and the cost of living is too high, she said.

“When you are in parliament, we need to know that you listen to us, you are with us.”

The new government will need to focus on weaning the country off its diamond dependency, stabilise the economy and create new jobs, especially for young people, independent political commentator Olopeng Rabasimane said.

“For us it’s a big change. It’s a relief,” said Sandy Mlotshwa, 22, a waiter. “I want to see if the new system that comes in will make a change for us. If not, then we’re going to change it again.”