Duma Boko
Duma Boko | |
|---|---|
 | |
| President of the UDC | |
| Assumed office November 2012 | |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 25 October 2014 – 28 August 2019 | |
| Preceded by | Dumelang Saleshando |
| Succeeded by | Dumelang Saleshando |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 December 1969 Mahalapye, Botswana |
| Political party | Botswana National Front |
| Residence | Gaborone |
| Alma mater | University of Botswana (LLB) Harvard Law School (LLM) |
| Profession |
|
Duma Gideon Boko (born 31 December 1969) is a Botswana politician who serves as the president of both the Botswana National Front (BNF) and the main opposition alliance, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC). He was the Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly from 2014 to 2019. He is a lawyer and jurist.[1]
Duma Boko attained the presidency of the BNF in 2010. He led the creation of the Umbrella for Democratic Change, an alliance of the main opposition parties in Botswana. He ran as the alliance's president in Botswana's general elections in 2014 and 2019.[2]
Early life
[edit]Boko's father worked as a lecturer at Madiba Brigades. He died in 2004. Duma has a sister, Emma Boko.[3]
In 1987, Boko studied law at University of Botswana (UB). He was elected to the Student Representative Council (SRC). Among his law classmates were High Court judges Michael Leburu, Key Dingake, Bengbame Sechele and Lot Moroka. After graduating in 1993, he attended Harvard Law School, where he obtained a Master of Laws degree.[4]
Career
[edit]Boko returned to teach law at UB from 1993 to 2003,[5] while also running a law firm. In the early 2000s, he wrote a column in the newspaper The Monitor in which he claimed that judges were not intellectually progressive.[3] He expressed frustration that academics and judges were not doing enough research to make informed judgments.
Politics
[edit]Boko became the leader of the Botswana National Front (BNF) in 2010.[6] His position and party membership was challenged on the grounds that when the BNF split in 2000, he had become a founding member of the National Democratic Front (NDF).[7] If proven, this would, according to the BNF constitution, disqualify him from a leadership position in the party for three years after rejoining it. He prevailed in court. He inherited a party that was in decline under the leadership of Otsweletse Moupo.[3]
The BNF came together with the newly formed Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), a splinter of the Botswana Democratic Party, and the Botswana Peoples Party to form the Umbrella for Democratic Change.[8] Some BNF members were strongly against the coalition, arguing that the exercise would make their party disappear.[9] Lawsuits against Boko and his central committee were filed before the High Court. Boko and the BNF won all the court challenges.[10]
2014 general election
[edit]In the 2014 general election, Duma Boko led the UDC to a second-place finish in the National Assembly, winning 17 seats to the Botswana Democratic Party's (BDP) 37.[11] Boko became the leader of the Opposition.
2019 general election
[edit]In the 2019 general election, Boko was defeated by Anna Mokgethi of the BDP in the Gaborone Bonnington North constituency. As a result of his defeat, he lost his title of Leader of the Opposition in the 12th National Assembly.[12]
Claims of vote rigging in the 2019 general election
[edit]Boko has claimed that during the 2019 general election, there was massive vote rigging and fraud by the BDP to favour President Mokgweetsi Masisi. The UDC lost the case with costs.[13]
Publications
[edit]- Boko, D.G. (1998) Towards a Compensatory Approach to Redressing Constitutional Violations in Botswana. The Zimbabwe Law Review (ZLRev), vol. 15, (pp. 120-133). UZ, Mt. Pleasant, Harare: Faculty of Law (UZ).
- Boko, D. G. (2002). Integrating the Basarwa under Botswana's Remote Area Development Programme: Empowerment or marginalisation?. Australian Journal of Human Rights, 8(2), 153-171.
- Boko, D.G. Fair Trial and the Customary Courts in Botswana: Questions on Legal Representation. Criminal Law Forum 11, 445–460 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1016667617539
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ MAWARIRE, TELDAH (23 October 2014). "We're on the government's hit list - Botswana opposition leader". Mail & Guardian. Retrieved 15 November 2014.
- ^ Botswana 2019 General Elections Report - IEC
- ^ a b c "MEET YOUR HERO.PRESIDENT DUMA GIDEON BOKO.UDC PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE BOTSWANA". Democracy Heroes Award.
- ^ Mathala, Sharon (8 September 2017). "The loo flushes away BMD'S woes". The Voice. Archived from the original on 20 February 2018. Retrieved 20 February 2018.
- ^ "President Duma Boko". Umbrella for Democratic change. UDC. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- ^ "Mmegi Online :: Boko victorious; elected BNF president". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "BNF backs Boko's membership claim | Sunday Standard". Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ "Brief History | UDC". www.udc.org.bw. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ Mehler, Andreas (1 January 2013), "V. Central Africa", Africa Yearbook Volume 9, BRILL, pp. 451–454, doi:10.1163/9789004256002_006, ISBN 978-90-04-25600-2
- ^ Kaelo, Goitsemodimo (29 July 2019). "Boko Wins 'Principal Residence' Objection Case". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 3 May 2024.
- ^ "Elections Botswana". Elections Botswana. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
- ^ Basimanebotlhe, Tsaone (18 November 2019). "Duma Boko Petitions Constituency Election Outcome". Mmegi Online. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
- ^ "Massive vote rigging uncovered in Botswana elections, claims opposition leader Duma Boko". News24. 5 December 2019. Retrieved 15 December 2019.
