# Tonota (Botswana constituency)

Tonota is a constituency in Botswana represented in the National Assembly of Botswana since 2024 by Gaefele Sedombo, a UDC MP.

## Constituency profile

The seat was a stronghold for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), consistently supporting it from its establishment in 1965 until its abolition after the 1999 elections. The constituency was re-established ahead of the 2014 elections and the BDP notionally held the seat. However, in the 2019 election, the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) won the seat, marking the first time an opposition party had secured victory in the seat and its predecessors, Tonota South and Tonota North. This win aligned with the broader success the UDC achieved in the northern parts of Botswana during the 2019 election.
The predominantly rural constituency encompasses the following localities:
* Tonota
* Serule
* Mandunyane
* Borotsi
* Foley
* Gojwane
* Sese
* Makomoto

## Members of Parliament

Key:  BDP UDC
| Election | Winner |
| 1965 election | Lemme Makgekgenene |
| 1969 election | Lemme Makgekgenene |
| 1974 election | Lemme Makgekgenene |
| 1979 election | Lemme Makgekgenene |
| 1984 election | Lemme Makgekgenene |
| 1989 election | Lemme Makgekgenene |
| 1994 election | Lemme Makgekgenene |
| 1999 election | Lemme Makgekgenene |
| 2014 election | Thapelo Olopeng |
| 2019 election | Pono Moatlhodi |
| 2024 election | Gaefele Sedombo |

## Election results
### 2024 election

General election 2024: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UDC | Gaefele Sedombo | 7,024 | 48.20 | −7.80 |
| | BDP | Andy Boatile | 4,515 | 30.98 | −15.02 |
| | BPF | Losika Keatlholetswe | 1,814 | 12.45 | N/A |
| | BCP | Themba Joina | 990 | 6.79 | N/A |
| | Independent | Edward Odireleng | 230 | 1.58 | N/A |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 2,509 | 17.22 | +9.22 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 14,573 | 99.10 | −0.29 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 132 | 0.90 | +0.29 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 14,705 | 82.76 | −2.10 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 17,768 | | |
| | UDC hold | UDC hold | Swing | −3.61 | |

### 2019 election

General election 2019: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UDC | Pono Moatlhodi | 8,364 | 54.00 | +13.52 |
| | BDP | Thapelo Olopeng | 7,125 | 46.00 | −8.81 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,239 | 8.00 | N/A |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 15,489 | 99.39 | +0.23 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 95 | 0.61 | −0.23 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 15,584 | 84.86 | +1.59 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 18,364 | | |
| | UDC gain from BDP | UDC gain from BDP | Swing | +11.17 | |

### 2014 election

General election 2014: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | BDP | Thapelo Olopeng | 7,013 | 54.81 |
| | UDC | Pono Moatlhodi | 5,179 | 40.48 |
| | BCP | Themba Joina | 475 | 3.71 |
| | Independent | Michael K. Mzwinila | 128 | 1.00 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,834 | 14.33 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 12,795 | 99.16 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 108 | 0.84 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 12,903 | 83.27 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,495 | |
| | BDP notional hold | BDP notional hold | BDP notional hold | BDP notional hold |

### 1999 election

General election 1999: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Pono Moatlhodi | 4,724 | 69.94 | +3.38 |
| | BNF | J. Montsho | 1,035 | 15.32 | –3.68 |
| | BCP | W. B. Marobela | 561 | 8.31 | New |
| | BAM | C. Phillime | 434 | 6.43 | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 3,689 | 54.62 | +7.96 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,754 | 94.00 | N/A |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 431 | 6.00 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,185 | 71.19 | +2.00 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,093 | | |
| | BDP hold | BDP hold | Swing | +3.53 | |

### 1994 election

General election 1994: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Lemme Makgekgenene | 4,542 | 66.56 | –4.66 |
| | BNF | M. Mogapi | 1,358 | 19.00 | +1.47 |
| | BPP | S. D. Sefume | 924 | 14.44 | +3.19 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 3,184 | 46.66 | –7.23 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,824 | 69.19 | +2.48 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,862 | | |
| | BDP hold | BDP hold | Swing | –1.60 | |

### 1989 election

General election 1989: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Lemme Makgekgenene | 5,404 | 71.22 | –3.41 |
| | BNF | Willie Gulubane | 1,330 | 17.53 | New |
| | BPP | Bonno Pone | 854 | 11.25 | –14.12 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 4,074 | 53.89 | +4.43 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,588 | 66.71 | –7.75 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,374 | | |
| | BDP hold | BDP hold | Swing | +7.06 | |

### 1984 election

General election 1984: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Lemme Makgekgenene | 5,188 | 74.63 | –3.77 |
| | BPP | Bonno Pone | 1,764 | 25.37 | +3.77 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 3,424 | 49.26 | –7.54 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,952 | 74.46 | +6.70 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,336 | | |
| | BDP hold | BDP hold | Swing | –3.77 | |

### 1979 election

General election 1979: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Lemme Makgekgenene | 3,292 | 78.40 | –1.77 |
| | BPP | J. Modise | 907 | 21.60 | +1.77 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 2,385 | 56.80 | –3.54 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,006 | 67.76 | +29.64 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,340 | | |
| | BDP hold | BDP hold | Swing | –1.77 | |

### 1974 election

General election 1974: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Lemme Makgekgenene | 1,261 | 80.17 | +13.06 |
| | BPP | P.K. Pudiephatshwa | 312 | 19.83 | –7.00 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 949 | 60.34 | +20.06 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,573 | 15.22 | −32.32 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,333 | | |
| | BDP hold | BDP hold | Swing | +10.03 | |

### 1969 election

General election 1969: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Lemme Makgekgenene | 1,683 | 67.11 | +6.26 |
| | BPP | P.P. Kgamane | 673 | 26.83 | –10.97 |
| | BNF | W. Gulubane | 152 | 6.06 | New |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,010 | 40.28 | +17.23 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,750 | 47.54 | –36.66 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 5,276 | | |
| | BDP hold | BDP hold | Swing | +8.62 | |

### 1965 election

General election 1965: Tonota :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | BDP | Lemme Makgekgenene | 3,291 | 60.85 |
| | BPP | L.E. Senthufhe | 2,044 | 37.80 |
| | BIP | M.N. Nwako | 73 | 1.35 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,247 | 23.05 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,866 | 84.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | ≈4,591 | |
| | BDP win (new seat) | BDP win (new seat) | BDP win (new seat) | BDP win (new seat) |