# Gaborone Central

Gaborone Central is a constituency in Gaborone represented in the National Assembly of Botswana by the Minister of International Affairs, Phenyo Butale of the Umbrella for Democratic Change since the 2024 general election.

## Constituency profile

The constituency was created in 1994 as part of an expansion that increased the number of Gaborone constituencies from two to four. It is the swingiest seat in the country, having only re-elected an incumbent once. The constituency is not necessarily marginal i.e., it usually is won with large majorities. Despite electing MPs with large majorities, these majorities are frequently easily overturned from one election to the next. The constituency serves as a bellwether of national electoral trends, with the notable exceptions of 2004 and 2009, when Dumelang Saleshando, the future leader of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), ran a well-organized and "high-profile" campaign in 2004 and became the party’s sole MP in the 9th Parliament. He was re-elected in 2009 with the largest majority ever recorded in the constituency—35 percentage points.
However, at the 2014 general election, Saleshando's large majority was overturned as he lost the seat to Phenyo Butale of the UDC who benefitted from a combination of sympathy votes following the death of the initial UDC candidate, the Botswana Movement for Democracy leader, Gomolemo Motswaledi in July, as well as voter dissatisfaction with Saleshando and the BCP for not joining the UDC to form a united opposition against the BDP.
Since its creation, the BDP has won the constituency only twice (1999 and 2019), both times with less than 50% of the vote. The constituency is entirely urban and contains a diverse mix of communities. It is home to both the nation's wealthiest suburbs and the city's most impoverished neighbourhoods, as well as the University of Botswana and a Botswana Defence Force encampment. The kaleidoscopic nature of the constituency means it's home to many swing voters and explains its political volatility.
It encompasses the following locations:
* Station Mall
* Main Mall
* Botswelelo
* Phologolo
* Madibeng
* Partial
* Tshimotharo
* Ginger
* Maruapula
* Broadhurst
* Extension 39
* Village
* Badiri
* Government Enclave

## Members of Parliament

Key:  BNF BDP BCP UDC UDC
| Election | Winner |
| 1994 election | Michael Dingake |
| 1999 election | Margaret Nasha |
| 2004 election | Dumelang Saleshando |
| 2009 election | Dumelang Saleshando |
| 2014 election | Phenyo Butale |
| 2019 election | Tumisang Healy |
| 2024 election | Phenyo Butale |

## Election results
### 2024 election

General election 2024: Gaborone Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UDC | Phenyo Butale | 5,493 | 47.30 | +16.89 |
| | BCP | Mpho Pheko | 3,112 | 26.80 | N/A |
| | BDP | Bontsi Monare | 2,826 | 24.34 | −23.82 |
| | BPF | Kemmonye Sekati | 122 | 1.05 | N/A |
| | BMD | Magdeline Nkumba | 35 | 0.30 | N/A |
| | Independent | Jafta Radibe | 24 | 0.21 | +0.05 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 2,381 | 20.50 | N/A |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 11,612 | 98.80 | −0.76 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 141 | 1.20 | +0.76 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,753 | 76.41 | −2.88 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 15,381 | | |
| | UDC gain from BDP | UDC gain from BDP | Swing | +21.85 | |

### 2019 election

General election 2019: Gaborone Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Tumisang Healy | 4,886 | 48.16 | +20.54 |
| | UDC | Mpho Pheko | 3,085 | 30.41 | −9.41 |
| | AP | Phenyo Butale | 2,106 | 20.76 | N/A |
| | Independent | Letsweletse Moses | 53 | 0.52 | N/A |
| | Independent | Jafta Radibe | 16 | 0.16 | N/A |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,801 | 17.75 | N/A |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 10,146 | 99.56 | −0.03 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 45 | 0.44 | +0.03 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,191 | 79.29 | −3.31 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 12,853 | | |
| | BDP gain from UDC | BDP gain from UDC | Swing | +14.98 | |

### 2014 election

General election 2014: Gaborone Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | UDC | Phenyo Butale | 4,601 | 39.82 | N/A |
| | BCP | Dumelang Saleshando | 3,727 | 32.26 | −29.49 |
| | BDP | Rupert Hambira | 3,191 | 27.62 | +0.68 |
| | Independent | Sidney Baitsile | 35 | 0.30 | N/A |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 874 | 7.56 | N/A |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 11,554 | 99.53 | +1.52 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 55 | 0.47 | −1.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 11,609 | 82.60 | +6.34 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 14,054 | | |
| | UDC gain from BCP | UDC gain from BCP | Swing | +34.66 | |

### 2009 election

General election 2009: Gaborone Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BCP | Dumelang Saleshando | 6,102 | 61.75 | +23.87 |
| | BDP | Kgomotso Mogami | 2,662 | 26.94 | −9.79 |
| | BNF | Calvin Thutlwe | 1,118 | 11.31 | −12.96 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 3,440 | 34.81 | +33.66 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 9,882 | 98.01 | −1.65 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 201 | 1.99 | +1.65 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 10,083 | 76.26 | +0.05 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 13,222 | | |
| | BCP hold | BCP hold | Swing | +16.83 | |

### 2004 election

General election 2004: Gaborone Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BCP | Dumelang Saleshando | 2,992 | 37.88 | +21.58 |
| | BDP | Margaret Nasha | 2,901 | 36.73 | −10.82 |
| | BNF | Kathleen Letshabo | 1,917 | 24.27 | −6.80 |
| | NDF | Violet Mphuting | 89 | 1.13 | N/A |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 91 | 1.15 | N/A |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 7,899 | 99.66 | +0.47 |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 34 | 0.34 | −0.47 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 7,926 | 76.21 | +1.80 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,400 | | |
| | BCP gain from BDP | BCP gain from BDP | Swing | +16.20 | |

### 1999 election

General election 1999: Gaborone Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | BDP | Margaret Nasha | 2,868 | 47.55 | +9.07 |
| | BNF | Mareledi Giddie | 1,874 | 31.07 | −29.37 |
| | BCP | Michael Dingake | 983 | 16.30 | N/A |
| | BAM | Ephraim Setshwaelo | 293 | 4.86 | N/A |
| | MELS | Themba Joina | 13 | 0.22 | N/A |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 994 | 16.48 | N/A |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 6,031 | 99.19 | N/A |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 49 | 0.81 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 6,080 | 74.41 | −3.60 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,171 | | |
| | BDP gain from BNF | BDP gain from BNF | Swing | +19.22 | |

### 1994 election

General election 1994: Gaborone Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | BNF | Michael Dingake | 3,490 | 60.44 |
| | BDP | G.U.S. Matlhabaphiri | 2,222 | 38.48 |
| | UDF | Mareledi Giddie | 62 | 1.07 |
| Margin of victory | Margin of victory | Margin of victory | 1,268 | 21.96 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,774 | 78.01% |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,402 | |
| | BNF win (new seat) | BNF win (new seat) | BNF win (new seat) | BNF win (new seat) |