Duma Boko facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Duma Boko
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Boko in 2020
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| 6th President of Botswana | |
| Assumed office 1 November 2024 |
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| Vice President | Ndaba Gaolathe |
| Preceded by | Mokgweetsi Masisi |
| President of the Umbrella for Democratic Change | |
| Assumed office November 2012 |
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| Vice President | Ndaba Gaolathe |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Leader of the Opposition | |
| In office 25 October 2014 – 28 August 2019 |
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| President |
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| Preceded by | Dumelang Saleshando |
| Succeeded by | Dumelang Saleshando |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 January 1970 Mahalapye, Botswana |
| Political party | Botswana National Front |
| Other political affiliations |
Umbrella for Democratic Change |
| Spouse | Kaone Boko |
| Alma mater | University of Botswana (LLB) Harvard Law School (LLM) |
| Profession |
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Duma Gideon Boko (born on January 1, 1970) is a well-known politician and lawyer from Botswana. He is currently serving as the sixth president of Botswana since November 1, 2024. He has also been the leader of the Umbrella for Democratic Change political group since 2012. Before becoming president, he was the Leader of the Opposition in Botswana's parliament from 2014 to 2019.
Duma Boko became the head of the BNF party in 2010. He helped create the Umbrella for Democratic Change, which is a group of major opposition parties in Botswana working together. He ran for president as the leader of this group in the general elections of 2014 and 2019. In the 2024 election, his party won, and he became the President of Botswana on November 1, 2024.
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Early Life
Duma Boko was born on January 1, 1970. His father was a teacher at Madiba Brigades. Sadly, his father passed away in 2004. Duma also has a sister named Emma Boko.
In 1987, Duma Boko began studying law at the University of Botswana (UB). While he was a student, he was chosen to be part of the Student Representative Council (SRC). Many of his classmates from law school later became High Court judges. After finishing his degree in 1993, he went to Harvard Law School in the United States. There, he earned a special degree called a Master of Laws.
Career
After his studies, Duma Boko returned to Botswana. From 1993 to 2003, he taught law at the University of Botswana. During this time, he also managed his own law firm, helping people with legal issues.
In the early 2000s, he wrote articles for a newspaper called The Monitor. In his articles, he shared his ideas about how judges could improve their work. He believed that academics and judges needed to do more research to make better decisions.
Politics
Duma Boko became the leader of the Botswana National Front (BNF) party in 2010. Some people questioned if he could be the leader. This was because when the BNF party split in 2000, he had joined a new group called the National Democratic Front (NDF). According to the BNF's rules, this might have stopped him from leading the party for three years after rejoining. However, he won the court case and kept his position. He took over the party when it was facing challenges under its previous leader.
Working with Other Parties
The BNF party decided to team up with other political groups. These included the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) and the Botswana Peoples Party. Together, they formed a new alliance called the Umbrella for Democratic Change.
Some members of the BNF were worried about this alliance. They thought their party might lose its identity. There were even lawsuits filed against Duma Boko and his team. But Duma Boko and the BNF won all these legal challenges.
Elections and Leadership
The 2014 Election
In the 2014 general election, Duma Boko led the UDC alliance. His party came in second place in the National Assembly, which is Botswana's parliament. They won 17 seats, while the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) won 37 seats. Because of this, Duma Boko became the Leader of the Opposition. This means he was the main voice for the parties not in power.
The 2019 Election
During the 2019 general election, Duma Boko ran for a seat in the Gaborone Bonnington North area. However, he was defeated by Anna Mokgethi from the BDP party. Because he lost his seat in parliament, he also lost his title as Leader of the Opposition.
The 2024 Election
Even though some parties left the UDC alliance, Duma Boko's party and the other opposition groups worked together. In the 2024 election, they managed to win most of the seats in parliament. This victory made Duma Boko the president-elect. He officially became the President of Botswana on November 1.
Presidency
As president, Duma Boko has shared some of his plans for Botswana. He wants to make it easier for people from neighboring Zimbabwe to get temporary work and live in Botswana. He also plans to talk with De Beers to make new deals about Botswana's valuable diamond industry. President Boko has also announced that he will work with Elon Musk to bring affordable internet access to people all over Botswana using Starlink.
See also
In Spanish: Duma Boko para niños
