Palapye (Botswana constituency)

Palapye
Palapye
Single-member constituency; for the National Assembly
District	Central
Population	61,875
Major settlements	Palapye
Area	2,801 km2
Current constituency
Created	1994
Party	UDC
Created from	Serowe South; Tswapong North
MP	Onneetse Ramogapi
Margin of victory	4,022 (18.7 pp)

Palapye is a constituency in the Central District represented in the National Assembly of Botswana by Onneetse Ramogapi, an Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) MP and Minister of Water and Human Settlement since 2019.

Constituency profile

The constituency was originally created in 1994, as part of an increase in constituencies following the 1992 periodic delimitation exercise. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has held the seat since its inaugural election in 1994 and lost it 25 years later at the 2019 general election amongst a regional swing against the BDP in the Central District. The UDC held the seat with a larger majority at the 2024 general election, amidst large nationwide swings against the BDP, which saw it lose power for the first time. It was represented by then vice-president of Botswana, Festus Mogae until 1998, when he ascended to the presidency.

The semi-rural constituency, anchored around Palapye encompasses the following settlements:^[1]

Members of Parliament

Key: BDP UDC

Election	Winner
1994 election		Festus Mogae
1998 by-election		Boyce Sebetela
1999 election
2004 election
2009 election		Moiseraele Goya
2014 election		Moiseraele Goya
2019 election		Onneetse Ramogapi
2024 election		Onneetse Ramogapi

Election results

2024 election

General election 2024: Palapye^[2]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UDC	Onneetse Ramogapi	9,516	44.34	+4.48
	BCP	Gape Motswaledi	5,494	25.60	N/A
	BDP	Kungo Mabogo	3,179	14.81	−22.70
	BPF	Golosang Ramogala	1,802	8.40	−4.50
	BRP	Moiseraele Goya	991	4.62	N/A
	BMD	Timothy Monyatsi	252	1.17	N/A
	Independent	Lucky Maforaga	208	0.97	N/A
	Independent	Guy Molentze	20	0.09	N/A
Margin of victory			4,022	18.74	+16.39
Total valid votes			21,462	99.40	+0.12
Rejected ballots			129	0.60	−0.12
Turnout			21,591	80.72	−2.25
Registered electors			26,747
	UDC hold		Swing	N/A

2019 election

General election 2019: Palapye^[3]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	UDC	Onneetse Ramogapi	5,582	39.86	−2.64
	BDP	Moiseraele Goya	5,252	37.51	−18.83
	BPF	Kolaatamo Malefho	1,806	12.90	N/A
	AP	Gape Motswaledi	1,306	9.33	N/A
	Independent	Boniface Mankanku	57	0.41	N/A
Margin of victory			330	2.35	N/A
Total valid votes			14,003	99.28	+0.07
Rejected ballots			101	0.72	−0.07
Turnout			14,104	82.97	+2.84
Registered electors			16,999
	UDC gain from BDP		Swing	+8.10

2014 election

General election 2014: Palapye^[4]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Moiseraele Goya	6,771	56.34	+0.74
	BCP	James Olesitse	4,732	39.37	−1.36
	UDC	Boniface Mankanku	376	3.13	N/A
	Independent	Mortimer Nwako	139	1.16	N/A
Margin of victory			2,039	16.97	+2.10
Total valid votes			12,018	99.21	−0.51
Rejected ballots			96	0.79	+0.51
Turnout			12,114	80.13	+7.10
Registered electors			15,118
	BDP hold		Swing	+1.05

2009 election

General election 2009: Palapye^[5]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Moiseraele Goya	5,161	55.60	−0.47
	BCP	James Olesitse	3,781	40.73	+7.30
	BNF	Conrad Mothobi	341	3.67	−6.84
Margin of victory			1,380	14.87	−7.77
Total valid votes			9,283	99.72	+1.57
Rejected ballots			26	0.28	−1.57
Turnout			9,309	73.03	−0.78
Registered electors			12,746
	BDP hold		Swing	−3.89

2004 election

General election 2004: Palapye^[6]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Boyce Sebetela	3,863	56.07	−10.08
	BCP	James Olesitse	2,303	33.43	+11.97
	BNF	Lebitsa Lere	724	10.51	+0.31
Margin of victory			1,560	22.64	−22.05
Total valid votes			6,890	98.15	+0.82
Rejected ballots			130	1.85	−0.82
Turnout			7,020	73.81	−2.22
Registered electors			9,511
	BDP hold		Swing	−11.03

1999 election

General election 1999: Palapye^[7]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	BDP	Boyce Sebetela	5,164	66.15	−1.49
	BCP	James Olesitse	1,675	21.46	N/A
	BNF	S. Malatsi	796	10.20	−15.95
	BAM	C. Molosiwa	171	2.19	N/A
Margin of victory			3,489	44.69	+3.20
Total valid votes			7,806	97.33	N/A
Rejected ballots			214	2.67	N/A
Turnout			8,020	76.03	+1.74
Registered electors			10,549
	BDP hold		Swing	N/A

1994 election

General election 1994: Palapye^[8]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	BDP	Festus Mogae	3,944	67.64
	BNF	K.K. Motshidisi	1,525	26.15
	UDF	James Olesitse	261	4.48
	BIP	Sebofeng Boima	101	1.73
Margin of victory			2,419	41.49
Turnout			5,831	74.29
Registered electors			7,849
	BDP win (new seat)

References

^ 2022 DELIMITATION COMMISSION REPORT (PDF). 2022.
^ "Ramogapi retains Palapye". DailyNews. 1 November 2024.
^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2019
^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2014
^ Report To The Minister Of Presidential Affairs And Public Administration On The 2009 General Elections (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
^ BOTSWANA GENERAL ELECTIONS 30th OCTOBER 2004 POLLING RESULTS (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).
^ Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 1999
^ Results by constituency

[1] 2022 DELIMITATION COMMISSION REPORT (PDF). 2022.

[2] "Ramogapi retains Palapye". DailyNews. 1 November 2024.

[IECReport2019-3] Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2019

[IECReport2014-4] Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 2014

[5] Report To The Minister Of Presidential Affairs And Public Administration On The 2009 General Elections (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

[6] BOTSWANA GENERAL ELECTIONS 30th OCTOBER 2004 POLLING RESULTS (PDF). Independent Electoral Commission (IEC).

[IECReport1999-7] Independent Electoral Commission - Botswana National Assembly, 1999

[Results1989and94-8] Results by constituency

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