Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC)

The UDC was founded in November 2012 by members from various opposition parties, including the Botswana People’s Party and Botswana Movement for Democracy. They rallied together in the run-up to the 2014 elections to unite the opposition in the 2014 elections. In February 2017, the Botswana Congress Party, which contested the 2014 elections independently, joined the alliance. The alliance is currently led by Duma Boko from the Botswana National Front and continues to contest general elections jointly, standing a single opposition candidate in each constituency against the ruling Botswana Democratic Party.

The organization of the opposition parties presented an unprecedented challenge to the longtimeruling BDP, but the Botswana Democratic Party was victorious in elections held on 24 October 2014. Their vote share, which garnered 37 seats, allowed them to maintain a majority in the National Assembly, although it won fewer seats than it had in previous elections.

The UDC won 17 seats and the Botswana Congress Party won three seats.