Botswana's ruling Democratic Party wins general elections

26 October 2014

The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has won the general elections for the world's largest diamond producer.

It secured at least 33 of the 57 parliamentary seats being contested, the national electoral commission says.

A party needs 29 seats to take power. Opposition group Umbrella for Democratic Change has won 14 seats.

The BDP party of President Ian Khama has been in power since Botswana gained independence in 1966.

But it has been battling to gain support in urban areas where opposition parties have made recent inroads.