This morning in Gaborone, the capital of Botswana, thousands gathered for a moment that will be remembered for years — the swearing-in of President Duma Boko after a historic election upset. But while it was meant to be a celebration of democracy and change, it became an embarrassing public reckoning for two unpopular leaders: former Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi and Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa.

As the ceremony began, the crowd erupted — not with cheers, but with loud boos aimed directly at Masisi and Mnangagwa, who sat beside each other in the VIP section. On their left were Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba, both welcomed with polite applause. But the reception for Masisi and his long-time ally Mnangagwa was cold, loud, and deeply humiliating.

Mnangagwa, clearly shaken by the jeering crowd, sat in silence with a grim expression. He looked isolated and uncomfortable, seated next to Masisi — the man who just suffered a humiliating election defeat that ended 58 years of rule by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Their faces told the story of a political era in retreat.

The boos came just days after the BDP was swept aside in a massive victory by the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), led by Duma Boko. The people of Botswana made it clear: they wanted something new. That energy carried into the inauguration — not just in celebration of Boko, but in rejection of the old guard that symbolized corruption, arrogance, and failure.

Adding to the spectacle was the presence of former President Ian Khama — once Masisi’s ally, now his fiercest critic. Khama was greeted like a hero. The crowd cheered loudly as he entered, making it clear that while Masisi’s time is over, Khama still commands respect. His falling out with Masisi helped ignite the political shift that brought the BDP’s reign to an end.

Also cheered was former president Festus Mogae, a respected elder statesman. The contrast could not have been sharper. Where Khama and Mogae were embraced, Masisi and Mnangagwa were shunned. The message from the people was loud and simple: we’re done with failed leadership.

Botswana has always been seen as a stable democracy, with a tradition of peaceful power transitions. With Boko now becoming the sixth president since independence in 1966, the country has once again proven that democracy can work — that leaders can be removed not by violence or coups, but by the ballot box.

For Mnangagwa, the booing in Gaborone was more than just embarrassment — it was a warning. He faces growing resistance at home, a party tearing itself apart over his third-term ambitions, and an economy in crisis. Seeing his close ally Masisi fall and then get booed by the public must have felt like looking into a mirror reflecting his possible future.

As President Boko begins his term, Botswana enters a new chapter — one defined by hope, accountability, and public trust. His victory is not just about changing leaders. It is about changing direction.

The inauguration reminded the region what real democracy looks like. But it also sent a message to leaders who overstay their welcome, silence critics, and betray their people: your time will come, and when it does, the crowd may not cheer. They may boo. Loudly. Just as they did today.

For Masisi and Mnangagwa, today’s humiliation in Gaborone may just be the beginning. For the people of Botswana, it was a day of victory — not just for a new president, but for the power of the people’s voice.