BOTSWANA’S new president, Duma Boko, has been named among the world’s 100 most influential people by Time magazine, capping off a meteoric rise that stunned the political establishment and ended six decades of one-party dominance.
Boko’s inclusion in the 2025 Time100 list comes on the heels of his landslide electoral victory over President Mokgweetsi Masisi, bringing an end to the Botswana Democratic Party’s (BDP) rule that had lasted since the country gained independence from Britain in 1966.
‘President Boko is a charismatic, bold, and influential person,’ Emang Mutapati, his press secretary, told TRT Afrika. ‘He’s a Socratic interlocutor, a mad man in the world of ideas… so we are really not surprised that he is in the list of the 100 most influential people in the whole world for 2025.’
A political earthquake
Running under the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition, Boko clinched the presidency on his third attempt, riding a wave of public frustration with corruption, economic stagnation, and Botswana’s lopsided relationship with diamond giant De Beers.
‘Time obviously recognised him for the stunning election upset he caused… and the peaceful transfer of power that followed,’ said Mutapati. ‘It positioned Botswana as a leading mature democracy to be admired and emulated.’
Boko’s message of social and economic justice struck a chord with voters. He openly accused the ruling elite of enriching themselves while ordinary Batswana struggled.
On X, formerly Twitter, Boko credited the people for his recognition: ‘While my name may be highlighted, it is the people of Botswana who are truly influential. A nation small in number, yet rich in spirit and potential. I am because they’re extraordinary.’
Big plans, big hurdles
While the international spotlight shines on him, Boko faces an uphill battle at home. Botswana’s diamond-driven economy is under pressure, with global prices falling as lab-grown alternatives flood the market.
‘We can no longer afford to depend on a single commodity,’ Boko told citizens in a recent address. His strategy includes diversifying the economy through agriculture, tourism, cannabis cultivation, and solar energy investment.
He also pledged to double the minimum wage, expand social support for mothers and the elderly, improve infrastructure, and foster a more competitive business environment. However, with a shrinking diamond market and rising expectations, delivery will be difficult.
Lawyer. Scholar. President.
Born in 1969 in the central town of Mahalapye, Boko studied law at the University of Botswana and later earned a Master of Laws from Harvard. Upon returning home, he taught constitutional law and ran a public interest law firm, championing human rights and Indigenous communities, notably the Basarwa.
In 2010, he took the helm of the Botswana National Front, later merging it into the opposition coalition that would sweep him to power in 2024.
‘He brings to the presidency a visionary social democratic agenda,’ said Professor James Thuo Gathii, a classmate at Harvard, speaking to the Harvard Law Bulletin. ‘He has an impeccable understanding of Botswana’s place in southern Africa, in Africa, and globally. These attributes set him up very well for a great tenure.’
African excellence on the rise
Boko joins a growing list of influential African leaders and changemakers on Time‘s 2025 list, including WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Nigerian media mogul Mo Abudu, Gambian-born women’s rights advocate Fatou Baldeh, and Angeline Murimirwa of Zimbabwe’s CAMFED, which supports girls’ education across the continent.
Also honoured is Nigerian scientist Christian Happi, who leads the African Centre of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Diseases, a key player in the continent’s fight against pandemics.
