General elections were held in Botswana on 18 October 1969, the first since independence in September 1966.

The result was a second successive landslide victory for the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), who won 24 of the 31 elected seats,[1] including three in which they were unopposed.

[2] The Botswana National Front was founded following the 1965 elections, and was headed by Kenneth Koma.

However, Koma was overshadowed by Bathoen II, the paramount chief of the Bangwaketse.

Bathoen abdicated his throne to become BNF president, and had also resigned from the Ntlo ya Dikgosi, which he regarded as powerless.