| Dumelang Saleshando | |
| Office1: | Leader of the Opposition |
| Term Start1: | 11 November 2024 |
| Predecessor1: | Dithapelo Keorapetse |
| Term Start2: | 5 November 2019 |
| Term End2: | 12 July 2022 |
| Predecessor2: | Duma Boko |
| Successor2: | Dithapelo Keorapetse |
| Term Start3: | 12 July 2012 |
| Term End3: | 29 August 2014 |
| Predecessor3: | Botsalo Ntuane |
| Successor3: | Duma Boko |
| Office4: | Leader of the Botswana Congress Party |
| Predecessor4: | Gilson Saleshando |
| Term Start4: | 20 July 2010 |
| Office5: | Member of Parliament for Maun West |
| Term Start5: | 5 November 2019 |
| Predecessor5: | Tawana Moremi |
| Term End5: | 5 September 2024 |
| Office6: | Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central |
| Term Start6: | 2004 |
| Term End6: | 2014 |
| Predecessor6: | Margaret Nasha |
| Party: | Botswana Congress Party |
| Birth Place: | Selebi-Phikwe, Botswana |
| Spouse: | Dineo Saleshando |
Dumelang Saleshando (born 13 September 1971) is a Motswana politician and economist who has served as the Leader of the Botswana Congress Party since 2010. Saleshando is the current Leader of the Opposition in the National Assembly of Botswana since 11 November 2024. He also serves as MP for Maun North since 2024.
Saleshando was born on 13 September 1971, is the firstborn of five sons to Gilson Saleshando, a politician, and Keatlaretse Dolly Saleshando, a nurse.[1] He attended numerous schools growing up in Kanye, Lobatse, Selebi-Phikwe[1] and was brought up in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. He completed his schooling at St Joseph's College, where he became a member of the Botswana Socialist Youth,[1] before enrolling in a degree in economics and political science at the University of Botswana in 1992.[2]
After university, Saleshando joined First National Bank Botswana as a trainee manager but he was summarily dismissed for leaking information about the finances of the ruling party.[1] In 2003, Saleshando started campaigning for Gaborone Central parliamentary seat in the capital Gaborone. The seat was previously held by Michael Dingake, the former leader of Botswana Congress Party. Saleshando was elected to parliament as the Member of Parliament for Gaborone Central after defeating incumbent Hon Dr Margaret Nasha in 2004.[1] He was re-elected as a Member of Parliament for the same constituency in the 2009 general elections and was elected party president unopposed in July 2010, after his father, Gilson Saleshando stepped down as party leader.
Prior to taking up the BCP leadership role, he served in the party Central Committee as Information and Publicity Secretary. His father was initially opposed to the idea of being succeeded by his son, noting that it was not proper since many people will believe that the party was run by a dynasty.[3] He gave up when many people in the party endorsed the young Saleshando for the position.[4] He lost the elections in the 2014 general elections to Phenyo Butale of the coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change under the Botswana Movement for Democracy.[5]
Saleshando married Dineo in 2002 and they have two sons and a daughter. His son Seabo Saleshando plays tennis and ranked as one of Botswanas top players.[6] [1]