Botswana goes to the polls today, Wednesday in a vote that will determine whether one of Africa’s longest-ruling parties stays in power for another five-year term. The ruling party Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) seeks to extend its 58-year hold on power. Analysts say, however, that this time round it is hard to predict the outcome of the general election.
The country faces tough times following a downturn in demand for diamonds which are vital to its economy and the opposition says the BDP has been in power too long and accuses it of economic mismanagement and corruption, an accusation it denies. Botswana is widely seen as a country with low corruption and good governance, but there is a growing lack of confidence in the government.
The Botswana Democratic Party has governed the southern African nation for 58 years, since independence from Britain in 1966. The election will determine the makeup of Parliament and lawmakers will later elect the president. Polling stations open at 6am today Wednesday morning with people voting for 61 seats in the National Assembly and 609 local council seats.
Some young people in the capital Gaborone are hoping that the election will bring about employment and a change for the better.
A young resident in the country stated “I’m actually a graduate, but I don’t have any job. So, I hope, I hope the future will be bright this time around after these elections,”. Unemployment has risen and stands at more than 27 percent, with youth unemployment above 45 percent.
Another resident we interviewed mentioned “I wish the party I’ll be voting for will create employment for young women,”
Current President, Mokgweetsi Masisi of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party will be competing against three challengers as he seeks a second and final term in office. His main challenger is Duma Boko of the opposition coalition Umbrella for Democratic Change who has pledged to more than double the minimum wage and increase social grants.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi, a 63-year-old former high school teacher who also previously worked for UNICEF, is seeking a second and final term.
Botswana has been held up as one of Africa’s success stories — a peaceful and stable democracy with one of the best standards of living in the region — but is facing new economic challenges that have pushed the ruling party to concede that policy change is needed. That’s largely because of a global downturn in demand for diamonds, which Botswana’s economy relies on. Unemployment in the nation of some 2.5 million people has risen to 27% this year, and is significantly higher for young people.
The ruling party says it has listened to the concerns of voters and will pursue changes that could diversify an economy where diamonds account for more than 80% of Botswana’s exports and a quarter of the GDP, according to the World Bank. One of its campaign slogans has been “Changing Together, Building Prosperity.”
Yesterday, Masisi held a boisterous final campaign rally in the capital, Gaborone, wearing a bright red suit jacket — the color of his party — and dancing with supporters.
Three other men are challenging Masisi for president: Duma Boko of the main opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change party, Dumelang Saleshando of the Botswana Congress Party and Mephato Reatile from the Botswana Patriotic Front.
Counting is expected to start straight after polls close Wednesday evening and the results could be announced within days.
While the Botswana Democratic Party has dominated the country’s politics since independence, recent economic uncertainty has closed the gap between the BDP and the opposition, analysts say.
Botswana is the second biggest producer of diamonds, behind Russia, and has been responsible for all the biggest rough gems found in the past decade.
But sales of rough diamonds at Debswana, the company that Botswana’s government jointly owns with the De Beers Group and a critical source of state revenue, were down nearly 50% in the first half of 2024, according to authorities. That has put a dent in the public purse and raised criticism of Masisi and the BDP for not taking steps to diversify the economy.
This election could also revive Masisi’s feud with former President Ian Khama, the man he succeeded as Botswana’s leader and then fell out with.
Khama, the son of Botswana’s founding president, quit the BDP and went into exile in South Africa in 2021, accusing Masisi of taking an authoritarian approach to criticism. Khama was charged with illegal possession of a firearm and receiving stolen property in a criminal case he said was politically motivated to silence him.
Khama returned to Botswana in September to attend a court hearing and has campaigned for the Botswana Patriotic Front in an attempt to oust Masisi.
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