President Masisi’s Democratic Party hopes to stay in power for another five years

Botswana’s ruling social gathering, in energy for almost six a long time, is making an attempt to play tips on Wednesday’s common election, utilizing phrases normally related to the long-suffering opposition group.

The Botswana Democratic Get together (BDP) requires “change” in its manifesto.

“Allow us to change collectively to create prosperity for all,” Mokgweetsi Masisi, the nation’s president since 2018, wrote within the introduction.

It is an admission that issues must be performed in another way – one thing the opposition believes the president’s social gathering is incapable of doing.

Though analysts say the result of this election is tough to foretell, the BDP has received sizable parliamentary majorities in 11 elections since independence in 1966.

Subsequently, it secured the presidency each time members of Congress elected a head of state.

The BDP is credited with overseeing a peaceable and dramatic transformation of a poor nation that had only some kilometers of tarmac roads at independence to one of many highest common dwelling requirements on the continent.

Underpinning this transformation are Botswana’s huge diamond reserves – the nation is the world’s largest producer of gems by worth.

Nevertheless all was not properly.

Botswana is going through big financial challenges – so Masisi talks about change.

In line with the World Financial institution, greater than 1 / 4 of the working inhabitants is unemployed, with a good increased share amongst younger folks.

Zibani Mondney, a professor of political science on the College of Botswana, described it as an “unemployment economic system”.

“We’re churning out graduates yearly, however the economic system is not creating sufficient jobs for them.” He told the BBC’s Africa Daily podcast.

Moreover, Botswana’s wealth just isn’t evenly distributed amongst its 2.3 million folks.

Researchers say that utilizing a measure referred to as the Gini index One of the most unequal countries in the world.

The worldwide diamond business seems to be below strain because of falling demand.

However Masisi and his social gathering proceed to point out confidence.

At a marketing campaign rally in an opposition stronghold in central Botswana, the president arrived elegantly in an electrical automobile assembled within the nation.

After getting out of his automobile, the 63-year-old former instructor danced his technique to the stage, greeting supporters in crimson and white social gathering colours.

Masisi’s humor and appeal excited the viewers, and laughter rang out from the gang.

The area, dwelling to former president Ian Khama, elected three opposition MPs in 2019.

Khama beforehand defected from the BDP to assist kind the Botswana Patriotic Entrance (BPF) and stated he regretted selecting Masisi as his successor.

A dramatic row between the 2 led Khama to depart the nation, accusing the federal government of making an attempt to poison him.

Khama was subsequently charged with cash laundering and different crimes, all of which he denied.

It additionally ended his household’s political dominance – his father, Sir Seretse Khama, was the nation’s first president, serving for 14 years from 1966.

Masisi appealed to voters on the rally to return to the BDP, saying: “Sorry, please go dwelling and name others over.”

Hair salon proprietor Thandiwe Potso, 32, appears satisfied.

“Masisi really understood the challenges we confronted and got here up with higher plans to fund our enterprise,” she informed the BBC, her eyes flashing with dedication.

12 months of task, 45, agreed.

“His insurance policies have helped us develop and you may see we now not import greens. I imagine in his imaginative and prescient for our future.

However many others will not be so simply persuaded, in response to one ballot.

Revered non-partisan voting group Afrobarometer released a damming report earlier this year.

Though Botswana ranks excessive on the continent for good governance, folks in Botswana have a unfavourable view of the federal government and understand excessive ranges of corruption, the report stated.

“A overwhelming majority specific little or no belief within the incumbent and disapprove of the best way he performs his job,” the report stated.

BDP spokesman Kagelelo Banks Kentse questioned the credibility of the ballot.

He believes Afrobarometer has underestimated the BDP’s assist in earlier elections and believes this time will likely be no totally different. The social gathering takes nothing without any consideration although.

“If I say we’re overconfident, I might be useless flawed,” Kent informed the BBC.

“I hear folks on a regular basis: ‘That is the hardest election we have ever had,’ however we are saying that each election 12 months. You by no means win till you really vote.

He acknowledged that the unemployment price didn’t paint a rosy image however argued that each nation on the continent confronted related issues, including that his social gathering had pledged to create an extra 300,000 jobs.

Kentes additionally praised Masisi’s hard-negotiated cope with diamond firm De Beers final 12 months to permit Botswana to profit extra from its pure sources.

Initially, the nation will obtain a 30% share of domestically mined tough diamonds, a rise from the 25% it obtained beforehand, rising to 50% inside 10 years.

However Dumelang Saleshando, chief of one of many largest opposition events, believes the federal government has merely copied different folks’s concepts.

He stated his Botswana Congress Get together (BCP) was the primary to set the employment goal, however the BDP had beforehand rejected the goal, saying it was higher to depart issues to the free market.

One of many slogans Saleshando is deploying is: “Save Botswana”.

“I believe folks have seen the BDP for what it’s,” he informed the BBC.

“It actually cannot say it is an agent of change. Previously, it is at all times tried to say it is to keep up stability – extra of the identical – out of worry, they’ve tried to advertise one thing they do not imagine in.

One other opposition social gathering, the Umbrella Get together for Democratic Change (UDC), obtained the second-largest vote share in 2019, with its supporters turning out in giant numbers north of the capital, Gaborone.

Carrying blue and white T-shirts and solar hats, they cheered for chief Duma Boko.

In contrast to Masisi, Boko usually maintained a no-nonsense perspective to spotlight how a lot the folks had suffered below the PDP rule.

He claimed there was an try and rig the vote.

“I urge everybody to stay vigilant and to remain on the polls to guard your vote after voting in opposition to the BDP,” he stated.

Thapelo Dimpe, 45, a former instructor, has little question why he wished to go to the president’s social gathering Defeated.

“Training reforms in Masisi have failed us. UDC plans to put money into our colleges so our younger folks get the schooling they deserve,” he stated.

Divided opposition might preserve the BDP in energy whilst the federal government faces a bunch of points that might erode its assist.

Every MP is elected on a first-past-the-post foundation, that means the BDP solely must get probably the most votes in a constituency to win a seat, fairly than greater than 50%.

In seats the place the UDC, BCP or BPF (or another social gathering) are contesting, this might imply a cut up within the opposition vote, permitting the BDP to enter.

“There appears to be factionalism inside these events and they’re consistently elevating inner points with the media – they aren’t actually united,” political analyst Lesole Machacha informed the BBC.

However he additionally identified that the BDP additionally has its personal issues.

“The ruling social gathering just isn’t 100% intact – it has its issues. In some constituencies, BDP politicians sad with the first course of are working as unbiased candidates, which might result in cut up votes.

He added that each one this led to a fierce and unpredictable election.

The query now for considered one of Africa’s most profitable political events is whether or not sufficient folks belief it to supervise the adjustments the nation wants.