A voter casts his poll on the Phillip Moshotle Major Faculty polling station in Gaborone on October 30, 2024, throughout Botswana’s basic election.
| Photograph Credit score: AFP

Southern Africa’s diamond-rich nation of Botswana voted generally elections Wednesday (October 30, 2024) with the ruling occasion in search of to increase its almost six-decade rule and hand a second time period to President Mokgweetsi Masisi.

Polls opened at 6.30 a.m. (0430 GMT) for greater than one million folks registered to vote, with 4 presidential candidates within the race to move the area’s oldest democracy, put in on independence from Britain in 1966 when the Botswana Democratic Social gathering (BDP) took workplace.

“It’s my time to voice my opinion. I can’t wait,” mentioned Lone Kobe, 38, who had been queueing since 3.15 a.m. at a college in Gaborone internet hosting a polling station.

“I wish to expertise a brand new Botswana. We’re seeing a share of the inhabitants having fun with the advantages. We’re simply the spectators, like we’re watching a film,” mentioned the self-employed girl, a lightweight blanket round her shoulders.

“We wish to see true democracy, transparency and a free and truthful election,” mentioned Muthisi Kemo, a 56-year-old unemployed man who arrived three hours earlier than the polling station opened.

There have been irregularities within the functioning of the Impartial Electoral Authority (IEC) in favour of the ruling occasion, he mentioned, echoing opposition claims within the lead-up to the polls. “It’s an open secret.”

Opposition teams have been important of the IEC together with for failing to share a digital model of the voters roll and a scarcity of poll papers in early voting for public officers.

An unemployment charge that has reached 27% amid a weakening economic system has been one of many key issues of voters forward of the elections, alongside claims of presidency corruption and mismanagement.

However the ruling occasion factors to the influence of the Covid-19 pandemic on the economic system, with weakened demand for diamonds additionally chipping away at revenues.

An brisk Mr. Masisi, 63, held a ultimate marketing campaign rally with about 400 cheering supporters within the capital late Tuesday, saying that he needed to make use of his second time period “to shine” what he began in his first 5 years.

Queen Mosiane, 34, mentioned on the rally she was loyal to the occasion as a result of its authorities had supported her when she grew to become an orphan, together with with training and healthcare coated by the state.

“We reside peacefully on this nation due to BDP,” she mentioned. “It’s not time to alter as a result of we don’t know what we’re inviting.”

“The alternatives that we discover, and our youngsters are going to search out sooner or later, are due to the BDP,” mentioned civil servant Refile Kutlwano, 34, on the identical rally. “The opposition just isn’t able to rule.”

Fractured opposition

Mr. Masisi was elected in 2019 with round 52% of the vote. Whereas the occasion just isn’t anticipated to fare a lot better this time, the opposition is fractured.

The primary opposition alliance is the left-leaning Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), led by youthful human rights lawyer, Duma Boko, 54.

It misplaced two key members within the run-up to voting day with the Botswana Patriotic Entrance (BPF) and Botswana Congress Social gathering (BCP) quitting and every fielding their very own presidential candidates.

It was a blow to voters like Ookeditse Letshwenyo, 23, who noticed the UDC providing alternatives to younger folks struggling to search out work.

“Since our independence we’ve been dominated by the identical folks, with the identical mindset, with the identical objectives,” mentioned Mr. Letshwenyo, who has launched an IT start-up. “You may’t win towards the BDP when you are divided,” he mentioned.

Whereas the shock return six weeks in the past from three years of self-exile of the earlier president Ian Khama to marketing campaign towards Mr. Masisi added some vitality to the opposition, analysts mentioned his affect was restricted to a couple districts.

With 61 seats up for grabs in parliament, Botswana’s first-past-the-post system signifies that the primary occasion to take 31 seats might be declared the winner and set up its candidate as president.

Counting will begin within the hours after polling stations shut at 7.00 p.m. (1700 GMT) Wednesday (October 30, 2024) with outcomes due late Thursday (October 30, 2024).