Diamond-rich Botswana heads to polls amid shifting political landscape

Voters in Botswana went to the polls on Wednesday for presidential and parliamentary elections in a tight race touted as a litmus test for one of Africa's most stable democracies.

Over 900,000 registered voters are expected to elect 57 national assembly members and 490 government representatives. The party that will have the largest number of elected representatives in the national assembly will choose the president for a five-year term.

The capital city of Gaborone was nearly deserted as people took advantage of the three-day public holiday given by the government to travel upcountry to cast their votes.

Polling stations in Moshupa-a southern district reported huge turnout as they opened early in the morning with voters expected to choose between incumbent President Eric Mokgweetsi Masisi and three other candidates, among them a candidate supported by former president Ian Khama.

The ruling Botswana Democratic Party has never lost an election since independence in 1966, but this may change this year in the face of a shifting political landscape.

Analysts have widely described the election as unprecedented, especially since the opposition have put up a strong campaign for the first time. Three have united under the Umbrella for Democratic Change, while Khama has thrown his weight behind the Botswana Patriotic Front, which he founded.

They have campaigned on a platform of job creation, promising 100,000 jobs. This has been deemed attractive in a country where more than 20 percent of the population is unemployed.

The elections would also put to test policies implemented by Masisi's administration, which took a wide berth from his predecessor.

Masisi has overturned a wildlife hunting ban instituted by the previous regime, which received global acclaim for making the country a sanctuary for wild elephants. However, the rapid expansion of the herd has conversely increased human-wildlife conflict.

Furthermore, the incumbent has also instituted corruption investigations against former leaders. While this has inadvertently widened rifts in the ruling party, it has been well-received by the people.

The government has also been seen to sweeten the pie by reviewing conditions of service and salaries for civil servants. Medical benefits have gone from 50 percent to 80 percent, while workers in the lowest strata will be going home with a 6 percent salary increase starting this month.

Nonetheless, Khama is still influential in the country's politics. He is a traditional chief of Serowe, which sits in a central region that has been a traditional ruling party stronghold. He is the son of the country's foremost independence leader and president.

The southern African country, renowned for its success in funneling diamond mining proceeds to fund free education, has attempted to diversify its sources of economic growth from mining to banking and tourism.

It continues to be considered an investor’s haven. The 2019 Africa-Risk-Reward Index showed Botswana was the safest investment destination in Africa, followed by Mauritius.

The analysis looked at the structural, political and economic features of African markets and examines the evolution of the investment landscape in 26 countries based on investment potential.