Botswana voting on future of ruling party after 58 years in office

Polls opened in an election in Botswana on Wednesday with the country set to decide if one of Africa’s longest-ruling parties stays in power for another five-year term.

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) has been in power in the southern African nation for 58 years since independence from Britain in 1966.

The one-day election will decide the shape of Parliament with members later electing the president.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi, a 63-year-old former high school teacher and United Nations employee, is seeking a second and final term.

Botswana has been held up as one of Africa’s success stories as a peaceful and stable democracy with one of the best standards of living in the region, but it is facing new economic challenges that have pushed the BDP to concede that policy change is needed.

That is largely because of a global downturn in demand for diamonds, which Botswana’s economy relies on.

Unemployment in the nation of 2.5 million people has risen to 27% this year and is significantly higher for young people.

The BDP says it has listened to the concerns of voters and is open to changes in policy 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.

Three men have registered to challenge Mr 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 on Wednesday evening and the results could be announced within days.