Voters across Botswana are casting their ballots on Wednesday in an election that is set to determine the future political landscape of the country.
Polling stations opened at 7am local time (0500 GMT) for over one million registered voters to select new members of parliament (MPs) and councillors.
The elections utilise a first-past-the-post electoral system where MPs are elected from single constituencies.
Notably, there is no direct voting for the presidency; instead, elected MPs serve as an electoral college to choose the president, typically the leader of the party securing the most seats in parliament.
Botswana’s National Assembly consists of 63 seats, with 57 filled through direct votes. The remaining four seats are reserved for the majority party, while the president and attorney general serve as ex-officio members.
Additionally, voters are selecting representatives for 490 contested municipal wards nationwide.
Six political parties are vying for power, with the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) led by President Mokgweetsi Masisi as the dominant force.
The BDP has maintained its hold on power since the country gained independence 58 years ago.
Masisi, a 63-year-old former high school teacher and United Nations employee, is seeking a second and final term in office.
The main opposition is the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), a coalition formed ahead of the 2014 general elections and led by Duma Boko.
Other parties in the race are the Botswana Congress Party, Botswana Patriotic Front, Botswana Movement for Democracy and the Botswana Republic Party.
In the last elections held in 2019, the BDP got 38 of the 57 National Assembly seats against 15 for the UDC, three for BPF and one for the Alliance of Progressives.
In the local government polls, the BDP won 334 out of 490 seats against 129 for the UDC and 17 for the BPF while smaller parties won the remainder.
Vote counting is anticipated to begin shortly after the polls close at 7pm on Wednesday evening, with results expected to be announced within days.
JN/APA