Botswana counts votes as ruling party vies to extend six-decade rule: Video

The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), led by President Mokgweetsi Masisi, aims to extend its six-decade hold on power amid increasing calls for change.

Following Wednesday’s parliamentary vote, which also decides the next president, the BDP expressed confidence in its ability to retain control in the diamond-rich nation.

However, early results from local council elections indicated a strong showing by the left-leaning Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), raising speculation about the potential outcome of the parliamentary race. Election authorities are expected to announce results later in the day.

Voting proceeded smoothly in a country that prides itself on its democratic tradition since gaining independence from Britain in 1966, making it the oldest democracy in the region despite being consistently governed by the BDP.

Under Botswana's first-past-the-post electoral system, the party that secures 31 of the 61 parliamentary seats will be declared the winner and install its candidate as president.

Masisi, 63, who was elected in 2019 with 52 per cent of the vote, declared after voting that "victory is certain" for his second term. He faces competition from UDC leader Duma Boko, a 54-year-old human rights lawyer, Dumelang Saleshando of the Botswana Congress Party (BCP), and Mephato Reatile from the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF).

The UDC raised concerns about irregularities during voting, reminiscent of the 2019 elections when their attempts to contest results were dismissed in court.

Analysts suggest that the new government will need to address Botswana's economic dependence on diamonds. "The first priority for the next government would be to stabilize the economy and create strategic certainty in the mining sector," said independent political commentator Olopeng Rabasimane.