early lead for the opposition
The arid and sparsely populated African nation of Botswana
counted votes Thursday from elections expected to return President Mokgweetsi
Masisi to office after a first term marked by growing unemployment and concerns
over the diamond-dependent economy.
Voting on Wednesday was orderly in a country proud of its
democratic system installed on independence from Britain in 1966, making it the
oldest democracy in the region although it has always been governed by the same
party.
The ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) is confident the
results, which are expected late Thursday, will extend its 58 years in power,
although commentators said weakened support may see the country's first hung
parliament.
Counting for the municipal ballot started immediately as
polls closed late Wednesday while the parliamentary ballot boxes were
transported to separate centers.
With 61 parliamentary seats up for grabs, Botswana's
first-past-the-post system means the first party to 31 seats will be declared
the winner and install its candidate as president.
Masisi, one of four presidential candidates, said after
casting his ballot Wednesday he was confident that "victory is
certain."
But many voters said it was time for a change amid
allegations of government corruption, nepotism and mismanagement.
Most of Botswana's financial assets are held by a wealthy
10% of its people and the gap between rich and poor is one of the largest in
the world, according to the World Bank.
Unemployment rose to 27% as the economy suffered from a
slump in the market for diamonds, its main source of income.
"The first priority for the next government or
president would be to stabilize the economy, create a degree of strategic
certainty in the mining sector," political commentator Olopeng Rabasimane
said.
"The second has to be employment generation,
especially for young people. The third one would be diversification of the
economy away from dependency on diamonds," he said.
Masisi acknowledged concerns about a decline in Botswana's
foreign reserves and weakened international diamond sales, saying the
government would increase local investments as a countermeasure.
"We intend to address that by putting money into the
pockets of citizens and building infrastructure," he told reporters.
But the country needs more than construction, said
Rabasimane. "You cannot build roads only where there is no money to
service those roads." VOA
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