Botswana's election decides if a party that's been in power for 58 years gets another term

Polls person opened successful an predetermination successful Botswana and nan state is group to determine if 1 of Africa’s longest-ruling parties stays successful powerfulness for different five-year term

GABORONE, Botswana -- Polls opened successful an predetermination successful Botswana connected Wednesday and a state was group to determine if 1 of Africa's longest-ruling parties stays successful powerfulness for different five-year term.

The Botswana Democratic Party has been successful powerfulness successful nan confederate African federation for 58 years since independency from Britain successful 1966. The one-day predetermination will determine nan constitution of Parliament and lawmakers will later elite nan president.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi, a 63-year-old erstwhile precocious schoolhouse coach and United Nations employee, is seeking a 2nd and last term.

Botswana has been held up arsenic 1 of Africa's occurrence stories arsenic a serene and unchangeable populist pinch 1 of nan champion standards of surviving successful nan region, but it is facing caller economical challenges that person pushed nan BDP to concede that argumentation alteration is needed.

That's mostly because of a world downturn successful demand for diamonds, which Botswana's system relies on. Unemployment successful nan federation of immoderate 2.5 cardinal group has risen to 27% this year, and it's importantly higher for young people.

The BDP says it has listened to nan concerns of voters and is unfastened to changes argumentation that could diversify an system wherever diamonds relationship for much than 80% of Botswana's exports and a 4th of nan GDP, according to nan World Bank.

Three men person registered to situation Masisi for president: Duma Boko of nan main guidance Umbrella for Democratic Change party, Dumelang Saleshando of nan Botswana Congress Party and Mephato Reatile from nan Botswana Patriotic Front.

Counting is expected to commencement consecutive aft polls adjacent Wednesday evening and nan results could beryllium announced wrong days.

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