close
close

Ourladyoftheassumptionparish

Part – Newstatenabenn

    • Botswana’s pivotal elections – allAfrica.com
    patheur

    Botswana’s pivotal elections – allAfrica.com

    Sakege Posted on

    Botswana’s next leadership must look beyond political disputes, rebuild trust with its citizens and deliver on its promises to maintain the country’s democratic and developmental progress.

    As the people of Botswana prepare for election day on October 30, they have real reasons for concern. Unemployment is increasing. Polls show that citizen satisfaction with democracy has fallen by 40 percent over the past decade, while concerns about corruption have increased dramatically, to the point that just under 80 percent of Botswanas believe that at least some officials in the President’s office are corrupt. The extraordinary success story of the country, which rose from extremely low levels of development at the time of independence in 1966 to a peaceful, democratic, upper-middle-income country where the rule of law prevailed and social trust could prosper, has taken a dark turn.

    Not all of the country’s problems are self-inflicted. The diamond industry crisis is a function of global economic forces and changing generational tastes. Droughts are getting worse due to climate change. But the country’s leaders have failed to make enough progress in tackling inequality and diversifying the economy, missing out on opportunities due to burdensome processes, moving from one plan to another repeatedly, investing in industries that make little sense for Botswana’s climate. and not improving critical infrastructure efficiently. Worse still, growing concerns about corruption and judicial interference risk tarnishing the most attractive attractions that Botswana had to offer international investors: a reputation for transparency, sound tax policy and compliance with the law.