This archive report was first published on 31 August 2019.
Botswana's President Mokgweetsi Masisi has ordered general elections on October 23, as tensions rise with his estranged predecessor, Ian Khama, who put him in the top job.
Khama, whose father led Botswana to independence in 1966, has accused Masisi of becoming an autocrat and threatening the country's reputation as a beacon of stability in a troubled continent.
According to Osupile Maroba from the national election commission, the last date for nominations is September 26, and the country will hold the 2019 General Elections to fill 57 National Assembly vacancies and 490 local government vacancies.
Botswana has been ruled by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) uninterruptedly since gaining independence from Britain in 1966. This year, the BDP will face opposition from the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), a splinter group led by Khama.
Khama ruled from 2008 to 2018 and handed power to Masisi after completing two terms, the maximum allowed by the constitution. However, he walked out of the party in May, citing Masisi's autocratic tendencies and decline in democratic credentials.
Since taking office, Masisi has changed several key policies adopted by Khama, including the lifting of the wildlife sports hunting ban imposed in 2014. Botswana has the world's largest elephant population, with over 135,000 roaming freely in its unfenced parks and wide open spaces.
