This archive report was first published on 19 October 2019.
Botswana is gearing up for a hotly contested poll, with the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) facing a tough challenge from the opposition Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) coalition.
According to Duma Boko, leader of the UDC, his coalition is expected to secure at least 51% of the vote, which could see the UDC win the most parliamentary seats and potentially install Boko as the country's next president.
Speaking to AFP in Botswana's capital Gaborone, Boko expressed confidence in his coalition's chances, citing the BDP's divisions as a key factor.
"I think we will win this election and we should," said Boko, adding that the UDC believes it will secure a minimum of 33 constituencies in the 65-seat parliament.
The BDP has suffered a drop in popularity in recent years, with the party securing only 47% of votes in the last election in 2014, its lowest mark since 1966.
Botswana's current president Mokgweetsi Masisi was appointed by Ian Khama, the BDP's former leader and son of its founding father, but Khama has since walked out of the party, accusing Masisi of autocracy.
Khama has since backed a small splinter party of BDP dissenters and is urging voters in some constituencies to back the UDC.
The UDC has promised to create 100,000 new jobs within a year and to triple minimum wage to around 3,000 pula ($275), with Boko saying that the coalition's election slogan, "Decent Jobs, Decent Lives: it's possible", reflects its commitment to improving the lives of Botswana's citizens.
