Domestic politics was characterised by intra-party and inter-party feuding, and by the ruction between President Mokgweetsi Masisi and former president Ian Khama, with the Directorate of Intelligence and Security Services (diss) at the centre of their dispute, giving rise to criticisms that the diss was ‘operating above the law’ and encroaching ‘with impunity’ on the roles of other institutions such as the Botswana Police Service, the Directorate on Corruption and Economic Crime (dcec), the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (dpp), and the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Board (ppadb). Corruption, malfeasance, and money laundering, as well as concerns over the independence and integrity of the judiciary, intensified despite President Masisi’s anti-corruption posture and declaration of adherence to the rule of law. The country preserved its foreign policy, characterised by unprecedented out-bound visits. Covid-19 eased, and the economy showed signs of positive economic recovery, yet socioeconomic barriers remained significant.
Following general elections in 2004, factional strife within the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) continued. Newfound opposition unity passed its first test in by-elections. The deportation of an Australian academic tarnished the country's image as a frontrunner in protecting human rights. A 12% devaluation of the national currency boosted inflation, while substantial growth derived mainly from diamond production. HIV/AIDS continued to threaten socioeconomic development.
Celebrating its 40th anniversary of independence, Botswana continued to enjoy political stability. While the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) – in power for all the 40 years – seemed to come to grips with factional strife, efforts to establish a formal agreement for opposition unity collapsed. The high court ruled the controversial relocation of the San from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) unconstitutional. Diamond production remained the engine of economic growth and the government signed a historic deal with the multinational De Beers allowing Botswana a greater share in the conglomerate. Notwithstanding numerous initiatives, HIV/AIDS continued to threaten socioeconomic development.
Botswana continued to enjoy political stability. Preparations by the government and the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) to transfer power from President Mogae to Vice President Ian Khama went smoothly, while the opposition remained divided. Doubts emerged whether the government was willing to abide by the high court ruling in favour of the San in 2006, when the court had declared their relocation from the Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) to be unlawful. While diamond production remained the engine of economic growth, HIV/AIDS continued to threaten socioeconomic development.
Despite a transfer of power to a new head of government, Botswana continued to enjoy political stability. The handing over of the presidency from President Mogae to Ian Khama went smoothly, while the opposition remained divided. Unlike his predecessor, Khama showed little patience with the turmoil in Zimbabwe. While diamond production remained the engine of economic growth, HIV/AIDS continued to threaten socioeconomic development.
Despite internal rifts, the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) won a sound victory in the ninth election after independence. Botswana remained the Southern African region's most vocal critic of Zimbabwe's President Mugabe. Notwithstanding relative macroeconomic stability, dependence on diamond exports proved problematic as reduced demand and a decreasing GDP followed the international financial crisis.
After winning a sound victory in the 2009 election, the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) underwent a split but was able to retain dominance in parliament. In foreign relations, Botswana maintained its strong stand against democratic deficits in other African countries such as Zimbabwe and Côte d’Ivoire, but was also confronted with an unfavourable ruling by the African Commission on its policy towards the country’s indigenous people, the San. Botswana’s economy quickly recovered from the international financial crisis, but diversification of the economy remained an urgent challenge. Despite ongoing efforts to fight HIV/AIDS, the epidemic persisted in threatening the country’s future.
This was an interesting year on the domestic political landscape. Despite the first split to rock the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), which led to the formation of the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD) in 2010, the BDP remained a major dominant force. In line with the principles that informed its foreign policy, Botswana continued to make its voice heard on the international stage on matters of democracy, good governance and human rights. Its economy, highly vulnerable to external shocks, showed strong signs of recovery from the global financial crisis. The country continued to be plagued by some social ills, particularly HIV/AIDS, which remained a priority concern.
The domestic political scene was dominated by the opposition parties’ cooperation talks that established the Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) to challenge the domination of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). The UDC was made up of the Botswana National Front (BNF), the Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD; an off-shot of the BDP), and the Botswana Peoples Party (BPP). Consistent with its foreign policy principles, Botswana promoted good governance, democracy and human rights on the international stage. The country’s economy recorded some positive growth amid uncertainty in the global economic environment – once again demonstrating its volatility and the need to diversify to become less vulnerable as a result of mineral dependency. Unremitting social problems, which may pose a threat to the country’s stability, remained.