Democracy in the Face of a Weak Opposition in Botswana

This article discusses the political space that is anchored in the liberal democratic framework, and the ability of political parties to propagate their political views, in Botswana without fear or favour. It problematises the need for opposition parties to coalesce into a united front that would emerge as a credible democratic alternative to Botswana Democratic Party rule. The thesis of this article, was somewhat weakened by the results of the 1999 elections largely due to the split in the opposition vote, is that the First-Past-The- Post (FPTP) electoral system, which Botswana operates has produced a two party system with one party dominating the poll. The effective two party system has made it difficult for smaller political parties, let alone independent candidates, to develop a niche in the political environment. Yet another salient feature is the lack of internal democracy within political parties across the political plain.