Africa-Press – Botswana. Afrobarometer Report Indicates Preference Among Batswana for Direct Presidential Elections
A 2024 Afrobarometer report reveals that a significant majority of Batswana favor a shift towards directly electing their President, moving away from the existing party-based system.
Currently, Botswana employs the ‘First Past the Post’ electoral system. Under this system, the leader of the political party that secures the majority of seats in Parliament automatically becomes the President.
However, a nationwide survey conducted in July of last year, encompassing a sample size of 1,200 individuals, indicated that 60 percent of respondents believe the current system should be reformed to enable citizens to directly vote for the President. Notably, this figure represents a slight decrease from the 2017 Afrobarometer report, where 66 percent expressed support for such a change.
An analysis of the survey responses reveals that the desire for direct presidential elections is particularly strong among respondents with post-secondary education, urban dwellers, and those facing economic hardship. In contrast, elderly respondents exhibited greater satisfaction with the current system, with 63 percent indicating their preference for maintaining the status quo.
Interestingly, a notable 33 percent of respondents expressed support for Parliament being responsible for electing the President. Regarding the appointment of Ministers, a majority (56 percent) felt that the current practice of selecting them from within Parliament has served Botswana effectively.
However, support for this method of ministerial appointments diminishes with age. Among respondents aged 18 to 25, 64 percent were in favor, while this figure drops to 47 percent for those over 65.
Furthermore, a substantial three-quarters of Batswana either ‘agree’ (30 percent) or ‘strongly agree’ (45 percent) that public servants who acquire unexplained wealth should be subject to lifestyle audits. The report suggests that respondents believe such audits would enhance integrity within the public service.
Afrobarometer, headquartered in Accra, Ghana, is a pan-African, independent, and non-partisan research network that gauges public opinions on economic, political, and social issues across Africa.
For More News And Analysis About Botswana Follow Africa-Press
