On 24th October 2014 Batswana go to the polls to choose their elected representatives. Whereas regular elections are a part of Botswana’s political culture, this year’s elections are uncharacteristically explosive, unpredictable and hotly contested as though it is a matter of life and death. Nevertheless, Botswana can draw comfort from our long, proud tradition of free, fair and peaceful elections. Other than getting comforted by this tradition, the political atmosphere is contaminated with acidic relations between contesting parties that makes even hardened political activists restless.
While this fiery contest for victory could be associated with heightened political activity on the eve of a general election, there has recently emerged a worrying trend of reckless talk and election-related differences that threaten a peaceful election. It must be noted that election-related violent conflicts that have come to characterize electoral democracy in Africa always starts as low key political differences, which overtime metamorphose into high-pitched, intense political disputes that voters physically fight over.
A lot of mistrust already exists between opposition parties and the ruling BDP and it is going to take much doing to convince opposition parties that the Independent Electoral Commission will manage this year’s elections in an impartial manner. In fact, the only instance that the opposition would be prepared to accept the outcome of the 2014 electoral competition would be when they have been declared winners, one way or the other. Any other outcome is bound to be objectionable and out rightly unacceptable.
The BDP’s use of what is reported to be discredited consultants specializing in rigging elections; the experiences from the postponement of the Francistown West parliamentary bye-election on the basis of a fraudulent petition; President Khama’s repeated mention that BDP members would be exiled or imprisoned if the opposition wins elections; and his decision to allow an ordinary BDP activist to attend Cabinet meetings as part of the BDP’s fight for survival and so forth, have not helped the situation.
The opposition can smell state power whether imaginary or real and has as a result formed and consolidated the view that the only way the BDP could win would be through the use of unorthodox techniques ÔÇô stealing it to be blunt. This charge against the BDP might be ridiculous and absurd but the opposition has nurtured it and won’t quit.
On the other hand, the BDP knows no other life than life inside the Presidential palace; a life of glitz and glamour. Given their resources, the advantage of incumbency and the support they get from big businesses, they would not readily accept that it is possible or even acceptable to be out-competed by a resource-poor and somewhat disorganized opposition. This is their candid thinking and they are not prepared to back off. Conceding defeat in such a privileged position would be unthinkable. Heads they win, tails they win! 
Elections are the linchpin of our democratic dispensation since they allow citizens an opportunity to choose their leaders. However, on the evidence of recent events, electoral democracy is becoming the very antithesis of a democracy as a system of government premised on peace and stability. While fierce political competition is welcome and understandable particularly bearing in mind that at stake is the attainment of state power, campaigns based on gutter politics tarnish the reputation of our already fading democracy and brings the electoral process into disrepute.
Profiling people on the basis of their political thoughts, the colour of the coats they wear and lampooning others for not grieving the loss of our leader as much as we did is distressing. This kind of approach to politicking does not awaken interest in politics but instead sows seeds of mistrust and discontent and has the potential to scare away voters especially those who have participated in previous elections that were deemed peaceful. If left unchecked, gutter politics could escalate simmering tensions and produce full-blown violent electoral conflicts that would reveal Botswana’s artificial stability. This is a tipping point for Botswana for the first time in her entire life.
The danger is imminent and requires extra-ordinary presidential leadership. It requires the state president to transcend the narrow confines of partisan politics and talk tough. Unfortunately, our state president is conflicted and his recent pronouncement that they will kill their opponents at the polls is not re-assuring but rather disappointing and reckless. As a nation we need to bear in mind that the degeneration of the state follows directly from the degeneration of the moral character of the citizenry, especially political leaders. Exchanging insults, trading in innuendos, promoting conspiracies and over-paying international scammers to ensure a win by hook and crook is a filthy political business that presents a clear and present danger that threatens our very existence.
For the BDP to dismiss the opposition concerns especially regarding possible electoral fraud as infantile is as much inadequate as it is a manifestation of the regression of the democratic process. The BDP’s insistence, with characteristic swagger, that they will not lose come rain or sunshine may be a display of unquestionable confidence but nevertheless sound as if the BDP is certain of victory regardless of the actual outcome and this is worrisome in every sense of the word. It won’t be surprising if the total number of those who cast a vote is in excess of Botswana entire population.
Similarly, it is unusual and frightening for the opposition to dispute the election months before the polls. We know what the BDP is capable of doing but playing the game under protest is as ridiculous as it is a manifestation of intolerant political culture. The opposition’s behaviour is akin to undertaking to refuse, in advance, to accept results unless they are in their favour. The opposition shouldn’t behave like a village skunk who would swear to behead a woman who spurns his advances.
However, if the BDP is confident of whitewashing the opposition in a clean and fair contest as they want us to believe, The Badge of Courage challenges the party to immediately facilitate the establishment of mechanisms to promote communication between relevant institutions such as political parties, the IEC, civil society and the judiciary. This is necessary to create election-related conflict prevention and resolution bodies to safeguard our peace. At the moment, there is widespread lack of confidence in the electoral machinery and government institutions as a whole which has precipitated mistrust and discontent hence Botswana is virtually in a state of flux. 
For once in as many decades, Batswana live a life of fear. There is resentment and unheralded poisonous anger and bitterness. We are surely sitting on a time bomb and we can no longer pretend that things are normal. All of us have, in many different ways, contributed to this unfortunate state of affairs and it is incumbent upon us to put things right. We need to start working on promoting reconciliation in a spirit of tolerance and national unity post 2014 general elections otherwise Botswana stand the risk of being defined as much for its broken democracy as it once was for its celebrated democratic credentials. 
