Vote buying not uncommon in Botswana

There have been allegations that political parties, individual candidates or their supporters offer gifts including food, beer or cash to the voter or activist of a rival party in order to either influence their choice of a representative in the polling booth, or, in the case of a rival activist, to defect to the buyer's party.  Even in cases where a politician avers to have witnessed the bribery of voters at the polls or where an activist claims to have been offered a bribe to decamp, no alleged offender has so far been indicted in Botswana.

Observers are worried that if the allegations of political bribery are true, then Botswana's democracy is under threat.  The concern emanates from the fact that political bribery is endemic in many countries in Africa and beyond. Bribery is considered by many as a sign of desperation by a contending party or candidate, fearful of the prospect of losing the elections.