Botswana�s Trojan horse
Friday, May 06, 2016
Far from the usual tales of corporations looting Africa, Botswana’s primary corporate partner, De Beers, has been involved with the government in what is considered as one of the world’s longest public-private partnerships.
De Beers has gone so far as to give Botswana a 15% share in the corporation. Botswana has even established a sovereign fund to ensure that the finite resource of diamonds can reap indefinite revenues.
The fees have been doubled from the previous amounts and raise concerns about political participation accessibility and democratic representation principles.This significant fee increase prompts questions regarding its impact on grassroots democracy.On one hand, the fees act as a filter, ensuring only serious contenders enter the race, potentially reducing frivolous candidacies and generating crucial campaign funds. The BDP argues that aspiring...