BDP strong, opposition weak

The tradition follows what may have been former president Sir Ketumile Masire's effort to counteract the stifling influence of the founding President, Seretse Khama, that would have undermined his own stature as the leader of this country after 1980.

The compromise was that there would be two celebrations; one in honour of the late Seretse, and the second to celebrate the incumbent, in this case, Festus Mogae.
The celebrations have taken on a cultural dimension, enabling the sitting president to visit one part of the country where he would be permitted to make a major statement relating to the general development of government policy without being trapped by party proceedings.