Politicians turn wine into water

The ambitious or at least well-meaning documents are public declarations of each party’s principles, policies and intentions should its representatives be voted into power. Essentially, manifestos are both “love letters” and promissory notes from political parties to the electorate, a form of gentleman’s agreement for the supply of votes in exchange for fulfilled promises.

Generally, the three main actors in the general elections – the Botswana Democratic Party, Botswana Congress Party and the UDC – cover the same subjects in their manifestos representing general human ambition. Issues such as the economy, job creation, citizen empowerment, youth development, education, healthcare, posterity, security and service delivery usually headline.