Towards a united opposition in Botswana: Myth or reality?

Since then, Botswana practiced multi-party democracy and held "free and fair" elections every five years.  Although Botswana's national elections are usually hailed as "free and fair" by observers and academics alike, according to Professor Good (2006:105) and others elsewhere, these elections were "regular, free, but not very fair."

Good rightly observes that since independence, "the ruling party has invariably been the wealthiest and best organized of the competitors." And indeed no other party has ever come close to winning an election. This short installment seeks to analyze the dynamics of contemporary opposition politics in Botswana with particular reference to attempts made towards a united opposition. It seems the success or failure of the opposition project will define the future of politics in Botswana.