Presidential, parliamentary polls open in Botswana

By James Kunda

LUSAKA, Zambia (AA) - Presidential and parliamentary polls opened in Botswana early on Wednesday, with four contenders for the country's top job including incumbent President Mokgweetsi Eric Masisi.

Masisi, 63, is seeking reelection for another five-year term of office and is running on the ruling Botswana Democratic Party ticket.

Other candidates are Umbrella for Democratic Change's advocate Duma Boko, 54, Botswana Congress Party's Dumelang Saleshando and Botswana Patriotic Front's Mephato Reatile.

The presidential election is being held simultaneously with parliamentary polls, with the term of members also running for five years.

The Botswana National Assembly comprises 65 members of parliament, including the president and speaker being ex-officious, with 57 members being elected by constituents and six specifically elected by members of parliament.

The Independent Electoral Commission of Botswana (IEC) said more than 1 million voters are eligible to cast their votes among the nation's 2.5 million population.

Masisi has declared polling day a public holiday to encourage high voter turnout.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) and are expected to close by 7 p.m., after which vote counting will begin.

Some of the key election issues raised ahead of the polls included high unemployment among the youth, deteriorating health sector which requires a boost and calls for the diversification of the economy heavily reliant on diamonds to other minerals.