Government and politics Last elections: October 2009 Next elections: 2014 Head of State: President Lt-Gen Seretse Khama Ian Khama Head of Government: the President Ruling party: Botswana Democratic Party The October 1999 general election was won by the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), led by Festus Mogae, taking 33 seats, with 57 per cent of the votes, while the Botswana National Front (BNF) held six seats, with 26 per cent of the votes. There was an increase in the numbers of female and younger parliamentarians. In October 2004 the BDP won with 44 of the 57 seats in the enlarged Assembly and 52 per cent of the votes and Mogae was returned for a second term as President. The BNF took 12 seats and 26 per cent of the votes, and Botswana Congress Party (BCP), one seat and 17 per cent. On Festus Mogae’s retirement in April 2008, Ian Khama (the son of former President Sir Seretse Khama) became the country’s fourth President. In October 2009, he led the BDP to victory in the general election, taking 45 seats and 53 per cent of the votes. The BNF took six seats (22 per cent), the BCP four (19 per cent), the Botswana Alliance Movement one (two per cent) and independents one. Khama was shortly afterwards sworn in again as President. Local government Ministry: Local Government Association: Botswana Association of Local Authorities Local government is provided for by the Local Government (District Councils) Act 1965 and the Townships Act 1965, and not by the constitution. The Ministry of Local Government is responsible for local government. There are six urban councils and ten district councils, comprising 19 newly formed sub-districts. There are proposals for reforms giving local authorities greater autonomy. Local elections are held every five years. The local authorities have revenue-raising powers, but the bulk of their funding comes from national government. They are responsible for provision of primary education; primary health care; tertiary and access roads; and village water supplies. National development plan Botswana has prepared a series of national development plans since the Transitional Plan for Social and Economic Development prepared in 1965. The current plan, the Tenth National Development Plan, runs to 2016, the year by which, according to Vision 2016: Towards Prosperity for All, B o t swa n a the nation’s long-term goals are to be achieved. This Tenth Plan is the first to incorporate a results-based approach. It was also the first to establish thematic working groups in order to involve all the development partners in the plan preparation process. Policy The goals of Vision 2016 are of a nation that is: • Educated and informed • Prosperous, productive and innovative • Compassionate and caring • Safe and secure • Open, democratic and accountable • Moral and tolerant • United and proud Under the Tenth Plan, these goals are mapped onto policy outcomes that can be expressed as targets and monitored, for example: Education and ICT: • Improvements in the relevance, quality and access to education • Access to ICT in all schools Economy: • Diversification of the economy • Sustainability of economic growth and development • Per capita income of US$8,500 in real terms by 2016 • Year-on-year growth in real per capita incomes of some six per cent • Investment of 41 per cent of GDP • Access to employment • Access to good quality housing Society: • Equitable income distribution • Poverty reduction • Access to good quality health facilities • Control of the spread of HIV • Reduction in crime • Improvement in standards of road safety Governance The Vision 2016 Council was established to monitor and evaluate the effective and timely implementation of the Vision and National Development Plan by all stakeholders, including public sector, private sector and civil society. The Commonwealth Governance Handbook 2013/14 143
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