- More than eight in 10 Batswana (84%) say that once the election is over, opposition parties and politicians should cooperate with the winning party to help develop the country (Figure 1). Only 14% say opposition parties should instead focus on monitoring and criticising the government in order to hold it accountable.
- About two-thirds (65%) of citizens support regular, open, and honest elections as the best method of choosing leaders (Figure 2). o But the proportion who favour other ways of choosing leaders has increased steadily, from 14% in 2012 to 34%.
- Six in 10 citizens (60%) say it is “not very likely” or “not at all likely” that powerful people can find out how they voted (Figure 3). About one-third (32%) express concerns about ballot secrecy.
- A majority of Batswana say the 2019 general election was “completely free and fair” (32%) or “free and fair with minor problems” (32%), while 23% have their doubts (Figure 4).
- Only 7% of citizens say they feared becoming victims of political intimidation or violence during the 2019 elections (Figure 5).
Regardless of the outcome of the upcoming general election, most Batswana want all political parties to cooperate in developing the country, a new Afrobarometer survey shows.
A majority of citizens prefer that the losing side support the winner instead of concentrating on holding the government accountable.
Survey findings show continued popular support for elections as the best method for choosing leaders, although there has been a significant increase in the percentage who think other methods should be adopted. A majority of citizens express confidence in the secrecy of their ballots.
Looking back at the 2019 election, a majority affirm that it was largely free and fair, and few say they feared being victims of intimidation or violence.