The Big Governance Issues in Botswana: A Civil Society Submission to the African Peer Review Mechanism

This report, compiled by civil society organisations in 2020 and 2021, outlines 12 key governance issues in Botswana as a submission to the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM). While acknowledging Botswana's history of good governance, the document highlights worrying trends in corruption, lack of accountability, and the need for more inclusive, participatory governance.

• Botswana's human rights protections are generally strong due to legislation, but benefits are not shared equally. Specific concerns include child labour, violence against women and children, discrimination against indigenous peoples, and abuses within the mining sector.
• The separation of powers is compromised by political and personal interests. While the Judiciary is independent, Parliament is limited by its relationship with the Executive and a First Past the Post electoral system that marginalises youth, women, and smaller parties.
• Public service performance is hindered by a lack of decentralisation, as major powers remain with the central government without a comprehensive guiding policy, limiting the autonomy of local councils and civil society.
• Despite being a full democracy, Botswana faces challenges with citizen participation and economic exclusion. The ruling party's hegemony is supported by political party funding structures and a fragmented opposition, while many citizens remain below the poverty line despite national economic growth.
• There is a decline in transparency and accountability, with rising concerns regarding corruption, conflicts of interest, and the independence of oversight bodies like the Independent Electoral Commission.

APA

South African Institute of International Affairs (2021). The Big Governance Issues in Botswana: A Civil Society Submission to the African Peer Review Mechanism. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-big-governance-issues-in-botswana-a-civil-society-submission-to-the-african-peer-review-mechanism/

Chicago

South African Institute of International Affairs. The Big Governance Issues in Botswana: A Civil Society Submission to the African Peer Review Mechanism. 2021. https://saiia.org.za/research/the-big-governance-issues-in-botswana-a-civil-society-submission-to-the-african-peer-review-mechanism/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=South African Institute of International Affairs |title=The Big Governance Issues in Botswana: A Civil Society Submission to the African Peer Review Mechanism |date=28 March 2021 |url=https://saiia.org.za/research/the-big-governance-issues-in-botswana-a-civil-society-submission-to-the-african-peer-review-mechanism/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{southafricaninstituteofinternationalaffairs2021big, author = {{South African Institute of International Affairs}}, title = {{The Big Governance Issues in Botswana: A Civil Society Submission to the African Peer Review Mechanism}}, institution = {South African Institute of International Affairs}, year = {2021}, month = mar, url = {https://saiia.org.za/research/the-big-governance-issues-in-botswana-a-civil-society-submission-to-the-african-peer-review-mechanism/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }