Botswana: In a World Where Political Polarization and Disengagement Are Denting Democracy, Does Botswana’s ‘Kgotla’ System Hold the Key?

In late October, more than 80% of Botswana’s electorate went to the polls and voted out the incumbent government. The unexpected result was accepted by all parties, and the outgoing president immediately announced his plans for a smooth transition of power.

This is not unusual in the southern African country – Botswana regularly leads the mainland continent in annual “most democratic nations” lists. Since independence in 1966, Botswana has seen not only high levels of democratic stability but also…