Since its first pre-independence elections in 1965, Botswana has maintained its democratic tradition, holding regular elections every five years without interruption. To this extent, it is a multiparty democracy. In Botswana, political parties are allowed to form and freely contest for political office. However, the development and institutionalization of political parties remain a major challenge to democratic consolidation in Botswana. This paper, therefore, argues that party development and institutionalization are major obstacles to democratic consolidation in Botswana. There are a number of factors that work against the development and institutionalization of political parties. In the light of these challenges, the paper concludes that probably the level of democracy in the country is the best that can be expected given the democratic stature of political parties in Botswana.

It is common knowledge that Botswana has maintained a democratic tradition through regular elections and multiparty system for over the past four decades. The country is now approaching a fifth decade wherein regular five-yearly elections would have been held. For all those held, they have been unanimously pronounced to have been free and fair. In all these elections, no less than four political parties have participated (and at the most seven political parties participated), and this attests to the vibrancy of the multiparty system in place in Botswana. Despite the free political environment, the government in Botswana has remained in the hands of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP). Some analysts have argued that opposition parties have not been able to package themselves as viable alternates for government.¹ This paper argues that the lack of political parties’ institutionalization impacts on democratic consolidation in Botswana. The paper discusses the challenges political parties face which hinder their institutionalization. It also shows that despite such challenges, there have been, and continue to be, opportunities for party institutionalization in Botswana. The paper uses the three major political parties to show the lack of institutionalization and the challenges and opportunities that abound.

The paper argues that political parties are yet to develop and institutionalize themselves to a point where the acclaimed democracy in Botswana can be consolidated. According to Huntington,² democracy is consolidated when parties are able to compete and exchange power peacefully following accepted democratic means, and when the winner is able to democratically lose office and accept the results.

International Relations Journal, Political Parties, Democratic Consolidation, Challenges, Opportunities, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP), Party Development, Bechuanaland Federal Party (BFP), Bechuanaland People’s Party (BPP).