Botswana to vote amid rising discontent

GABORONE (Reuters) - Botswana President Ian Khama is widely expected to win this week's election, but frustration over the state of the economy may erode some support for his party, in power since independence in 1966.

His Botswana Democratic Party faces little pressure in Friday's presidential and parliamentary polls, although infighting may give ground to the divided opposition in the long term.

"I do not see any change in power. The BDP, although divided as it is, will still win this election," said Lawrence Ookeditse, a political analyst at the University of Botswana.

The world's biggest diamond producer has sunk into recession due to the global slowdown slashing demand for the precious stone, which accounts for close to 40 percent of the economy.

Acting Finance Minister Kenneth Matambo said last month gross domestic product probably shrank 11.5 percent in the financial year to the end of June 2009.

The crisis has forced Botswana, seen as one of Africa's best-run countries with a history of budget surpluses and the region's strongest currency, to plunge itself into debt to keep afloat.

In May, it turned to China and South Africa for an $825 million loan for a new power station, and in June it borrowed $1.5 billion from the African Development Bank to plug a budget hole

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Growing discontent among grassroots supporters and noisy feuding has shaken the BDP, which dominates the nation of 1.8 million people, seen as one of Africa's most stable and peaceful democracies.