Botswana’s Masisi Fires Minister Planning Presidential Challenge
- Ruling party contests are rare, keeps to orderly transition
- Southern African nation is second-biggest diamond producer
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Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi fired his local government minister after Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi announced she would challenge him in a ruling party election scheduled for April.
The contest would be rare for the Botswana Democratic Party that’s governed the diamond-rich southern African nation since independence more than five decades ago as it generally keeps to orderly succession ahead of national elections. Masisi, 57, succeeded Ian Khama as president in March to ensure a smooth changeover -- as has been the practice ahead of previous votes.