**Botswanans vote in elections on Friday that are widely expected to see President Ian Khama returned to office.**The son of Botswana’s first president, Mr Khama faces his first democratic test since becoming Botswana Democratic Party leader some 18 months ago.
He is credited with being decisive but also criticised for being dogmatic.
Botswana is the world’s largest diamond exporter and Africa’s fastest growing economy. But it is suffering the after-effects of the global slowdown.
BBC southern Africa correspondent Karen Allen says Botswana’s over- dependence on diamonds for its export earnings and tax revenues, jobs and human rights will all be issues that influence voters.
Recent moves to slap a 30% levy on alcohol, clamp down on the media and impose strict discipline on party dissidents has led to criticism that President Khama is too authoritarian, our correspondent adds.
Mr Khama, 56, has roundly dismissed the charges, and says he is just a man motivated by delivery.
Splits within the ruling party are expected to see its overall support base decline, but the opposition is equally fractured.
Mr Khama’s party, which has held power since independence in 1966, won 44 of the 57 seats at the last election in 2004.
The other seats were won by the main opposition Botswana National Front and the Botswana Congress Party.