24 Oct 2014

Voting for the Francistown West MP and councillors is ongoing. Voters arrived at various polling stations from as early as 3am.

One voter at Monarch Primary School, Mr Isaac Mogapi, told BOPA in an interview that he arrived at the polling station at around 3:15am and was the first to cast his vote when voting started.

He said he was quite happy to exercise his right to vote.

Candidates for the Francistown West constituency are BCP's Dr Habaudi Hobona, BDP's Mr Ignatius Moswaane, UDC's Mr Shathiso Tambula and independent Mr Joseph Mabutho. There are also six council wards up for grabs.

Meanwhile Kutlwano’s Calviniah Kgautlhe reports from Gaborone that as at 8:30am (Friday, October 24, 2014), about 100 of the roughly 1000 registered voters at the Phillip Moshotle had voted.

Queues at the polling station were moving slowly given polling agents were still acclimatizing to the new voting system, according to presiding officer, Tebogo Tshoswane.

He further said they had designated two polling stations, A and B, but people who went into wrong queues added to the delay.

Congestion was also noted at Marapoathutlwa polling district, polling station Lot 34113 as young voters came in numbers hence shortage of staff also contributed to the delay.

Returning officer, Benson Rauwe, said they were in the process of organising more staff and two tents to contain the situation.  He said so far two people came with expired Omang cards and were not allowed to vote.

At Marang Tsholofelo polling district, UDC’s Mr Haskins Nkaigwa, cast his vote at around 9:00am. Mr Nkaigwa expressed confidence that he would win the Gaborone North constituency.

“I am not a loser, when the votes are counted tonight, I shall emerge victorious, I have done my homework, I have given my voters a clear vision,” he said.

Meanwhile, a voter at Marang Tsholofelo East is awaiting verdict from the returning officer after the system rejected his name.  

According to presiding officer, Mr Victor Sebego, a voter’s name could be rejected if they had registered more than once or if their Omang card had expired. ENDS