03 Mar 2015

Some Members of Parliament believe that the Secretary of Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) should be appointed by Parliament to enhance independence of the Commission.

Molepolole South MP Dr Tlamelo Mmatli on Monday March 2 argued that the independence of IEC is questionable under the current scenario where its Secretary is elected by President of the country only.

Debating the P63.3 million IEC budget proposals for the 2015/16 financial year, he argued that the President should only recommend a name, with the power of appointing lying with Parliament.

“As long as the Secretary of IEC is appointed by the President, independence of IEC will remain questionable. The Secretary of IEC secretary can be recommended by the President, but Parliament should appoint, and he or she should be answerable to Parliament,” Dr Mmatli said.

He credited the Commission for holding well run general elections last year despite working under difficult circumstances. He said the IEC faces challenges characterised by lack of human and financial resources, which make it difficult for them to reach out to people and educate them about elections. 

He said if the electorate continue to lack education about elections, which will lead them to make informed choices during the polls, elections in Botswana cannot then be classified as free. 

“When people are kept in the dark, they cannot make free choices because they are not informed,” he said. Okavango MP, Mr Bagalatia Arone, also said appointment of the Secretary of IEC should be done by Parliament. 

Further, he said the Commission should introduce the electronic registration and voting system for future elections because the current one is tedious and time consuming. 

“You cannot expect a person to travel from here to Seronga or Sekondomboro just to go and register,” he said, accusing government of being a stumbling block to introduction of the system while IEC has no problems with it.

He also said IEC should be given full control of all electoral issues, including delimitation of constituencies. “Politicians who have interests in elections should not be allowed to play a role in how wards and constituencies are delimitated,” he said.

He also asked for an increase in education of voters so that they can understand the processes of elections and the importance of voting. Mr Wynter Mmolotsi, the Francistown South MP, is another legislator who questioned the independence of IEC.

He said the Commission should be made fully independent and removed under Office of the President, and also asked for it to be provided with enough funding so that it can do its work properly. Mr Mmolotsi also accused Botswana Democratic Party, saying it spoiled the fairness of the general elections last year by using public resources to campaign. 

He said BDP used a Botswana Defence Force aircraft to campaign, with its members even posing for pictures on the plane. He said all political parties must be funded to make the elections fair. He also said people serving prison terms must be given an opportunity to vote during general elections.

Maun East MP, Mr Kostantinos Markus on the other hand said that he strongly believes that IEC is independent. He also praised it for doing a great job, saying: “Our elections always run smoothly which shows that they do their job properly and they deserve credit for that.”

He said opposition MPs should stop complaining when the President uses public resources because he is entitled to that as head of state.

Letlhakeng-Lephephe MP, Mr Liakat Kablay also said IEC did a fine job during the general elections, pointing that Botswana’s electoral systems are efficient and should not be changed. However, he complained about some polling officers whom he claimed mistreated elderly voters with sight problems in his constituency.

Lerala- Maunatlala MP, Mr Prince Maele, congratulated IEC for doing a sterling job in the last general elections. He said the system of voter registration is cumbersome and contributes to voter apathy. He said it should be changed to electronic registration.

He also decried the poor conduct of politicians during elections campaigns. He said the Code of Conduct for politicians should not condone exchange of insults by politicians at freedom squares. 

The minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Mr Eric Molale, who presented the budget for debates last week, refuted criticism that elections in Botswana lacked freedom and fairness. 

He asked MPs to propose things that would strengthen the electoral process, instead of condemning the credibility and fairness of elections. He said IEC in 2004 put proposal for the use of electronic voting machines to the All Party Caucus, but there was strong disapproval. “If views have changed about the matter then we can bring it back,” he said. ENDS