09 Aug 2016

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) in collaboration with the Electoral Commissions Forum (ECF) of Southern African Development Committee (SADC) will hold an annual general conference in Gaborone on August 23.

The seminar will be officially opened by President Lt Gen. Dr Seretse Khama Ian Khama.

In an interview, IEC spokesperson, Mr Osupile Maroba, stated that the seminar would seek to improve SADC member commissions’ awareness of electoral performance audits and how they could be used to improve the integrity of elections.

Mr Maroba said they were to build consensus on effective measures for the institutionalisation of electoral performance audits by member commissions. 

He also stated that they were to define priority actions and mechanisms to accelerate progress towards institutionalisation of electoral performance audits, share information and knowledge on good practices for electoral performance audits, as well as launch the book of the OSISA’s study on Electoral Commissions of SADC member states.

On background information on ECF-SADC, Mr Maroba said it was an independent organisation whose secretariat was based in Botswana.

He further said it comprised of the election management bodies in the SADC region namely, Angola, Botswana, DRC, Lesotho. Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Seychelles Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe.

He also stated that the ECF-SADC had been in place since July 1998 and operates with a structure which includes the conference, the executive committee and the secretariat.

He said the forum has played an important role in ensuring that the management of elections in the SADC countries is improved and in building the capacity of elections management bodies to fulfil their roles.

Mr Maroba also said among its objectives are to encourage the development and promotion of a democratic culture and an environment conductive to holding of free, fair and credible elections.

He further stated that they are to encourage the development of electoral laws that adhere to regionally and internationally accepted principles of election management.

Furthermore Mr Maroba mentioned that the ECF-SADC promote conductive relationships between Electoral Commissions and stakeholders through open and transparent electoral practices.Ends