26 Mar 2017

 Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) coordinator, Mr Gabriel Seeletso has assured electorates in Ghanzi North and South that the voting instrument is durable in that its lifespan is 25-30 years.
Mr Seeletso added that the EVM would be used in five general elections without any maintenance or repairs required.
“In the unlikely event of malfunction during elections, another machine will be availed and wasted time will be supplemented,” he explained.
Mr Seeletso was responding to concerns raised by some residents at a kgotla meetings he addressed in Ghanzi and Charleshill recently about the durability of the machine and possible hiccups.
Also, he said the EVM would be cost effective, saying the process of printing ballot boxes would be eliminated.
He also maintained that the machine would be safe from hackers.
On other electoral act amendments, Mr Seeletso said the amendment provided legal mandate for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to conduct civic and voter education.
However, he said IEC still required stakeholder’s involvement and collaboration.
Under the new act, he said there would be no supplementary and registrations, but only one registration process would be carried out. Amendments also include nomination requirement, increase in registration fees and penalty fines for election related offences.
The amendment, he said was to enhance efficiency in the management of elections.
In Ghanzi, MP for Ghanzi North, Mr Noah Salakae said IEC could address skepticism towards EVM by providing the source code of the machine. Mr Salakae argued that in the event that international trade policies prohibited them to see the source code of the machine, there should be voter-verified paper audit trail. ENDS