25 Jun 2018

Some councillors in the North East District have expressed concern over the pending Electoral Amendment Act of 2016 commencement date.

In their debate during the ongoing full council meeting, councillors argued that once it effected, it would cause delays in the electoral process. 

Cllr Elias Mbonini of Masunga Ward stated that the pending cases challenging the constitutionality of the Amendment Act limited the public education due to uncertainties of the outcome of the court cases. 

He stated that the Act, which advocates for the use of the Electronic Voting Machine (EVM), meant that electorate should be familiarised with the machine ahead of the elections. 

He further indicated that a new reform like a voting machine needed thorough induction before being effected.

Cllr Dumani Kelepi of Tati Siding West said he believed reforms followed the elections cycle recommendations hence asked whether the use of EVM was a recommendation that came from the national stakeholder evaluation exercise, which aimed at enhancing the electoral process. 

Mr Kelepi said he feared that the use of a voting machine would cause conflict between the current ruling party and opposition parties because of the controversies surrounding it. 

That, he said could jeopardise the state of Botswana’s democracy if people asked whether the elections were fair. 

However, Cllr Peggy Senthufe of Ditladi Ward welcomed the reforms stating that a once off registration was a welcome move because it eliminated issues of corruption and voter trafficking.

She stated that once the voters roll was released, no voter would be allowed to transfer votes which meant that every person would stick to the area they had registered at. 

Cllr Smarts Mathonsi of Tshesebe Ward stated that the issue of spoilt votes was alarming, something he attributed to lack of knowledge by some voters on how to vote while others did it on purpose. 

He further stated that some people violated the law on elections day by causing havoc and conflict therefore challenged the IEC to exercise the law and take action against such people.

IEC chief public relations officer, Mr Osupile Maroba agreed that teaching people about EVM technology would need ample time. 

Mr Maroba, however indicated that once the law commenced, IEC would use it and ensure every Motswana understood it.

He highlighted that as IEC, they compiled recommendations following the national stakeholder evaluation exercise, which were then presented to Cabinet following which an Amendment Bill would come. 

Also, he stated that IEC conducted voter education in every village, town and city in Botswana to ensure every Motswana was well educated on the electoral process. 

Nevertheless, he said they continued to record spoilt votes due to different reasons, while some were deliberate as indicated by some voters in post elections reviews. 

Mr Maroba said the law was articulate on issues of misconduct at polling stations, adding perpetrators would be detained at police stations upon violating the law.

He told councillors that the Amendment Act stipulated that registration fee for councillor candidates was increased from P100 to P1000. ENDS