12 Sep 2018

Member of Parliament for Francistown West, Mr Ignatius Moswaane has urged residents of his constituency to familiarise themselves with borders that separated their wards so that they know which polling station they were eligible to register at.

Mr Moswaane was speaking at a kgotla meeting he addressed in Monarch on Wednesday. His meeting was arranged after numerous reports that some people were approaching polling station not in their areas of residence to register for the next general elections.

Monarch is divided into Monarch South and Monarch North and this, he said, was imperative to know where the south and north ward began and ended so that people  registered where appropriate.

“This calls for ward development committees in the constituency to educate the community on this matter because as it happens, it brings suspicions of voter trafficking which carries prison sentences if one is found guilty,” he cautioned.

Furthermore, the MP advised his constituents to register in the voter registration exercise which began on September 3 and ends on November 11.

“It would be a shame to see a government elected by only 200 people for example in a population of at least two million people,” he said.

On other matters, he briefed residents that the Social Welfare and Community Development office had completed an assessment of government assistance such as monthly food rations, transport fares for school going orphans and poverty eradication beneficiaries.

“When this assessment was done deserving and poor Batswana were cut from government assistance even before graduating out of poverty, and this has concerned me to ask questions with the relevant authorities and get answers.

I have seen the elderly and even visually impaired being cut from government assistance and I cannot, as an MP live large while my people are suffering,” he said.

He said the results of the assessment had been passed to the council leadership and the rightful minister to resolve the issue.

With independence celebrations coming, he advised the WDCs to solicit small donations from the community to be able to organise something bigger and better.

“My office is swarmed with WDC donation requests for independence celebrations,” said Mr Moswaane, wondering if he would manage.

He warned new WDC members to stay clear off politics while they were executing their duties of economically developing their communities.

A member of the community, Mr Kealeboga Samuel, thanked the MP for the consultative meeting, particularly concerning the ongoing voter registration.

He urged the Independent Electoral Committee to carry out more publicity campaigns concerning registration, saying it was enough.

Another resident, Mr Ontiretse Hlabano, urged residents of Monarch to be vigilant and to report any member of the community who was in abject poverty and needed help. ENDS