21 Mar 2019

Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) office in Francistown is witnessing low numbers of those registering in the current continuous voter registration exercise.

Speaking to BOPA in an interview, acting principal registration officer, Ms Matshediso Gabana said the IEC office in Francistown had registered 2 493 in all the three polling districts of Francistown East, West and South constituencies since December 17 to date. 

This brings to 24 568 the number of people who have registered in the current voter registration and supplementary registration as compared to 35 080 recorded during the same exercises in 2014. 

He said Francistown East, West and South registered 854, 867 and 776 respectively in the period between December 17 to March 31. 

Ms Gabana explained that with the exercise moving the way it is, it is evident that the office will not meet the targeted 35 080 voters who participated in the 2014 voter registration exercise.

She explained that they had expected the number to surpass the targeted 35 080 because a lot of people had turned 18, which is the legal age for one to register for elections. 

She noted that the IEC office in Francistown had conducted several initiatives, including kgotla meetings in Donga, Phase IV, Minister’s Fraternal workshop, women’s workshop as well as a workshop for youth representatives from political parties to lure people to register, but to no avail.

She said the different fora were well attended and wondered why the registration figures were not increasing.

Ms Gabana therefore, called upon all key stakeholders to encourage those who have not yet registered to do so in the remaining two weeks of the exercise. ENDS