31 Mar 2019

Parliament has passed a bill seeking to repeal the Electoral Act of 2016, which introduced the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) and abolished supplementary voter registration.

Reacting to the bill which was presented by Ramotswa MP, Mr Samuel Rantuana on March 28, Members of Parliament unanimously agreed with the proposition, differing however on the reasons why the act had to be repealed.

President Dr Mokgweetsi Masisi said while government supported the bill, it did so for different reasons from those advanced by Mr Rantuana.

He said it was disappointing that while some from the opposition initially supported the use of the EVM, they had backtracked on their decision and were now accusing government of being desirous to rig elections through electronic voting.

Dr Masisi said there was documented evidence that some within the opposition, some in Parliament and others at council badly wanted the use of EVMs.

President Masisi said the fears that the EVM would be used to rig elections were unfounded as the machines had been reliably and successfully used in other countries such as Namibia.

He said the move by government to halt the use of the machines had been borne out of the fact that government had the goodwill and interests of Batswana at heart, as consultations with different stakeholders had indicated a lack of readiness for the country to resort to electronic voting.

MP for Selebi Phikwe East, Mr Nonofo Molefhi said government had started the process to have the law repealed so as to do away with any possible unpredictability with regard to the conduct of elections.

Mr Molefhi said while government still believed in the use of the EVM, it acknowledged that employing electronic voting would not be a prudent move at the moment due to time constraints relating to developing a level of readiness necessary to allow for the successful use of the machines.

Specially elected MP, Mr Eric Molale dismissed allegations that government wanted to use the EVMs to rig elections, sharing the sentiment that the lack of readiness to use voting machines was one of the main reasons why electronic voting had been halted.

Ms Botlogile Tshireletso, the Mahalapye East legislator, said had consultations with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) not shown the lack of readiness on the institutions to use the EVM for this year’s general elections, government would not have rescinded the decision to conduct the coming elections using the voting machines.

MP for Francistown South, Mr Wynter Mmolotsi said the law on the use of the EVM had come at the wrong time and would not have worked.

He said it was sad that despite calls by the opposition to not adopt the use of voting machines had been rejected by government, only for the decision to be abandoned at the eleventh hour.

Mr Mmolotsi said having to repeal the law should be a lesson that Parliament should guard the interests of the people and not seek to please leaders.

MP Haskins Nkaigwa of Gaborone North said the use of EVMs could result in unrest and even cause wars as the machines could be pre-programmed and get tampered with, hence it was important to withdraw the law that provided for their use.

Gaborone Bonnington South legislator, Mr Ndaba Gaolathe highlighted the need to capacitate the IEC, saying strengthening democratic institutions, values and practices was the most effective way of preventing conflict both within and between societies so as to promote security for all.

He said only strong democratic institutions and practices, based on principles of pluralism, inclusion and the rule of law, could provide the foundation for societies in which the rights and interests of all were promoted and protected.

The IEC, he said, should have been allowed enough time to solicit competent human resources with the capacity and capability to operate and monitor the EVM.

Presenting the bill, Mr Rantuana had noted that while government had taken a position that the Electoral Amendment Act would not be used for this year’s general elections, it was necessary that the law be removed from the statute books to deny the executive the opportunity to somersault and revert to the use of the said piece of legislation.

He said there was a common feeling that the law was not good for Botswana’s democracy, as it did not serve to enhance the development of democratic processes.

Mr Rantuana said there were no compelling reasons why Botswana had to resort to the use of electronic gadgets to conduct elections.

Describing the use of the EVM as a risk and a threat to democracy, he said with the device, there was no evidence that votes entered could not be subsequently altered.

“In substance, in the deployment of the voting machines, the public monitoring of the elections is prevented as the major part of the election act and investigation and ascertainment of the results takes place inside the voting machine,” he added.

Mr Rantuana said with the use of ballot papers for voting, even illiterate voters could monitor the outcome of the elections process. ENDS