23 Jun 2019

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is ready to conduct this year’s general elections, the commission’s chairperson, Justice Abednico Tafa has said. 

Briefing the media in Gaborone on June 21, he said sensitisation of stakeholders on IEC’s level of preparedness commenced in April and will continue until October. 

“So far we have addressed eight ministries and eight district councils. We have also addressed political parties and now the media,” he said. 

Justice Tafa said sensitisation of prospective candidates would commence in July to apprise them on the electoral law. 

He said following dissolution of Parliament, amalgamation of rolls would follow suit. 

Justice Tafa said performance audit to determine whether elections were held according to international standards would be conducted by the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IIDEA), a process, which he said had already started and would continue until after the release of election results. 

Meanwhile, the voter registration showed low voter registration turnout. 

A total of 72 per cent of the 80 per cent set target of the eligible voting population had registered translating to 922 769 voters of the 1 273 880 target. 

Of these figures, 58 per cent were of the age group 36 plus while 41.9 per cent were of the 18-35 age bracket. 

The consolidated voter registration by gender indicated that a total of 45.4 per cent were males and 54.6 per cent were  females registered during the general voter registration and the first and second supplementary voter registration exercises. 

Justice Tafa said the inspection of voter’s rolls was ongoing to afford those with objections to register them with the principal registration officers in their respective constituencies. 

He said so far about 1 500 objections had been registered at various magistrate courts around the country.

Following certification of the general roll on June 10, registration of transfers was open in accordance with Section 25 of the Electoral Act. ENDS