29 Aug 2019

Following dissolution of Parliament, 57 vacant posts of Parliament have opened at the national assembly.

Dissolution is the official term for the end of a Parliament that is provided for in the Constitution of Botswana Section (91).

Section 90 (3) of the Constitution provides that whenever Parliament is dissolved, a general election of the elected members of the assembly shall be held within 60 days of the date of the dissolution and a session of Parliament shall be appointed to commence within 30 days of the date of that general election.

In an interview, Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) public relations officer, Mr Osupile Maroba said as of August 28 midnight, the process of transfers of registration provided for in the Electoral Act (25) has also ceased.

“As of August 28 midnight there are no more transfers of registration of voters,” he said.

Mr Maroba said following dissolution of Parliament, IEC would now be waiting for issuance of election writ. He said while waiting for issuance of the writ, members of the public may continue to correct their names in the voters roll if they so wish.

“When we receive notice of writ everything else stops and anything to do with election that happens after issuance of the writ will not be effected,” he stated.

Mr Maroba Presidential nominations are  held on the first Saturday after 20 days from dissolution.

Other legal requirements that regulate election include amalgamation of the three election rolls, being the general, supplementary 1 and 2 in order to produce general election roll.

He said after the election roll had been produced, the IEC secretary could no longer temper or adjust any record in election roll until after election. Ends