22 Sep 2019

Election officers have been urged to deliver unquestionable and uncontested results for the maintenance of peace synonymous with Botswana elections. 

Speaking at a workshop for returning officers, their assistants and senior police officers, returning officer for Bobonong constituency, Mr Mpho Keareng said electoral processes were sensitive. 

He therefore called on all election officers to unite to execute the immense responsibility bestowed upon them and informed them that they would be released to cast their votes on October 19. 

The workshop followed another, where the IEC empowered returning officers and prospective candidates in an endeavour to smoothen electoral processes. 

In the not too distant a future, Mr Keareng said, polling officers would be capacitated as a collective effort towards delivery of a healthy baby in the form of election results. 

He was upbeat that the officers would deliver as per expectations. 

Returning officers and their assistants have been reminded that the Electoral Act reigns supreme during electoral processes, despite their being guided by the Public Service Act and other instruments of the public service. 

Speaking during the same workshop, principal elections officer at Bobonong, Mr Khumo Ketlhwaafetse told officers that where there were conflicts or confusion, they should consult the electoral law since it superseded any other act known to returning officers. 

Mr Ketlhwaafetse challenged the officers to read and understand the Electoral Act before they could discharge their duties. 

“Any officer appointed in accordance with section 4 of the Electoral Act, who is willfully and without reasonable cause guilty of any act or omission in breach of his official duty, shall be guilty of an offence and liable to a fine not exceeding P1 000 or to an imprisonment term not exceeding one year, or both,” he said, quoting an excerpt from a guide to stakeholders on electoral offence and illegal practices. 

He reminded officers partaking in the electoral processes that they would be dealing with an informed constituency of politicians. 

Returning officers have already started discharging their duties by receiving writs of elections for their constituencies, while nominations will be conducted on September 26. 

The principal elections officer said the IEC had played its role and has handed over the running of the elections to the election officers as a demonstration of the commission’s independence. 

He pleaded with officers that even though they were bestowed with powers to reject some nominations based on laid down procedures, they should, as much as possible, facilitate the candidates. 

“A candidate whose first nomination paper is or may be invalid shall be permitted to submit a second or subsequent nomination paper only if the time fixed for the close of nomination has not elapsed,” cited Mr Ketlhwaafetse, challenging the officers against rushing to outright rejection of nominations. 

In responding to inquiries about collection of candidates’ deposit (P500 for national assembly and P100 for local government) the IEC chief elections officer, Mr Molatlhegi Baloi said his office encouraged prospective candidates to deposit their fees at government revenue offices. 

Although collection of deposits by returning officers is provided for, some officers found it a cumbersome exercise, especially as regards safekeeping of the deposits since the nomination exercise would be conducted on a weekend. 

As amelioration, Mr Baloi said that in instances where it was pressing for officers to seek services of revenue collectors, such would be on call to assist. 

Mr Baloi said it was against the Electoral Act for anyone else other than the returning officer to broadcast results of elections before they could be officially released. 

He challenged officers to keep a hawk’s eye on perpetrators and bring them to book. 

The chief elections officer found that the broadcasting of unofficial results had the capacity to spur unnecessary jubilations to those supposed winners or uninformed despair to those who lose. 

When responding to queries about security at the counting centres, Mr Baloi said that Botswana was not yet at a point where members of the public could be searched for weapons upon entrance into the centre. 

However, he hastened to allay fears, saying police officers would always be on the lookout for those who may cause havoc. 

“Rest assured, Botswana Police Service officers have never let us down,” said Mr Baloi. Ends