15 Mar 2020

Parliament has approved the 2020/21 budget proposals for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) amounting to P73.8 million.

Debating the budget, Specially Elected Member of Parliament Dr Unity Dow said elections should be free and fair without any suspicions hence the decision not to use  Electoral Voting Machines (EVMs) during last year’s general elections.

Dr Dow said Botswana’s population was small to warrant usage of EVMs.

She suggested that instead of costly by-elections following the death of the incumbent representative, the seat should continue to be held by the party the person belonged to.

She said there should be a law to guard against international interference in local elections, saying this threatened the stability the country had enjoyed for many years, adding that elections should not be about who has the big budget.

MP for Good Hope-Mabule, Mr Eric Molale said the EVMs were agreed upon by all Members of Parliament during the 11th Parliament, including opposition MPs and was surprised when they spoke against their usage.

He further said evaluation of elections should be held across the country to get different views from the constituents.

MP Sethomo Lelatisitswe of Boteti East decried the reduction of polling stations, saying it made it difficult for people to cast their votes and even expensive for politicians to ferry them to different stations.

Jwaneng-Mabutsane legislator, Mr Mephato Reatile said counting of ballot papers should be done in the polling stations rather than being transported to counting centers, saying that would save time as well as ensure the security of the papers.

The Vice President and MP for Boteti West, Mr Slumber Tsogwane said something should be done to guard against voter trafficking as it was one of the contributors in voter apathy.Mr Tsogwane also called for the increase of polling stations, saying people should not travel long distances to cast their votes.

For his part, MP for Mmadinare, Mr Molebatsi Molebatsi said it was imperative to introduce political party funding, saying this would end external interference.

He however was against direct presidential elections, saying they promote tribalism, suggesting that instead the president should have a running mate in the form of a vice president.

MP Molebatsi called for the introduction of a hybrid electoral system, a combined First Pass the Post and Proportional Representation.

He further said the delimitation exercise to be undertaken following the 2021 Population Census should consider the broad constituencies, saying it was difficult to reach all areas.

Shashe West lawmaker, Mr Fidelis Molao said IEC officers and everyone involved in the election process should be given quality training, noting that there was confusion during the elections.

MP Goretetse Kekgonegile of Maun East said political funding was imperative to protect democracy.

He further said the IEC Chairperson should not be the High Court Judge as this resulted in conflict of interest when there are litigations over election results. MP Kekgonegile said EVMs should never be re-introduced.

Thamaga-Kumakwane legislator, Mr Palelo Motaosane said IEC should open offices in all constituenies as it was expensive for politicians to ferry people to register for elections.

He said it was disheartening that some officers engaged during the elections had not been paid.

MP for Gaborone North, Mr Mpho Balopi wondered how the opposition could raise suspicion over the results when it had won 13 constituencies which had been held by the ruling party since independence.

He commended the President for engaging other political parties in the All Party Conference.

Dr Never Tshabang of Nkange said the IEC should be independent, noting that the elections would always perceived as unfair until reforms were introduced.

Bobonong MP, Mr Taolo Lucas said the proportional representation system would ensure all sectors of the economy were represented in Parliament.

He further said the date of elections should be specified, saying currently the ruling party had an upper hand as the President sets the elections day.

Leader of the Opposition and Maun West MP, Mr Dumelang Saleshando called for electoral reforms, saying the current system was wasteful.

He called for the establishment of Elections Tribunal as it had been said that the Court of Appeal and High Court did not have jurisdiction over election matters.

Responding to the comments, the Minister for Presidential Affairs and Public Administration Mr Kabo Morwaeng said some of the comments made by MPs would be addressed during the Constitutional review.

He said every system had advantages and disadvantages, and the disadvantages of a proportional representative system were that electorates never knew who represented them in Parliament.

Mr Morwaeng said ‘government did not have an intention of re-introducing EVMs in future.’ Ends