03 Sep 2020

Some Party Liaison Committee (PLC)  members have underscored need for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to intensify public voter education efforts.

They stated that issues of voter trafficking, misconduct during campaigns and voting exercise remained serious challenges, hence the need to drill members of the public on the election processes such registration exercise, voting procedure, election petition and code of conduct.

Members aired their views during a meeting to evaluate the 2019 election exercise and they also discuss issues related to the election process.

They argued that many people did not understand the importance of elections since they always repeated same mistakes during election time.

They cited issues where some people registered twice in different constituencies while some voters’ names were rejected and called for accurate recording of data validity in future.

They also indicated that transfer period was long and thus gave some political leaders an opportunity to traffic voters from other constituencies.

They emphasized that voters should be sensitized about political boundaries noting that some were tempted to vote at polling stations not in their constituencies, but just because of proximity to their homesteads.

One member, Mr Galebone Isaiah, said there was need to embark on public awareness on the importance of electioneering since some people still failed to exercise their democratic right to vote because of lack of knowledge and information.

He pointed out that during public campaign rallies, some people displayed unacceptable behaviour, an indication that they did not understand the importance of good conduct during elections.

Some, he said, sent people to the polling stations during the Election Day to de-campaign others which was against the law.

Mr Isaiah said expectation was that one should go home after casting his/her vote.

He also complained about favoritism of some political parties during supplementary registration and requested that the exercise be conducted at public areas such as polling stations to promote transparency and fairness.

Members also learnt that there was a recommendation for an automated system to capture names during registration exercise and welcomed the new development.

Chief election officer, Mr Jacob Motlhanka, informed members that the 2019 general elections were well conducted even though it could not be said to be 100 per cent perfect.

Though acknowledging that IEC did received complaints, he said the commission did all in its power to uphold integrity and ensure credibility during the election process. “We tried by all means to ensure few challenges encountered do not compromise the integrity of the election process”.

He said IEC encountered minor challenges, which he said were addressed amicably.

The office also received 24 election petitions, a first time to receive such a number since IEC was formed.

Mr Motlhanka told the gathering that there was no how a voter could vote twice even if he/she could register several times because the system approved one registration.

Members were appraised on delimitation and demarcation processes, electoral cycle and issues raised by the election monitoring bodies. Ends