05 Mar 2021

Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) budget of over P76 million for the next financial year was approved by the National Assembly on Wednesday.
Of the sum, approximately P66 million is for recurrent and over P10 million for development fund

Presenting the IEC budget estimates before the parliamentary Committee of Supply, Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration, Mr Kabo Morwaeng said the institution required funding mostly for general operational costs.

He said the major items of recurrent expenditure would include salaries and allowances, internal and external travelling as well as transport costs, general expenses including service charges, publicity, election material, maintenance and running equipment.

For the development budget, the bulk of the total amount will be utilised for the final payments of the construction of the Tutume office block, automation, the conclusion of the voter education study, management systems and delimitation exercise, among others, he said.

Mr Morwaeng further told Parliament that subsequent to the past general elections, IEC had organised a two-day stakeholder engagement workshop, which came up with recommendations which had been sent to government for consideration.

These recommendations, he added, proposed some changes for possible legal reforms to improve the conduct of future elections.

The minister said the previous financial year had seen the IEC overseeing developments including the construction of the Tutume office block and a porter cabin secured for the Palapye office.

Debating the budget estimates, the Minister of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs and also Gaborone Bonnington North Member of Parliament, Ms Anna Mokgethi expressed hope that the proposed reforms by the IEC would be positively considered.

Ms Mokgethi said it was worrisome that civic participation in the political affairs of the public had been low since the first general elections in 1965 with voter apathy and low public engagement.

She added that she thus supported the study on voter apathy and strategies on improving women participation in elections needed to be considered, since women remained underrepresented in political office.

Leader of Opposition, Maun West Member of Parliament, Mr Dumelang Saleshando said the recommendations from the IEC included several electoral reforms which should be instituted.

He cited the state funding of political parties, enacting a Freedom of Information Act, and for people with special needs, including pregnant women to be afforded special voting rights to vote on a date prior to the date of the general election.

Other recommendations, Mr Saleshando said, included the general election date, which should be legally instituted, and known by all in advance, as well as for bye elections to be held within four months, if a parliamentary or council seats fell vacant through the death of a sitting member.

Mr Saleshando said the governing Botswana Democratic Party in Parliament had proved to be a major obstacle in the enactment of those reforms as they often rejected opposition motions in that regard.

A total of 36 Members of Parliament  voted in favour, 10 against with three abstaining while 14 were absent. ENDS