07 Mar 2021

  Parliament on Friday rejected a motion from Mahalapye East MP, Mr Yendani Boko, who called for the independence of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) through the amendment of the Electoral Act.

Presenting the motion, MP Boko said the IEC was not an independent body since it was under the Ministry for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration.

MP Boko said the aim of the amendment of the Electoral Act was to bring integrity, credibility and fairness in the elections and for the legitimacy of the government.

He said this was critical for political stability, civility, promotion of civil liberties and economic prosperity.

MP Boko said the past elections were highly disputed and discredited thus making government illegitimate in the minds of the people.

He said the role of MPs was to develop Botswana’s democracy and bring it to international standards and best practice.

MP Boko said the country also had to move from First Past the Post electoral system to a hybrid one which includes proportinal representation.

The Mahalapye East legislator said there should be political funding and the IEC should be independent in terms of appointment of personnel, finance , administrative work and determination of election date and necessary logistics.

He further said the production of ballot papers should be transparent and the counting held at polling stations.

Responding, the Minister for Presidential Affairs, Governance and Public Administration Mr Kabo Morwaeng said he was however against the motion, saying the country held free and fair elections since independence, adding that the IEC was fully independent.

Mr Morwaeng said since independence, there had never been reports of cheating, adding the IEC was formed following a 1997 national referendum.

All IEC members did not have questionable credentials and the executive did not interfere with its processes.

The minister said none of the members were affiliated to any political party, adding they were appointed by Judiciary Services Commission (JSC).

The IEC submitted reports after every election which are presented in Parliament, he said.

MP Dithapelo Keorapetse of Selebi Phikwe West supported the motion, saying various reports had indicated that the elections had been unfair.

MP Onnetse Ramogapi of Palapye supported the motion, saying countries like South Africa and Zambia which used to be under apartheid and one party state had surpassed Botswana with their electoral reforms.

Gaborone South MP Dumizweni Mthimkhulu however said the IEC was not established by the Electoral Act but the Constitution.

He said the IEC was independent, free from external control and supervision. ends