15 Aug 2022

Government has been urged to expedite efforts to finalise the issue of sitting allowance for members of Party Liaison Committees (PLCs) to recognise their efforts in promoting transparency in the delivery of regular free and fair elections.

Some Party Liaison Committees  members in Maun expressed concern that the recommendation had been made to government in 2004 to recognise the committees legally so that they attract allowance, but nothing was done to date.

They made the plea during a Party Liaison Committees  meeting aimed to acquaint them with electoral activities such as the supplementary voter registration exercise and the ongoing delimitation exercise, among others.

The PLC members argued that it seemed government was not taking the committee seriously yet it was playing a critical role in the electoral system.

One of the members, Mr Kelesego Sokwe noted that he had joined the committee in 2013 while the recommendation had long been made and government was still silent on the issue.

“Most of us have lost hope on the issue. 

We are dragging our feet to attend PLC meetings. 

We believe that sitting allowance can motivate us to work better,” he added.

He explained that PLCs remained one of the key supportive structures to IEC, hence government should appreciate members’ contribution to the electoral system.

Mr Edwin Phalane concurred that government should consider incentives or payment of allowances as members were sacrificing their resources and time to attend meetings.

Furthermore, he noted that 90 per cent of the members were unemployed, as such they needed motivation.

On other issues, members called for the IEC office in Maun to embark on voter education in order to promote maximum participation in democracy and electoral processes.

Members decried low participation of the public in election processes and advised officers to conduct workshops with different segments of the society to educate them on the importance of participating in the election exercise.

Workshops, they said, would form the basis of interactive involvement of people in democracy development. 

Although members appreciated that financial constraints could be a hindrance, they suggested that the office could consider other means to reach out to all voters. 

Voter education, they said, was critical in order to make the electoral system more inclusive.

Ms Bernadette Malala proposed that officers should start visiting faith-based organisations to broaden the congregations’ knowledge and understanding of electoral democracy.

Faith-based organisations, she said, formed greater population as all segments of the society were found there, adding that people would be able to listen attentively because of the order in those groups.

Pastor Tshepiso Robert also urged IEC to explore other interventions in order to be prudent and productive, citing the use of technology to target young people.

Members of the community, he said, should be well informed about the electoral system so that they could exercise their civil and political right.

For his part, principal election officer, Mr Khumo Lebang urged members to exercise patience as their recommendation on payment of allowance had been submitted to the relevant authority.

He appreciated that PLCs were doing an excellent job as they acted as a forum of dialogue between IEC and political parties. 

The committees, he said, were mandated to enhance the integrity of the electoral process, promote voter confidence and increase voter participation in elections.

However, Mr Lebang pleaded with members to take the committees seriously and to be consistent with attending meetings.

He also informed them about electoral activities, noting that supplementary voter registration exercise had been completed and only 15 people from Maun East constituency registered while from Maun West six registered.

Country wide, he said the IEC registered 123 people, noting that the 2019 target was 80 per cent, but only 73 per cent was achieved. 

Mr Lebang explained that supplementary voter registration was meant to cater for people who did not register for the 2019 general elections. 

He said some may not have been registered because they had not turned 18 or other reasons.

He also emphasised the need to inspect voters’ roll after registration, noting that the exercise could also help to address the issue of voter trafficking. 

Members were also informed about the commemoration of the International Democracy Day, which would be celebrated in Maun on September 15. ends