09 Jan 2024

Batswana living in diaspora have joined their fellow citizens in registering for the upcoming general elections, and registration is said to be progressing without glitches.

The Botswana Ambassador to Zimbabwe and High Commissioner to Malawi, Ms Sarah Molosiwa told BOPA on Monday that voter registration was progressing well at stations under her jurisdiction.

Ambassador Molosiwa said her office had, in preparation for the registration exercise, solicited television and print media adverts from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and placed them on the Zimbabwe Broadcastiong Corporation (ZBC) and other media outlets.

She said the decision was taken to reach out to all eligible Batswana in the two countries.

Ms Molosiwa also said they had used social media platforms to reach out to potential voters in the two countries.

High Commissioner to Kenya, Mr Andrew Sesinyi also said voter registration was progressing well in areas under his jurisdiction.

He said the registration station was the Botswana High Commission in Nairobi, Kenya and he encouraged all Batswana eligible to register for the upcoming elections.

The Botswana High Commission in Kenya covers Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, South Sudan and Sudan.

Mr Sesinyi said his office had, through various interactions, encouraged those eligible to register and noted that the numbers of those coming to register were expected to rise.

Like Ms Molosiwa in Zimbabwe, Mr Sesinyi said he did not have the exact numbers of those eligible to register as numbers kept on changing due to change in life circumstances of Batswana living abroad.

He said some were students and would relocate at the end of their studies.

He said his office had built rapport with many Batswana in his jurisdiction and they constantly interacted through various social media platforms and occasions.

Mr Sesinyi further encouraged Batswana to keep contact with their embassies when abroad, adding that the missions were there to serve them as well.

Among Batswana in the diaspora are those working, married to nationals of other countries, doing businesses or studying.

 Meanwhile, IEC chief public relations officer, Mr Osupile Maroba confirmed on Tuesday morning that registration was going well in the diaspora as well as locally.

He said since registration commenced last Friday, a total of 75 547 people had registered countrywide. He said the numbers were expected to rise in the coming days.

The national voter registration, which started on January 5, will end on February 3 for both local and international registration. Ends