25 Feb 2024

Parliament has rejected a motion by Mahalapye East MP, Mr Yandani Boko requesting the Minister for State President to advise the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to rescind its decision to conduct supplementary elections registration at offices of principal registration officers for constituencies.

The motion follows a communication through the Government Gazette dated February 19 2024 in which the IEC appointed the period starting February 26, 2024 and ending March 15, 2024 as a period to conduct supplementary voter registration in respect of all the 61 constituencies. 

The notice also said the supplementary registration shall be carried out at the offices of the principal registration officer for each constituency between 730am and 1630pm during weekdays only.

Presenting his motion, Mr Boko said although he agreed with the supplementary voter registration process, the IEC should, however, revert back to registering voters at designated polling stations in constituencies to avoid disenfranchising potential voters who lived far from the offices. 

“It is of importance for the IEC to consider the vastness of some constituencies hence it would be costly and time consuming for individuals to travel to IEC or district commissioners offices for registration,” he said. The IEC, he said, should consider providing polling stations nearer to the voters as it would promote more voter registration.

He said carrying out the supplementary registration only at the offices of the principal registration officer would be denying voters who could not reach such offices their democratic right to partake in the elections process.

Mr Boko argued that easy access to voter registration centres would also enable the IEC to reach its target of registering 1.3 million voters, noting that it currently has only achieved 69 per cent of their target.

Responding to Mr Boko’s motion, Minister for State President, Mr Kabo Morwaeng dismissed the motion as inappropriate and undemocratic. He said Parliament could not interfere with IEC proceedings since the commission was an independent body. “The IEC is simply carrying out its mandate as empowered by the Electoral Act," said Mr Morwaeng, adding that the mover of the motion should rather be coming up with a proposal to amend the Electoral Act and not to expect Parliament to dictate to the IEC how to administer elections.

He added that Parliament should rather respect and promote the independence of the IEC in order for it to gain credibility.

Contributing to the debate, Mogoditshane MP, Mr Tumiso Rakgari blamed the low voter registration on opposition parties feuds as a result of constituency allocation.

Tonota MP, Mr Pono Moatlhodi said the lengthy legal battles brought before the courts by the Umbrella for Democratic Change also had an impact on the late registration process which affected the overall turnout.

Similarly, Kanye South legislator, Dr Lemogang Kwapa said opposition parties were to blame for the low voter registration, saying the low numbers were a result of their threats. “Some Batswana were scared to go and register and they opted to stay home simply because of the bullying threats by the so-called Madibela Tlhopo,” he said. Supporting the motion, Serowe West MP, Mr Onalepelo Kedikilwe said the motion was of great importance as it advocated for communities in rural areas with little resources to travel to districts headquarters to register for voting.

He said the motion would create temporary employment for registration clerks who would be deployed in polling stations in constituencies. Sixteen MPs voted against the motion while 15 voted in favour. ends