11 Aug 2024

A proposition to amend the Electoral Act to allow for the use of other identification documents to register and vote in general election, among others, has failed to pass, by a vote, the second reading in Parliament.

That followed divergent arguments for and against the proposed amendment which was presented to by Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse, recently.

Mr Keorapetse, also leader of opposition, had proposed that the Electoral Act be amended to provide for a transparent and corruption free electoral process to ensure the integrity of the election, thus enhancing public participation and confidence in the electoral process.

The MP had argued that the amendment would align with the Independence Electoral Commission (IEC) stakeholders report, international observers, SADC principles and guidelines for democratic elections, SADC model law on elections, AU, Commonwealth and EU standards.

He also wanted to have the Act to introduce the use of a drivers’ license and passport to register for election and vote.

“A voter who has lost or without a voter’s registration card but appears on the election roll should be allowed to vote, provided they have an identity card, drivers’ license or passport.

An exception should also be made to allow a voter who appears on the election roll without a voter’s registration card on the day of the election to vote, provided the voter has their identity card, drivers’ license or passport,” he said.

The proposed amendment also called for the re-introduction to the use of an indelible ink, which the MP argued would ensure the integrity of the elections and inspire confidence of the citizenry in the electoral process and avoid real or perceived possibility of multiple voting.

He also wanted the Act to provide for the use of transparent ballot boxes during elections and further allow for counting of ballots, including those in the diaspora, at respective polling stations.

Against the proposed amendment, among other legislators, was His Honour the Vice President, Slumber Tsogwane who argued that it would be risky to use a drivers’ license, saying “in that way people who are not eligible to vote will be able to vote.

Even foreign nationals have Botswana drivers’ licenses and therefore it is not an ideal thought to allow the use of other documents apart from Omang.”

He also argued that while passports had been designed with advanced security features to minimise the risk of forgery and misuse, there was no system completely immune to compromise.

“Security features of both the national passport and drivers license can be compromised and cannot be used for voting during election,” he added.

He further encouraged Batswana to renew their Omang on time given that there an allowance to renew the national identity card three months in advance before its expiry date.

Supporting the Bill, among those who backed it, was Serowe West MP, Mr Onalepelo Kedikilwe, who argued that amending the Electoral Act would go in a long way in making voting easy in the event where one had lost their national identity card while on the contrary, Tlokweng MP, Mr Thulagano Segokgo opined that the use of secondary documents would make it easy to cheat during election. ENDS