08 Oct 2026

Political parties are finalising their submissions on proposed electoral reforms following progress made at the All Party Conference (APC) forum convened in Gaborone on October 6.

Addressing the forum, the Minister for State President, Defence and Security, Mr Moeti Mohwasa, said the APC had made progress, stressing that unity among political parties was critical to advancing the reforms.

Mr Mohwasa said continued engagement was important to ensure that the proposed reforms were taken forward through consultation and consensus.

The APC has been considering a range of reforms aimed at improving the electoral process.

Among the proposals prioritised are once-in-a-lifetime voter registration, clearer rules on principal residence and the use of Omang as the principal identification document, with a driver’s licence or passport where Omang is unavailable.

Other proposals include counting ballots at polling stations, using transparent ballot boxes, legalising exit polling and relaxing requirements for amendments to election petitions.

The discussions have emphasised the need for political parties to work together on the reforms rather than pursue individual proposals separately.

The reforms are expected to be considered as one package after further scrutiny and consultation.

Mr Mohwasa has previously stressed the importance of subjecting the proposed reforms to technical scrutiny before they were taken to Parliament to ensure that they were practical and could be implemented within the country’s electoral framework. The next APC forum is scheduled for October 24, 2026, when political parties are expected to continue discussions on the proposed electoral reforms. ENDS