Voter trafficking: Why the fuss only post-2014
Tuesday, February 02, 2016
Batswana have always been sold and fed the cheap and unappetising menu of ‘free and fair’ elections. Outside observers, foreign media and diplomatic missions have been in the forefront, leading the sale of the junk meal of ‘free-and-fair’ elections in Botswana. They sing the discordant tune of ‘Botswana, the shining example of democracy.’ Only recently a few observers sensitised by objective political analysts have added a hesitant ‘but.’ General elections in Botswana are free ‘but,’ not fair, is the new verdict.
The ‘but’ comes about after the realisation that the elections cannot be fair as long as one of the players is, player, referee and linesman! The scenario typifies the situation in Botswana general elections.
The recent disclosure by the IEC that 2,513 registrations have been turned down due to various irregularities should prompt all Batswana to meticulously review the voters' rolls and address concerns about rejected registrations.The disparities flagged by the IEC are troubling and emphasise the significance of rigorous voter registration processes.Out of the rejected registrations, 29 individuals were disqualified due to non-existent Omang...