Analyst punches holes on Electoral Act amendment
Larona Makhaiza | Monday February 20, 2023 06:00
The IEC's proposal to shift to the use of technology in the next general election is triggered by the 2019 general election experience after controversies arose. The Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) accused the Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) of rigging the elections with the matter taken to court. However, the court dismissed the petitions.
The plans to adopt the use of technology by the IEC is in the Electoral Amendment Bill of 2023, which has been gazetted and was recently in circulation; and the said bill is to be deliberated on soon in Parliament whether for it to be passed as a law or not.
The IEC chief, Jefferson Siamisang was recently quoted by the government-aided daily, Daily News: "...The Commission was mooting the idea of incorporating technology into some of its processes." In the next general election, the IEC seeks to introduce automated registration but manual registration will still be used for some people that cannot use automated registration. And should the Bill be passed into law; the public will see more of technology use being introduced at the IEC.
This move by the IEC is done in an effort to help combat the long queues so that people can register at the comfort of their homes. In an interview with Mmegi, Adam Mfundisi, a University of Botswana (UB) lecturer in politics and administrative studies, shared his views on the proposed plan for technology use by the IEC.
Mfundisi felt that the proposal has been long overdue and successive administrations have been averse to progressive reforms. However, Mfundisi says the public should be cautious with the proposal: “We should take this proposal with some element of suspicion particularly the behaviour of the current regime,” he said.
The UB academic said the move indicates that the current regime might be having some hidden agenda with this movement of theirs of trying to adopt automated registration and being used in the next general election especially since it is quite sudden as the elections are in the next coming year. Furthermore, Mfundisi added that the move by the IEC and current regime does not implement any policies for national interest but only for the preservation of the BDP and its leaders.
“I am skeptical of the true intentions of the ruling elite. The BDP is known to changing policies to protect itself from eminent defeat,” added Mfundisi. Mfundisi feels progressive and purposive reforms are always welcome to enhance democracy as they help the country to become better when it comes to democracy than it never was before adding that this should always be the case when people come up with proposals and not have hidden agendas.
Asked what the IEC should have done for them to reach an amicable decision to serve the best interests of all people, Mfundisi responded by saying that electoral reforms are only sustainable if all political players partake in the decision-making process. “We require a comprehensive electoral reform not piecemeal electoral reforms and there has been erosion of public trust and confidence in government as many promises have been met but not fulfilled,” he said.
Mfundisi went on to close off by adding that the government has become a monstrous institution and whatever they say is lies. And he feels that the opposition forces will see this proposal by IEC as means to manipulate the registration process in order to implement electoral fraud and rigging.