IEC planning to register Namibians - Boko

Mompati Tlhankane | Tuesday November 7, 2023 13:30

Boko, who is still convinced that his party lost the 2019 General Election as result of voter rigging, said this on Saturday in Francistown during UDC’s ‘Are Ikwadiseng Tour’. The UDC and IEC have been battling for months and in the latest matter before court, the UDC pursues to have their observers among others record the names and national identity card numbers of the people registering to vote and record the serial numbers of the booklets for each and every registration day at the opening and closing thereof. Now Boko alleges that there are Namibians currently disguised as students in schools and identity cards (Omang) are being made for the latter. “We have discovered all the tricks they have been using no wonder we have taken them to court. They have realised that now this is serious,” he said.

Boko, who joined the UDC legal team in the observers’ case, further alleged that the IEC’s plan was to register the Namibians no wonder they do not want observers near the registration, which has since been postponed to allow the court to make a final determination on the matter. He said the fact that Namibians use identity cards to cross the border, the IEC thought it was easy to manipulate the system and register Namibians for next year’s general election. “We are almost there and we are going to remove Namibians and Zimbabweans from the voters’ roll and invalidate their IDs,” he swore before the people who had attended the rally.

He said they are pursuing this matter in order to be the eyes and ears from the beginning during registration. “Ga re ba katoge,” he said. Boko added that the IEC is now fearful because the UDC has halted its plans to illegally register Namibians. “Batswana have been asking the IEC, what are you hiding? Why are you afraid of observers if at all registration is transparent?” He said they want to put to a stop instances where people are registered in bars and in absentia. The Francistown High Court will deliver the judgement on November 10 as the registration is scheduled to start from November 13 to December 8, 2023. Efforts to reach the IEC for comment proved futile at press time. Previously the IEC refused to comment on UDC’s allegations preferring to treat them as allegations. The IEC said they may not respond to each and every one allegation against them because it becomes IEC word against the UDC’s.