Opposition parties blast IEC for Zim benchmarking
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday February 19, 2024 06:00
In a statement this week, Botswana National Front (BNF) secretary-general Ketlhalefile Motshegwa criticised the Commission’s benchmarking mission to the Zimbabwe Election Commission (ZEC). The, which IEC is a body responsible for the conducting and supervising elections, is scheduled to conduct Botswana’s general election in October. Motshegwa said the IEC’s mission is a sign that Botswana and Zimbabwe electoral management bodies are 'birds of the same feather'. He stated that IEC’s visit to Zimbabwe was just to learn how to 'rig elections'. The veteran unionist said they found the benchmarking to Zimbabwe, “shocking, coming at the time when the IEC itself is struggling to regain lost credibility to conduct transparent, free and fair elections in Botswana after rigging 2019 elections and how secretive registration for 2024 elections.”
Motshegwa accused the ZEC of being notorious for massive electoral fraud that has thrown our Zimbabwe into political and economic turmoil. “ZEC has presided over elections that lacked credibility, preceded by political violent and killings, harassment and detention of journalists, and marred by a process falling short of transparency and fairness,” he opined. Motshegwa said they found the whole process suspicious especially, “cosy personal relations” between President Mokgweetsi Masisi and his counterpart Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa. He added that the Presidents failed to explain to journalists what kind of notes they are exchanging in an effort to enhance their democracies through electoral reforms to deliver free and fair elections. The BNF secretary general said Masisi and his Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) must be warned against his authoritarian tendencies and desperation to cling to power through undemocratic means of election rigging.
“Masisi is fuelling potential strive in the country with his distortion of citizens' aspirations, downgrading the country ‘s democratic credentials and thereby scaring away and repelling investors , which is seriously affecting the people of this country due to rising unemployment, poor and failing healthcare and education systems, and poor quality of life amongst Batswana,” Motshegwa indicated, adding it was disappointing that the IEC is contradicting what the ZEC and media in Zimbabwe are reporting. Also critical of the IEC benchmarking mission to ZEC, the Botswana Congress Party (BCP) said it was “disturbing in all fronts and rude awakening to all Batswana at home and Diaspora”. “It is now apparent that the Masisi administration is committed to driving Batswana to a state of near collapse because of incompetence and corruption,” BCP spokesperson, Mpho Pheko revealed in a statement.
She said they would have expected the IEC to benchmark in more developed democracies and systems with effective electoral systems. Pheko shared the same sentiments with BNF SG that Zimbabwe recently emerged from controversial elections that were plagued by rigging as per the SADC observer mission report. The BCP spokesperson said the report stated that Zimbabwe’s 2023 elections fell short of the requirements for free and fair elections by the SADC guidelines. “Notwithstanding the report, ZANU PF went right ahead and declared itself a winner, showing clearly that ZANU PF leadership neither sees nor respects SADC,” she said.
In that regard, Pheko said President Masisi endorsed an illegitimate government and views Zimbabwe as an admirable case study for managing democratic elections. She said benchmarking means precisely that; an acknowledgement that a country has an impressive practice worth emulating.