Good start in supplementary registration

Pini Bothoko | Tuesday February 25, 2014 23:32

Mmoloke said since the registration started on February 21,1,293 people have already registered. The exercise will run until March 2, and she confidently predicted that more people will register.

“In Francistown East constituency, 452 people have registered, while 379 have done so in Francistown South. Francistown West was the highest with about 462 people between Friday and Saturday.

“We (IEC) are very happy that the people of Francistown are turning up to register as compared to the low registration we experienced during the last quarter of last year in which in two days only a few had registered,” she said.

She said they hoped the message they have been spreading regarding the importance of voting was filtering through.

“We have placed informative flyers about the importance of voting in public places and hope now the public is informed and will make the right decision of voting in this coming 2014 General Elections,” she said.

Mmegi asked some members of the public about the importance of casting their vote and this is how they responded:

Mbiganyi Smith 66, a resident of Siviya said he registered last year and that he has always been active in casting his vote since the first general elections and that he is an active member of the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP).

“I have been voting from before you were born, my child, I know and understand the importance of voting.

“At Siviya village we have taught children especially the youth the importance of voting and they have registered in high numbers and are active in politics.

“Even our village councillor, Bakani Badziili is young, active, hardworking and we will continue to vote for him.

“This shows how youth in our area are so informed and takes voting seriously,” said Smith.

A mother of three from Butale village, Badzibi Mankabi 72, said that she had not registered by Friday last week, but she stressed that she will register before the supplementary registration ends this Sunday.

“I know and understand the importance of voting. I have been voting for the past years and for sure I will make sure that I register this week.

“I have been away from home for a while and it is the reason why I did not register last year,” said Mankabi.

Twenty-year-old Kabelo Nkgopotseng of Mathathane village in the Bobirwa area but now residing in Francistown said that he has never voted before and did not know if he will register for the 2014 General Elections.

He said it was because he has not found time to go to his home village to register as he felt it is where he would want to vote.

“I know the importance of voting but it has never come into my mind to vote but this year I want to register.

“I think this weekend I will be going home and will register there because I want to bring developments to my home village not Francistown as I am only here temporarily,” said Nkgopotseng.