More voter trafficking skeletons tumble out

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Friday May 30, 2014 16:45

Barring a court interdict by aggrieved contestants, the 40 people will participate in the general elections, having been registered as staying on one plot in Bontleng.

Mmegi investigations this week indicate that the plot number in Bontleng ward given for the 40 names is in neighbouring Selemela ward and actually consists of an incomplete structure. The voters’ roll for the area indicates that all 40 people are registered as staying on the same plot.

The owner of the house, Gladys Kgopo, told Mmegi that she bought the property from the City Council last year after the death of its previous owner.

“No one had been staying in that house and in September last year, we demolished it to build a new one,” she said.

“I don’t know any of the names you are mentioning.” The Umbrella for Democratic Change’s Gaborone South parliamentary candidate, Murray Dipate told Mmegi that together with some of his Council hopefuls, he had tried and failed to have the 40 people deregistered.

“It is unfortunate that we found the plot number late but we will consult with our legal advisors,” Dipate said.

“We reported the matter to the IEC but they told us that they had already closed for objections on the first voters roll.”

Dipate said his own investigations had found rampant voter trafficking in the constituency, especially in Bontleng and Selemela wards.

 IEC principal elections’ officer in Gaborone, Leshe Toteng, said though candidates could not be stopped from challenging the voters’ roll in court, he did not think the case would see the light of the day.

“The reason we are giving people 42 days to inspect the voters’ roll is because we want them to object if they have queries,” said Toteng.

“The candidates and the registered voters had enough time to inspect the roll as there was another 21 days given because of the first supplementary registration.”

Dipate said they took time to report the matter to the IEC as they were still looking for the house in Bontleng ward.