UDC youth fear vote rigging

Staff Writer | Tuesday September 23, 2014 16:51

 

The UDC youth president Phenyo Segokgo, Botswana National Front publicity secretary, Malatsi Mokhubami and UB SRC president Jacob Kelebeng told a press conference yesterday that in the last days leading to the October they would release information that will shock the nation.

Segokgo said that they have insiders within the Directorate of Intelligence Security (DIS) who have given them hints on BDP’s alleged plan to rig the elections, something he said has already started.

“It is a pity that election rigging is a process, but organisations such as the SADC and European Union only send election observer missions very late when the damage has already been done,” Segokgo said.

He stated that recent events, such as the mysterious road accident that claimed the life of UDC vice president Gomolemo Motswaledi, an attack on Wynter Mmolotsi and Nehemiah Modubule, amongst others have created an atmosphere of fear in the country. These, he said, had the potential to tarnish the credibility of the October elections. He said that UDC has since informed other international organisations such as the African Union, EU, OSSISA that the atmosphere under which the forthcoming elections will be held is not conducive to hold such. Segokgo said that they were worried that the Independent Electoral Commission may be powerless against the BDP.

“The DIS has infiltrated IEC and its agents interfere in many of IEC activities, like a recent workshop where they (agents) facilitated proceedings,” he said.   However, contacted for comment IEC spokesperson Osupile Maroba said that he was shocked at reports that ballot papers have been smuggled into the country adding that the printing of such, can only be done once the nomination process has been finalised.

“Those who had been following us, would notice that we haven’t changed any processes from previous elections in 2004 and 2009. We are doing our work without any external influence,” he said.

He denied knowledge of any workshop where DIS agents were conducting proceedings. Furthermore, he said that the BDP uses state resources to carry their campaigns, and are given more airtime on state television.

He noted that President Ian Khama is always talking about a civil war, which source of war that the opposition wonders where it comes from. Mokhubami accused DeBeers of sponsoring the BDP at the disadvantage of other political players. “How do you expect the election, or the game to be fair when others are well resourced and financed by big companies.  DeBeers should emulate KBL, which sponsored all political parties during the 2009 elections before it was ordered to stop by the BDP,” he said.

DeBeers has since issued a press statement refuting press reports that it is financing the BDP.  Mokhubami warned that the BDP is destroying the economy and stability that Botswana used to enjoy, and that very soon Batswana will find themselves selling wares outside their country. Kelebeng stated that the UBSRC has refused to be intimidated by the UB Council in banning political activism on campus, stating that they are currently mobilising youth in all tertiary institutions to go and vote in large numbers.