Subjective polls disturb BCPYL

| Friday October 17, 2014 14:50

The opinions have appeared in some papers and sought to predict the outcome of the 2014 general elections. Partisanship, prejudice and outright disregard for journalistic ethos as well as out-and-out mischief characterise most of the media opinions about the likely outcome of the October 24 elections.  The league is worried that the predictions are not based on any systematic survey or empirical evidence on how Batswana intend to vote.

We are of the view that many media organizations in Botswana have no capacity in terms of material resources, experts and time to conduct opinion polls, exit polls and post-poll surveys. The BCPYL is of the view that as with previous elections predictions, most of the opinions about the likely elections outcome will not match the 2014 election result. No prophet of doom, armchair philosopher or some party activist masquerading as a journalist or analyst will deter the BCP from its focus of unseating the BDP on the 24th by presenting fraud as opinion polls. 

The league is of the view that the aim of media coverage during election campaigns in a democracy is fair and objective reporting and information dissemination. The media has a role of preparing the ground by informing the electorate about the competing political parties or candidates and their programmes or policy pledges.  Journalists should serve as neutral observers, to ensure that the electoral process is transparent and fair and must expose transgressions.

The media should be an objective narrator of elections events. They should not tell the electorate who to vote for through some biased opinions presented as objective opinion polls; they must report in an objective and impartial manner. Journalists as well as academics at the University of Botswana should profile candidates, provide platform for political debates between political opponents, explain issues and analyse manifestos and policies of competing parties.

UB has failed to provide leadership in this regard; it has not conducted opinion polls, exit polls and some academics only do post elections analysis as journal articles for their own personal academic development. The institution has become nearly irrelevant when it comes to elections._The BCP is ready to lead Botswana out of the crossroad and remains resolute. We appeal to our members to disregard partisan political predictions presented as objective opinion polls.

 

Dithapelo Keorapetse

President, BCP Youth League