The voice of the civil society is urgent
Correspondent | Friday February 26, 2021 14:52
Botswana has lost its integrity in democratic credentials, including upholding of free, fair and credible general elections. The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) MPs must support this motion to help redeem their party’s integrity. The motion comes just after the release of the IEC National Stakeholders Evaluation Report for the 2019 General Elections. Honourable Justice Abednego B Tafa, the IEC Chairperson, describes the 2019 general elections as “highly charged and competitive political environment.”
The Report is concerned by the diminished electoral integrity of Botswana General Elections. The stakeholders included Civil Society, Academia, Media, Political Parties, Electoral Commission of Zambia, Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA) and the Secretariat of the Commissions Forum of SADC (ECF-SADC). The report acknowledges that the 2019 general elections encountered multiple challenges including multiple entries on voter registers, widespread online interference on the electoral process, absence of legal framework to ensure accountability and transparency. The report listed 20 key recommendations for strengthening of the electoral processes towards enhancing their credibility. Vision 2036, on the other hand, observes: “Effective electoral management system and regular free, fair and credible election of leaders into office are important ingredients of a democratic system. All these are premised on an electoral system that is acceptable to the majority of the electorate. The electoral management system will offer fair, free and credible elections that ensure elected representatives are chosen in a manner consistent with the electorate’s aspirations and preferred voting system. Our electoral system will satisfy the ever evolving expectations of citizens. Our electoral management system will be anchored in an independent, efficient electoral management body.”
The current National Development Plan (NDB11) states that “the Electoral Act and electoral processes will be reviewed during NDP 11 with a view to improving electoral service delivery in preparation for the 2019 General Elections and beyond.”
It is on this basis that Boko’s motion should be passed by parliament as it is emphasising government positions.
This is also an opportunity for the BDP government to redeem its battered integrity of poor implementation of recommendations. Should the BDP reject this motion, Batswana should not respect any policy, plan, programmes or vision as it will be clear that the government cannot uphold its commitments. So far, BDP led government promises are comical jokes.
We raise this concern because Hon Kabo Morwaeng’s preliminary response last Friday in Parliament clearly demonstrates that the BDP is gearing towards rejection of this motion. The general civil society and citizens in general have a civic duty to lobby the BDP MPs to pass this motion.
The consequences of rejecting this motion will not be good to the socio-economic development of this country as well as its political stability due to citizen frustrations.
The complacent BDP beneficiaries may see the fear of possible insurrection as ludicrous. This statement talks directly to the BDP MPs who hold the key to this motion. It also cautions the civil society organisations and Batswana in general on the precarious state of our future. We never thought Botswana corruption would be at this magnitude, but today we are up to our eye balls, sinking in corruption.
The peaceful nation tag is hanging on a thin thread. When things start falling apart, businesses, churches, schools, hospitals, farms, and so on will close down and only security forces will be up and running.
The voice of the civil society is therefore very crucial. We call out to Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO), Business Botswana, Botswana Federation of Trade Unions (BFTU), Botswana Federation of Public Sector Unions (BOFEPUSU), Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA Botswana), Botswana Council of Churches (BCC), Students organisations and several other organisations to stand up and ensure electoral reforms as per the several IEC Stakeholders report, Vison 2036, NDP 11 and other official documents on electoral reforms are implemented. Civil society cannot afford to remain so silent when democracy is under serious threat and betrayal by the BDP government.
Boko’s motion comes on the backdrop of controversial 2019 general elections and resultant petitions. This motion will therefore put to rest most of the controversial electoral provisions.
Hon Boko’s motion reads: That this honourable house resolves to request government to amend the electoral act to ensure independence of the electoral commission to guarantee free, fair and credible elections.
JUSTIN HUNYEPA*
*Justin Hunyepa is UDC Labour Secretary