Opposition Petitions OP Over EVMs
Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Monday September 19, 2016 16:07
Three opposition party presidents Dumelang Saleshando, Duma Boko and Ndaba Gaolathe led the successful march that was warmly received by sympathisers, as it continued around the city. The march started from Old Naledi to OP and culminated with a political rally at White City.
OP officer, Chaa Dijeng on behalf of President Ian Khama received the petition. Some of the issues that opposition parties complained about include unemployment, education system, state media blackout on their activities and voting by EVMs without paper trail.
“Your petition will be handed to relevant people when they come and I hope it will be attended to,” Dijeng said when receiving the petition.
When reading the petition on behalf of opposition parties, BCP president Dumelang Saleshando said unemployment especially amongst young people remains one of the most serious challenges facing Botswana.
On education, he said the recently released Botswana General Certificate for Secondary Education (BGCSE) results once more indicate that the crisis facing education is far from over.
He said it is evident that for the past five years or so, since 2010 examination teachers’ invigilation scandal, problems facing Botswana’s education system continue to escalate.
On media blackout by Btv on opposition, Dumelang said, “it is now evident to all Batswana that the state media has declared a total blackout on the activities of the opposition parties”.
Saleshando said the introduction of EVMs has generated so much controversy and has the potential to cause political instability in the country.
“We believe that the duty of any responsible democratically elected government is to introduce electoral reforms that make a voting system that is secure, reliable and verifiable,” he said.
The UDC leader Boko threatened to disrupt the upcoming general elections if they are not going to be conducted fairly.
“We are not going to boycott elections. What we are simply saying is that if elections are not going to be conducted fairly we will disrupt them in other words there will not be any elections,” Boko said.