EVMs are a security risk for Botswana

Richard Moleofe | Friday March 31, 2017 16:25

It was at this meeting that I stood up to advice Mr Gabriel Seeletso to consider resigning from the position he is holding because the exercise he is tasked with will finally erode his wonderful legacy in electioneering. Seeletso is tasked with marketing the Electronic Voting Machines (EVM) that have already been approved by Parliament.

The majority of Batswana are taking none of the said machines. In Mogoditshane, six out the 21 people who had a chance to voice their opinion liked the machine while the remaining 15 stamped a big NO on the use of EVMs.

Regardless of the battering that Mr Seeletso is receiving, he is prepared to soldier on and defend the new electoral changes at all cost. He has trashed my advice on resigning and he said he is not a coward and will not become a deserter.

As I listened through the proceedings, I recalled this quotation from Samuel Mondays Atuobi on election-related violence in Africa; “Elections in most African countries are characterised by uncertainties, due to the possibility of election-related violence.”

From a security point of view, I would want to agree with several speakers at this meeting and many others held before that the changes made on our electoral act are likely going to attract violence.

The electoral process is the ultimate tool that gives the citizenry the right to choose their political leadership at all levels. For the fact that the new electoral changes are placing this inimitable right under threat, it is a natural reaction that the masses would and will revolt in a very violent way in protest against that which has been stolen from them.

According to Atuobi, the violence would normally manifest in the forms of physical assaults, arson to destroy property, snatching of ballot boxes and even murder. We have not had such recipe for violence in all of our past elections. People have not had such deep discontents about the results of the election in this country because they trusted the ballot method in play.

Right now the mood in the population is that the current Government is trying to snatch away their most critical democratic right of deciding who should represent them. Our leaders need to read the history of Africa in a careful and meticulous manner. This history is littered with so many examples of how the masses have claimed back their right to electing the leadership.

Atuobi continues to note that the ineffectiveness and malfunctioning of the security forces also give people the impetus to stage electoral violence. And what is the situation of our security forces in Botswana?

Botswana’s security forces are one of the most well equipped to deal with violence of any nature instigated by the public. The Special Support Group which is paramilitary wing of the police has often showcased their ability to crush unrests. The latest were with tertiary students who were protesting for their allowances.  

The security forces in Botswana are generally in the deepest end of their morale. For years now they have not seen increases of their wages and their welfare in general has been neglected. This is true of all the armed forces in exception of the Directorate of Intelligence Services.

In the event of the eruption of any violence related to electoral changes, it is most unlikely that the security forces will put down the violence.

The latest incidents that took place in the Gambia are too recent for us to forget. After losing elections, Yahya Jammeh depended on his soldiers to maintain his stay in power. When election-related violence erupted, Jameer was shock to see his soldiers dancing on the streets with the protesting public. This rang a bell on him and he came to his senses and backed down and left the presidential palace.

The electoral changes made to the Act are somewhat aimed at disadvantaging soldiers. The fact that there is not going to be any suplementary registration, soldiers who go on border trips for periods of up to three months will become the big losers.

These are the very ones that are likely to be placed in the streets to deal with the impending unrests. The reader can fill in the blanks for what will follow here.

Botswana has not experienced any form of election-related violence because all in the ruling and opposition parties have been observing the rule of law. What has now changed the mindset of the ruling party now is for the fact that they seem to find no way back into power come 2019. For the ruling Botswana Democratic Party, their only way of redemption is through the EVMs.

I write this opinion to inform the nation and particularly the ruling party that Botswana’s docile public will become something else if the EVMs are forced through their throats.

The potential for violence rests mainly with the youth. The difference with us and these young lions is that public violence has always been a form of entertainment for them. They will get what has been taken away from them without hesitation and without fearing any consequences. Unlike the rest of us, they don’t use the same calculator and method for determining risk.

The Egyptian revolution took place just after I started writing for this publication. I made a lengthy analysis exposing the roots of that revolution. It was in no way organised. But the circumstances in the country had been slowly fashioned by those in power until it reached boiling point and the bubble burst.

We are equally beset by similar or equal circumstances in this country. A well educated youth which largely remains unemployed. Some of these youth who have been exploited by Government through different programmes such as the Internship would also have an axe to grind.