Angry Peleng residents reject EVM, call for referendum

Tumelo Mouwane | Thursday April 6, 2017 16:34

 

In a meeting at the main Peleng kgotla, some residents said they were skeptical about the machine.

Maipeing ward councillor, Mosimaneotsile Botanka said Members of Parliament (MPs) disrespected Batswana by making decisions without engaging them.

“Mapalamente a re taletse ka go re tseela ditshwetso. Mapalamente a le 57 le ba le bararo ba ba itlhophetsweng ba tseetse diketekete tsa Batswana ditshwetso. We will get into the coming elections in a protest,” Botanka said.

A resident, Kago Malele said just like a calculator, there is a high chance that the machine may be programmed.

“We want proof that this machine will not cheat us. We need something physical that will be used as proof in cases where contestants reject results,” he said.

Bufu Monakwe, a political activist, said the EVM coordinator, Gabriel Seeletso was “busy introducing things that he has never seen or touched”.

“Seeletso, you are busy talking about a machine that you have never touched or seen.

In other countries like India, the machine has caused some political divisions.

This is the country in which companies bidding for manufacturing the machine are from and you believe we should trust their credibility,” he asked rhetorically.

Monakwe further said a referendum must be conducted in order for Batswana to decide whether they want the machine or not.

“The only thing that Batswana need at this point in time is a referendum. We just want to decide with a yes or no whether we want the machine or not and the case will be rested.

 We foresee a situation whereby Batswana will be refugees in other countries when some people don’t accept results,” he said.

In response, Seeletso said the issue of referendum is beyond their control and the law has been put in place.

“The issue of referendum is beyond the control of the IEC office. Only few aspects within the whole EVM project will qualify for a referendum, but the law has been put in place. For those who are saying we should deal away with this machine, that is impossible. The only way the law can be changed is through the Courts and Parliament,” he said.

Seeletso further said despite the fact that he does not know how the machine looks, they are following specifications.

“It might be true that we don’t know how the machine looks like, but we are working on specifications that will guide us. Just like when you build your house, you work on a plan but you don’t see the house,” he said.

Addressing the issue of Members of Parliament disrespecting Batswana, Seeletso said as IEC they are just ‘referees’.

“We are not politicians, we are just referees in the whole process. I cannot comment on that issue of Members of Parliament disrespecting Batswana. Politicians will meet and talk about that one,” he said.