No special vote for disabled, expectant women

Speaking at a two-day election reporting media workshop in Gaborone on Monday, Maroba said only the visually impaired are catered for.  “The law only makes allowances for those who are disadvantaged because of sight. It allows for that individual to be given special treatment during the election period,” he said. Otherwise, any special allowance is at the benevolence or discretion of polling officers. “Those in that situation can only bank on the benevolence of the officers in charge as well as those queuing who can allow them to skip the line. There is no law providing for special dispensation,” said the IEC officer. “There will be a few others who will be allowed to vote at what is called ‘advanced voting’, and these include police officers and the polling officers,” he said.

He said this category would vote on October 18, a week before the general election date.