FRANCISTOWN: Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Principal Election Officer Patricia Mmoloki has declared before a full council meeting which ended today that they were ready to officiate 2014 general elections.Mmoloki explained that the coming general elections would be their third elections to officiate and promised that they would be fair and accurate. She said their mandate is to conduct and supervise elections of members of the National Assembly and local authorities, ensure that elections are conducted efficiently, properly, freely and fairly.Mmoloki went on to say their vision is to be a reputable facilitator in enhancing democracy through an informed and participatory electorate. She pleaded with councillors to help inform and educate the electorate about all the necessary details pertaining to voting."There was a population census in 2011 and there are changes in most of the districts and wards thus affecting polling stations and change of names of some wards and constituencies," she said.
Mmoloki said that the delimitation report was released in March and some of the electorate are not aware of the changes made in their constituencies and this is where the councillors come in to pass the message to the public."Establishment of new polling stations has been made and we trust you as councillors will help us make the electorate know about them so that people can register to vote," said Mmoloki.She hoped that by October all Batswana would have been informed so as to be ready, by coming with valid identity cards (Omang) to register to vote."It always hurts us to see elders coming to polling stations with invalid identity cards, thus being unable to vote. By then it is too late for them to make renewals.
