Politicians afraid new system could disenfranchise voters

A woman walks into a polling station FILE PIC
A woman walks into a polling station FILE PIC

FRANCISTOWN: Politicians from across the political divide are worried the newly introduced Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) constituency-based supplementary voters’ registration could mislead the public and encourage voter apathy.

Under the system, voters register at one central point in the whole constituency. The latest move by the IEC is complete opposite to what used to happen in the past when another round of supplementary registration was opened.

In the past, voters used to register where they resided in their wards, but they are now forced register at one central point. For example in Francistown, where there are three constituencies, voters register at the IEC offices at Ntshe House. The latest move by the IEC has left politicians fuming saying that the election management body has misled the public as voters were expecting that they were going to cast their votes at various polling stations in their wards just like in the past.

Editor's Comment
Mr President, we hear you, but...

His take is that Members of Parliament (MPs) should be taking proactive steps to ask relevant Ministers questions outside Parliament and duly get their answers on the spot. That sounds great Mr President.But, considering that legislators serve the people, they will always find it suitable to raise questions in the August House fully knowing that their constituents are watching and listening. As a former MP yourself, Mr President, you know fully...

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