UDC working on strategies to prevent ‘election rigging’

As a precautionary measure, the UDC is now working hard behind the scenes to prevent the rigging of elections in future. In 2019 Botswana held elections that were marred by allegations of irregularity. On the merits, petitioners averred amongst other things, instances of alleged corrupt and/or illegal practices.

These included assertions that several companies were used to launder money to pay Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) officials, that officials of the electoral body issued more than one voters registration cards in order to circumvent the requirement of one man one vote; that there was double registration of voters, that voters were paid money to vote more than once and that voters rolls were falsified to favour some candidates. Several petitions were registered challenging the undue return of Members of Parliament. The allegations were grave.