13 Jul 2015

The issuance of a writ of elections by President Lt. General Seretse Khama Ian Khama on Wednesday, July 8 for Goodhope-Mabule constituency bye-elections has spelled out intensive preparations.

The writ indicates that the bye-elections are scheduled for August 15. Independent Electoral Commission Chief Public Relations Officer, Mr Osupile Maroba said the issuance of the writ by the President meant the kick starting of all preparation for the bye elections.

Mr Maroba said the commission will begin to identify returning, presiding and polling officers who will conduct the bye elections. He said the commission will also facilitate the nomination of candidates which has been set for July 24.

He explained that it is then that nomination papers carrying nominated candidates of the political parties will be made public across the constituency.

Nomination papers, he noted, will be placed at polling stations, the counting center as well as all other public areas. He said the commission is currently in the constituency carrying out voter education as one of the preparations for election day.

Mr Maroba explained that all those who had registered for the 2014 general elections are legible to vote in the upcoming bye elections. “It is not only those who voted, but all those who registered even if they did not vote then, are legible to vote in the bye-elections”, he explained.

He noted that Goodhope-Mabule constituency had the highest turn out of voters in the past elections amongst all the 57 constituencies across the country as 93 per cent of the registered voters came to vote.

He was therefore hopeful that the coming bye-elections will also see a high turnout of voters, adding that this was a sign that the constituents have high interest in exercising their democratic right. Mr Maroba indicated that the commission will use the 2014 voters roll database for the coming bye elections, and that the voters roll will stay in use for the next five years and remain unchanged until 2019.

It is only in the occurrence of voter transfers, that the voters roll can be changed, he said. He however, indicated that the transfers cannot be done now because there is a vacancy. “It is only in the non-existence of a vacancy that voters are allowed to transfer their registration from one constituency to another within these five years,” he said.

He said upon the occurrence and announcement of a vacancy of either a council seat or a parliament seat, no voter registration transfers are allowed. Mr Maroba advised the constituents to prepare for the bye-elections by ensuring that they have a valid national identity card.

He explained that voters will not be allowed to use any other form of identification during elections, except the national identity card which is in use. He also indicated that the voters will need to have their voter registration card in place.

He advised all those who might have lost or misplaced their voter registration cards to contact the commission’s office in Lobatse for duplication cards to be prepared for them.

He also indicated that the commission’s office will visit various villages in the constituency to issue duplicate registration cards for those voters who do not have their registration cards in place.

The bye elections follow the resignation of Goodhope-Mabule constituency Member of Parliament, Mr James Mathokgwane last month. The Speaker of the National Assembly, Ms Gladys Kokorwe announced a vacancy in the constituency upon his resignation.

Mr Matlhokgwane has since taken up a post as the Regional Director for Selebi Phikwe Economic Diversification. ENDS