23 Jan 2017

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) is preparing itself for the imminent Tlokweng bye-election.

The Independent Electoral Commission principal election officer, Ms Pelonomi Selemogwe-Kwaramba said this during Party Liaison Committee (PLC) meeting in Ramotswa recently.

Ms Selemogwe-Kwaramba said although the writ of election had not been issued, the office was progressing well with preparations. Among those that the office would be undertaking as a predatory measure would be to meet with representatives from political parties, bogosi, village development committees, youth, people with disability, issuing of duplicates cards and voter education campaigns.

She added that voter education message must reach all people on time. Ms Selemogwe-Kwaramba said the youth needed to know what was being done during elections so that they could abide by the Electoral Act.

Nonetheless she decried poor representation of Tlokweng constituency in the Party Liaison Committee meetings and none participation of some political parties.

One of the committee members, Mr Ben Tingwane called on the IEC to consider giving members of the PLC a sitting allowance.

He said members sacrificed their time and their daily routines to nature the country’s democracy, but they were not appreciated while other community committee’s sittings attracted sitting allowance.

He said the committee would fail to attract resourceful personnel if the IEC did not consider introducing a sitting allowance as a token of appreciation to members.

The PLC, he added, played a major role in the running of elections and had influenced some of the changes in the election process.

Mr Tingwane also blamed the South East District Council for dragging its feet in resolving the issue of wards boundaries in the village. Another member, Mr Raymond Makwatse said President Lt Gen Dr

Seretse Khama Ian Khama referred the matter of boundaries to the council to resolve during his previous visit to the village last year. On other issues, the committee members resolved to seek audience with the IEC secretary to discuss issues affecting the committee operations.  BOPA