Voters happy with elections so far
09 Dec 2023
December 9 (BOPA): By 7am, a 60 year old Mr Gaebolae Motsamai was smiling out of the polling booth, having cast his vote.
Mr Motsamai arrived at Borotsi Primary School at 3am and at the time the queue was very short. He hails the elections officers for being effectiveness in servicing the voters.
One Ms Kesegofetse Chabota shared that she arrived at the polls at 430am and was happy to have cast her vote at 0730am. She said there was utmost order from arrival until she left the polling station.
While many queued inside the tent, ready to cast their vote, many more were lurking outside, sharing light moments, shaking hand and smiling at those who exit the school gates after casting their votes.
Evidently, many were party deployees picketing for their organisations to ensure the voters stuck to their promises.
In Lepokole, a pensioner Ms Kehakgametse Shimane, who trudged out of the polling station to await transportation to her place expressed happiness at the conduct of elections.
Although she had thought polls opened at 6am, she waited until 630am to cast her vote.
Inside the tent we’re many empty chairs with senior citizens occupying front seats, ready to cast their votes. A few young men were spotted outside the school premises, roaming about.
Returning officer Mr Bakani Mathumo who is a deputy district commissioner said that both polling stations of Lepokole and Borotsi Primary Schools opened in time and the first voters cast their vote at 630am as planned.
The returning officer said that their were experiencing a traffic of senior citizens queuing to cast their votes while temperatures still permitted them to. However, he was worried about a low turnout of young voters who were hardly in queues.
Mr Mathumo however, expected young voters to keep trickling in until the volume of senior citizens eased off in the afternoon.
“Looking at the volume that we’re receiving this morning we expect to have assisted a very good number of voters by midday as the numbers dwindle towards the evening,” said Mr Mathumo.
The people of Lepokole/Borotsi are voting in a by-election following resignation of then councilor Mr Motseothata Mafoko September 14 this year.
In 2019, 3012 voters registered to vote with 2507 registered in Borotsi and 505 at Lepokole.
However, 1071 cast their vote in favour of the Umbrella for Democratic Change then represented by Mr Mafoko while the Botswana Democratic Party was voted for by 600 voters.
Although only two parties contested in 2019, this year three parties of Botswana Congress Party, BDP and UDC are vying for the ward.
BCP is represented by Mr Moalosi Afa, the BDP by Mr Letso Leshiba while the UDC have thrown in the name of Mr Boitumelo Nyambe. Ends
Source : BOPA
Author : Manowe Motsaathebe
Location : Bobonong
Event : Bye election
Date : 09 Dec 2023
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