25 Jul 2024

The University of Botswana (UB) lecturer and political analyst, Dr Leonard Sesa, has been appointed to the Southern African Development Community (SADC) Electoral Advisory Council (SEAC), representing Botswana on SEAC for a five-year term.

A press release from Southern African Development Community (SADC) says during his five-year term, Dr Sesa’s responsibilities will include organising forums for dialogue with key stakeholders as outlined in SEAC’s mandate. 

“His PhD thesis from the University of KwaZulu-Natal, titled: An Analysis of the Role Played by Electoral Stakeholders in the Electoral Process: A Case Study of Botswana and Zambia, aligns with his new role,” adds the release. 

Prior to joining the UB, the release says Dr Sesa also worked with the Electoral Commissions Forum of SADC countries, observed elections in the SADC region and other African Union member states and completed an internship with Botswana’s Independent Electoral Commission. 

It further states that Dr Sesa is a member of the National Governing Council of the African Union Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), tasked with improving Botswana's compliance with African and international governance commitments. He currently serves as a Political Science lecturer at UB. 

Southern African Development Community Electoral Advisory Council, as per the release, includes one representative from each SADC member states and its primary objective is to advise SADC member states on electoral matters, enhance democracy, uphold the rule of law, and promote good governance. 

Additionally, the release says SEAC’s other primary objectives include to; urge SADC member states to follow SADC principles and guidelines for democratic elections, encourage adherence to international best practices during elections, advise on strategies to strengthen and enhance the capacity of electoral management bodies in the SADC region and support the independence and autonomy of electoral management bodies. ENDS