03 Sep 2024

A move to table a motion requesting Parliament to interject business on the Monday order paper and discuss it as a matter of public importance and urgency was left to legislators to determine whether it was sufficiently urgent.

Member of Parliament for Mahalapye West, Mr David Tshere, had requested to table a motion requesting government to allow the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), in line with provision of the Electoral Act, to issue an electronic voters roll for the upcoming general election to all registered political parties’ candidates, legally recognised groups and other individuals.

Motivating the request, Mr Tshere argued that the matter was predominantly important owing to concerns raised by some political parties as well as the public for the IEC to release the electronic voters roll, as was the practice in the previous general election.

“The IEC had willingly issued the electronic version of the voters roll so as political parties, we request that it does the same and issue the electronic version of the voters roll,” he said.

He argued that in a stable, open democracy and transparent nation, it was important to do away with any acts likely to result in complaints.

“It is not clear if the IEC will digitally publicise the registered voters for easy access by political parties. Through the use of computer based software it will be easy to inspect and correct the voters roll to clear any doubt likely to emanate in the future,” he said.

Commenting on the request, Specially Elected MP, Ms Boitumelo Gofhamodimo said there was no urgency on the matter and therefore did not support it.

Mochudi West MP, Mr Mmusi Kgafela was also against the request, arguing that the Electoral Act allowed for inspection and not collection of the voters roll.

Mr Kgafela also said the IEC Act required payment of a prescribed fee by those who wanted to be issued with a printed hard copy of the voters roll.

In contrast, Leader of the Opposition, also Selebi Phikwe West MP, Mr Dithapelo Keorapetse backed the request saying Parliament was deliberate by amending the Electoral Act to allow the IEC a secretary to open a copy of every existing roll for inspection on the commission’s website, government web page or other electronic media.

Mr Keorapetse said by doing so, Parliament’s aim was to make it easy by availing electronic version of the voters roll. “However, such an effort is being frustrated by IEC. In the past, IEC used to provide electronic version of the roll to political parties,” he said.

Ngami MP, Mr Caterpillar Hikuama was of the view that the motion was an issue of urgency since the country was preparing for the general election.

Mr Hikuama said it was  important for every concerned party to have access to an electronic version of the voters roll. Through a vote, Parliament subsequently rejected the motion. Ends