Less than 200,000 turn up for supplementary registration

Tsaone Basimanebotlhe | Thursday March 6, 2014 09:37

 

Gaborone Bonnigton North leads the list in this supplementary  registration with 5,026, followed by Gabane-Mmankgodi 4,899, Letsweletau/Mmopane 4,852, Gaborone North 4,721, Mochudi East 4,746, Mochudi West 4,702 amongst others.

In the first registration IEC registered over 478,000 voters.  Supplementary voter registration ended this Sunday.

However, IEC complains that it had failed to reach its 1.2 million target that it had set for itself.  “I cannot comment on whether supplementary will be called or not. It is all up to the commissioners,” he said. A source within IEC told Mmegi that there is a likelihood that IEC will call for another supplementary voter registration, if its Commissioner Abednico Tafa is not happy with the number of people that have registered.  Botswana Congress Party (BCP) spokesperson Taolo Lucas said this is a clear indication that IEC has failed to do enough to mobilise voters unlike in the past.

“IEC did not spread a message for voters to register and low turn out shows that their message did not reach the people. They should just call for another supplementary registration. And on the second supplementary registration, they should wake up from their slumber,” he said.  He said if they do consider another registration, they should announce the date well in time.  Botswana National Front (BNF) secretary general Tapiso Kgosikoma said Batswana have lost hope in voting because there are no developments. 

“It is important that we teach Batswana the importance of voting. Promises that the ruling party, Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) made to people and failed to fulfill are contributing a lot,” he said.