- Claims of unfair primaries becloud this year’s elections
- Many across parties denied an opportunity to vote in primaries
GAZETTE REPORTER
Concerns about the integrity of the 2024 general elections have emerged following allegations of unfair primary elections across political parties.
Supporters of both the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) and opposition parties such as the Botswana National Front (BNF) and Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF) have expressed dissatisfaction with their recent primaries.
Accusations of tampering and manipulation of voting materials have surfaced in the midst of reports of ballot papers not reaching polling stations and later being found stashed in nearby bushes.
Irregularities
These incidents deprived some voters of the opportunity to participate in their parties’ primary election processes.
A political analyst who chose to remain anonymous has suggested that these irregularities might mean that voters were not given the chance to vote for their preferred candidates.
“We are likely to have situations where voters do not even know their party candidates, which does not equate to a fair vote for the voters,” the analyst stated.
Need to reflect and correct
“We might also face a situation where some people choose to boycott the general elections. All of these issues undermine the integrity of the elections. All political parties need to reflect and correct their processes.”
Another concern is that the protests and appeals stemming from these primary elections could delay the start of campaigning in earnest.
“A lot of time will be spent addressing these protests, leaving limited time for campaigning,” the analyst noted.
“This is another issue for the voters, who deserve the opportunity to assess all candidates and make informed decisions.”
Confidence
But despite these concerns, BDP spokesperson Kagelelo Kentse remains confident that the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) will ensure free and fair general elections.
“As the BDP government, we are committed to a free and fair general election,” he said in an interview. “We have confidence in our electoral system to deliver on this commitment.
“The best thing we can do as a party is to encourage our members to go out and vote for their party.”