Commission emphasizes that voter registration exercise is routine and aimed at eligible voters
SESUPO RANTSIMAKO
The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) of Botswana has dismissed reports suggesting that the recently announced supplementary voter registration could be prepare for a referendum on the controversial Constitutional Court Bill.
ROUTINE ELECTORAL PROCESS
IEC Secretary Jefferson Siamisang clarified in an interview with The Botswana Gazette that, contrary to media reports, the commission is not preparing for any referendum as per the ongoing allegation, “This is a normal electoral process designed to give eligible voters a chance to register, particularly for upcoming elections such as by-elections. All eligible Batswana who did not register for the 2014 general elections are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity. Registering to vote is both a constitutional right and a civic responsibility,” he said.
TARGETING ELIGIBLE BUT UNREGISTERED VOTERS
Siamisang explained that the exercise primarily focuses on those who did not register during the general voter registration period due to various reasons, including being underage at the time, lack of identity documents, or other personal circumstances that prevented registration.
NO KNOWLEDGE OF UPCOMING REFERENDUM
“As a commission, we are not aware of any forthcoming referendum,” he added. “We can only know about a referendum if the President issues a writ. Other than that, we have no knowledge of such an event.”
The Constitutional Court Bill, currently under parliamentary discussion, proposes the establishment of a dedicated court to handle constitutional matters in Botswana. The bill has sparked public debate, with supporters arguing it will streamline constitutional adjudication, while critics claim it could centralize judicial power and affect the independence of existing courts. Some critics had speculated that the supplementary voter registration might be preparatory for a public vote on this bill a claim the IEC has firmly denied.
The Secretary’s remarks follow the commission’s announcement of the supplementary voter registration period, which commenced on 12th January and will run until February this year.