Pinda meets diplomatic community in Botswana
GABORONE: THE Head of the Southern African Development Community Electoral Observation Mission (SADC-SEOM), Mr Mizengo Pinda over the weekend held a meeting with the diplomatic community representing their countries in Gaborone, Botswana.
During the meeting, Mr Pinda informed the diplomats about SEOM’s mandate to conduct electoral observation in accordance with SADC principles and guidelines for democratic elections.
He shared that SEOM has engaged with various stakeholders involved in the Botswana elections to gather their views, concerns and observations regarding preparations for the upcoming general elections.
He said that SEOM is closely monitoring the election’s progress, plans and procedures, assessing whether SADC principles and guidelines for democratic elections have been adhered to.
Mr Pinda underscored the importance of inclusive participation from all election stakeholders in Botswana to foster a common understanding of the general elections scheduled for October 30th, this year.
Mr Pinda said that SEOM has deployed observers to all electoral districts to monitor the situation before, during and after the elections, noting that their meetings with various individuals and institutions are part of their efforts to gather feedback.
Speaking at the meeting, Dean of Ambassadors in Botswana and Ambassador of the Republic of Angola, Beatriz Morais, expressed gratitude to SEOM for engaging with the Diplomatic Corps as key stakeholders in the Botswana general elections.
She commended the peaceful environment in Botswana, which contributes to the country’s stability and security.
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The French Ambassador to Botswana, Olivier Brochenin, also praised the prevailing peace and stability as the elections approach, highlighting it as a significant example for other African nations.
Tanzanian Ambassador based in South Africa, Mr James Bwana, praised the Botswana government for welcoming election observers and expressed appreciation for the calmness demonstrated by the Batswana during the election period, wishing them well for the upcoming elections.
In fulfilling their responsibilities, SEOM has also met with the Attorney General of the Republic of Botswana, a lecturer from the University of Botswana’s Faculty of Political Science and representatives from the Media Institute of Southern Africa’s (MISA) Botswana Chapter.
SEOM has engaged with leaders from several political parties, including the Botswana Patriotic Front (BPF), Botswana Movement for Democracy (BMD), Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC), Botswana National Front (BNF), Alliance for Progressives (AP) and Botswana People’s Party (BPP).
The political parties expressed dissatisfaction with the electoral process, raising concerns about a shortage of ballots that has cast doubt on the fairness and transparency of the elections. They also noted that the delayed announcement of the election date has hindered opposition parties’ preparations.
The BPF party believes that repeating advance polling for Botswana’s diaspora, security forces and three constituencies will help boost public confidence and encourage higher voter turnout.
A representative from MISA Botswana mentioned that their organisation has been working to provide training for journalists on preparing and reporting election-related information. However, he acknowledged the significant competition their members face from unverified information disseminated via social media, which often lacks standards and ethical considerations.
