Botswana’s general elections were conducted largely peacefully and transparently, according to preliminary findings by the Zimbabwe Election Support Network (ZESN) and the Electoral Support Network of Southern Africa (ESN-SA).
Observers noted a generally smooth voting process while flagging specific areas for improvement in the electoral framework.
Following an official invitation from Botswana’s government, ZESN and ESN-SA deployed a five-member team to observe polling in urban, peri-urban, and rural areas around Gaborone.
The mission aimed to assess Botswana’s adherence to national laws and evaluate its electoral processes against regional and international standards.
The observer mission praised Botswana’s updated electoral practices, including using indelible ink to prevent multiple voting. However, it raised concerns about the ballot-counting process, which occurs at central constituency locations rather than at individual polling stations.
The report noted that this method could increase tensions if election results are disputed, as counting at the polling station level is considered the best practice for transparency.
Additionally, some stakeholders expressed concerns regarding the independence of Botswana’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). Under current regulations, the IEC operates within the office of the presidency, leading to concerns that this could undermine public trust in the commission’s impartiality.
Most polling stations opened on time, but the ZESN-ESN team noted delays at specific locations. In Gaborone North, voting at Glen Valley’s South Gate polling station was delayed by over an hour due to logistical challenges. Despite these issues, polling staff managed the process efficiently, and voting proceeded smoothly across most areas.
The mission commended Botswana’s commitment to accessibility. Measures such as wheelchair ramps, priority access for the elderly, and special seating for nursing mothers demonstrated the country’s efforts toward inclusive voting. Observers highlighted that while women comprised over half of the polling staff, only 10.6% of parliamentary candidates were women, a statistic they suggest Botswana should address to improve gender equality in political representation.
The observer mission’s recommendations included:
Decentralizing Ballot Counting: Counting ballots at polling stations rather than constituency centres would boost transparency and help mitigate potential post-election disputes.
Enhancing IEC Independence: Structural changes reinforcing the IEC’s independence from the presidency could help strengthen public confidence.
Empowering Civil Society Organizations (CSOs): Involving CSOs more extensively as election observers could increase transparency and inclusivity.
Adopting Translucent Ballot Boxes: Transparent ballot boxes could enhance confidence in the integrity of the vote.
ZESN and ESN-SA concluded that the elections were conducted with professionalism and in a generally transparent environment, meeting Botswana’s national standards and aligning with regional democratic principles. The observers emphasized that implementing these targeted reforms could further strengthen Botswana’s electoral integrity.
While Botswana’s 2024 election showcased significant progress in democratic processes, the ZESN-ESN team hopes to see continued advancements in electoral transparency and inclusivity.
