Member of Parliament for Palapye, Master Goya, who is a member of the Pan African Parliament, an organ of the African Union, says Botswana can learn a lot from the just ended Kenyan elections.
┬áThe legislator, who was speaking upon arrival from Kenya where he observed that country’s just ended elections, hailed the country for holding peaceful elections.┬á
Goya stated that though he went to observe the elections under the auspices of the Pan African Parliament, he was going to share his personal opinion about the just ended elections.
“Kenyans take elections seriously. The turnout was overwhelming to a point where voters had to go and sleep at the polling stations a day before elections.”
He said the hype was no doubt influenced by the incidents of 2007 where a disputed election outcome plunged the country into bloodshed.  
“Their numbers were telling us that they wanted to vote someone who can lead them,” added Goya.
As it is, the Kenyans voted for Uhuru Kenyatta who is under indictment by the International Criminal Court.
Goya said this shows that when they went into their elections, Kenyans never considered the ICC as an issue.
“They wanted a leader who can lead them. They saw ICC issue as something which was outside their boundaries,” said Goya.
He stated that the elections in his own opinion were run in a fair manner, adding that Botswana can borrow something from Kenyan elections.  
He said that there is a need for Batswana to take elections seriously. He was of the view that if people register in large numbers, they will be able to vote and choose leaders that they want.
Goya stated that Botswana can declare elections day a holiday to encourage people to go and vote in larger numbers.
The MP also called for a bigger role for the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) such as giving it the role of demarcating of constituencies.
“It happens in Kenya and we can bring that to our doorstep. Botswana should follow that route,” said Goya.
