Following low numbers of people who have come forward to register for General Elections, the Independent Electoral Commission has set 1st May to 18 May as the dates for further supplementary registration.
So far only 500,000 out of the targeted 1,4 million have registered.
The low number is blamed on lack of marketing and public advertisements by IEC which could encourage the youth especially to go out and vote.
Commenting on the issue of voter apathy and lack of robust advertising on their part, Public Relations Officer of Independent Electoral Commission, Osupile Maroba, said that though accepting that it is their responsibility to go out and encourage people to register to vote it is as much the responsibility of every member of the public and civic organisations.
“It is not our duty only, we are all in it we should all see that this is a success. This includes individuals, political parties and civil societies,” he said.
Moroba also said that though the IEC is being blamed for not advertising elections registrations in the media, people in rural areas who have little access to the media that carries advertisements registered in larger numbers than those in areas that have access to the media.
“People in rural areas who have less access to the media register in larger numbers than those who have greater access to it. Generally people in towns do not register in larger numbers,” he said.
In another matter related to the coming elections, IEC has informed the public that voters roll for voter resgistration conducted from 4 to 27 October 2013 will be available for inspection at IEC offices and other places designated as voters roll inspection areas from 20 march to 30 April. The voters roll published in Government Gazzete dated 17 March 2014 is also available in all government printing bookshops in Francistown, Gaborone, Maun and Serowe.
