The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) says they expect to release their final report on demarcation of Polling Districts before the end of July. “As IEC, we are nearing the completion of the Demarcation exercise and hopefully by mid-July we would have gazetted the new Polling Districts and Polling Stations,” says Dintle Rapoo, IEC’s Chief Executive officer.
Dintle said that this will be followed by the national voter registration exercise in October for the preparation of the 2014 general elections. Contrary to expectations, the number of Polling Districts (wards) will remain at 490, as in the 2009 general elections.
However, Rapoo says certain constituencies will have their number of voting districts increased while others will be reduced. “It is like robbing Peter to pay Paul, taking from one constituency and adding to another,” Rapoo says.
He added that it is wrong for people to believe existing wards will be devided. “As it stands, we only have constituencies and no Polling Districts until we finalise the re-alignments,” he said.
Some of the constituencies expected to gain more Polling Districts include Francistown South, Maun West, Palapye, Kgatleng West, Gaborone South, Mogoditshane, Kweneng South East, Letlhakeng East, Kgalagadi South and Ghanzi North.
On the other hand, Chobe, Ngami, Okavango, Maun East, Francistown West, Tonota North, Mmadinare, Mahalapye East, Serowe North, Serowe South, Gaborone North, Molepolole North, Kweneng East, Kanye North, Ngwaketse South and Kgalagadi North will have fewer Polling Districts than they did in 2009 while Selebi Phikwe East & West, Mahalapye West, Shoshong, Serowe West, Kgatleng East, South East North, South East South, Lobatse, Barolong, and Moshupa remain unchanged.
