Kaombona Kanani

Local election observer mission Botswana Electoral Support Network (BESnet) which is made up of non governmental organisations say they are faced with financial limitations which will compel them not to observe elections in all the polling stations around the country.                                                                   

 “We had three hundred people who could help us but we are cutting down the numbers because we cant transport all of them, help them with accommodation as well as giving them allowances during elections” Spokesperson of BESnet and Chairman of Botswana Council of Non-Governmental Organisations (BOCONGO) Mosweu Simane said adding,” We would love to be in all the constituencies but we have a problem of resource limitation,” Simane told African elections. Asked wherether they did not seek assistance from other stakeholders, Simane said they but “none came forth to help.”

The local observer mission was formed in 2003 with the objective of strengthening democracy through capacity building among the electorates to enable them to understand and appreciate the electoral process and the model used to achieve free and fair elections. After elections the observer mission compiles their findings for report on wherether the elections were free and fair and also making recommendations on their observations