Media Wire Express Correspondent
The Southern African Development Community (SADC) is conducting a refresher training session for the SADC Election Observer Mission (SEOM) from October 17th to 20th, 2024, in preparation for the General Elections in Botswana, scheduled for October 30th, 2024.
Tanzania’s President, Hon. Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, who also serves as the Chair of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defense, and Security, appointed Former Prime Minister Hon. Mizengo Kayanza Peter Pinda to lead SEOM in overseeing the upcoming elections in Botswana.
Speaking at the opening of the training, Ms. Lilian Mukasa, representing Tanzania’s National Contact Person Office, expressed Tanzania’s gratitude to all SADC Member States that have sent observers to participate in the mission, highlighting the regional commitment to democracy and good governance. She emphasized that the training aims to equip election observers with the necessary skills, knowledge, and tools to effectively assess the election process. “We will receive training on the policy aspects of SEOMs, and the role of election observers from experts at the SADC Secretariat and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA),” Ms. Mukasa noted.
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She further mentioned that in 2015, SADC developed the SADC Principles and Guidelines Governing Democratic Elections, which were revised in 2021 to accommodate the evolving nature of democracy. These principles are now applied to all elections in SADC Member States. Ms. Mukasa stressed the importance of the observers’ familiarity with Article 14.3 of the guidelines, which will help them assess compliance during the election process.
The training covers various topics, including benchmarks for democratic elections, the revised SADC principles, election observation during public health emergencies (such as COVID-19), the electoral cycle, and electoral systems in the SADC region. Observers will also be trained in data collection methods using tablets and the transmission of information.
On October 30th, 2024, Botswana’s citizens will elect the 13th Parliament and local councils across the country. A total of 61 seats in the National Assembly and 609 local council seats will be contested using the first-past-the-post voting system.
The SEOM will deploy election observers to all districts, cities, and towns in Botswana to monitor the pre-election phase, election day, and post-election processes
