Botswana is set to hold general elections on 30 October 2024. This election is considered the most competitive in Botswana's history, with more political parties contesting the ruling Botswana Democratic Party (BDP) under the newly formed coalition of opposition parties - Umbrella for Democratic Change (UDC) and Botswana Congress Party (BCP).
As part of its ongoing initiatives to support resilient democracies in the region, Democracy Works Foundation (DWF) organised a pre-election capacity-building training workshop focused on poll watching, held from 27th to 30th October in Gaborone. The workshop, aimed at eight political parties in Botswana, was conducted under the Political Parties and Elections Support programme that DWF is implementing across seven countries, including Botswana. This workshop was designed to equip political parties with skills and tools for effective poll-watching activities in the upcoming elections.
DWF facilitated the workshop in collaboration with Botswana's Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) under the Political Parties and Support implemented in the region. The format followed a Training of Trainers (ToTs) approach, targeting Master Trainers who will, in turn, be expected to conduct similar training for their party poll agents and officials who will play a role in monitoring the October elections.
Opening the four day - 2 cohort workshop, DWF Deputy Regional Director Fannie Nthakomwa provided an overview of the Political Parties Election Support, followed by DWF Regional Director Dr Agustine Magolowondo, who set the tone, emphasising the role and importance of political parties as instrumental stakeholders in deepening resilient democracies, primarily through participating in election cycles and election monitoring. He explained: "Elections are the clearest expression of the people's will. In October 2024, when the Batswana cast their votes, each ballot will symbolically - and powerfully - represent that will. Think of the ballot box as a container of this collective voice. When election officials open the box, they reveal how the will of the Batswana has been expressed."
Typical of DWF's work, the two cohorts were engaged and trained in a nonpartisan approach solely focusing on providing political parties with comprehensive skills and practical tools to implement poll-watching initiatives successfully during the election cycle.
In addition to the representatives of the different political parties, Ms Vikki Stein also attended the workshop - Country Representative, USAID /Botswana, who delivered a message of support for the Political Parties Elections Support and highlighted the importance of the strategic relationships with various stakeholders involved in elections.
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The Botswana Independent Electoral Commission (IEC), represented by the Manager for Policy and Voter Education - Mr Malefo Gopolang, and the Chief Public Relations Officer - Mr Oscar Moroba, shared insights on critical topics, emphasising the importance of understanding the structure and mandate of the IEC. The presentation highlighted the existing electoral legal framework, highlighting its significance in ensuring fair and transparent elections. Importantly, the IEC provided an update on their state of preparedness, detailing the processes already undertaken in preparation for the 2024 General Elections. This update reassured stakeholders of the ongoing efforts to ensure electoral integrity in the upcoming elections.
Participants expressed that the workshops restored their confidence in the electoral process, offering a transparent space to engage in meaningful discussions about the importance of active participation at various stages of the election cycle.
Hailed a success for uniting ideologically differing political parties in the same room for two days for a shared purpose - 76 Master Trainers received this invaluable training. Moreover, the workshops provided a critical platform for open discourse and strengthened the flow of information between the IEC and political parties.
