22nd OCTOBER, 2024
GABORONE
Following an invitation by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the Republic of Botswana, the Electoral Commissions Forum, deployed an Observation Mission to Botswana to observe the General Elections scheduled for 30th October 2024. The ECF-SADC election observer mission is led by Justice Jacobs Mwambegele -Chairperson of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the United Republic of Tanzania. The Mission comprises twenty-eight (28) short-term observers drawn from ten (10) electoral commissions of Angola, DRC, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Namibia, South Africa, Tanzania, Zanzibar and Zimbabwe. The Mission arrived on 22nd October 2024 and will remain in the country until 2nd November 2024. The Mission base is Avani Gaborone Resort & Casino Hotel.
The Terms of Reference of the ECF-SADC election observer mission include assessment of the preparedness of the IEC Botswana to conduct elections; observe the pre-election environment; observe the conduct of the election itself; and evaluate the electoral process and make recommendations that will contribute to the improvement of electoral management in Botswana. The assessment and observations of the Mission are guided by the values of impartiality, neutrality, transparency, and objectivity as well as Regional and International benchmarks and the legal framework for elections in Botswana.
The ECF-SADC election observer mission will issue a statement of its preliminary assessment of the elections on a date to be confirmed and will release a final and comprehensive report within one to two months after the end of the process.
Further enquiries about the Electoral Commissions Forum can be made to the Mission Communications and Media contact Ms Lone Phineas email: lphineas@ecfsadc.org and mobile +267 76984879
