Sello Motseta
22nd January 2020
The petitioner in council elections for Mosolole Moralale ward told the high court the polling station was closed early disenfranchising potential voters in an election contest he lost by 37 votes.
It is also alleged that Independent Electoral Commission(IEC) officials helped voters with cellphone flashlights because the cardiac lights procured were not working. A known BDP official also openly canvassed for votes in the voting line during the course of day against electoral rules hurting his opponents electoral chances in a closely contested poll.
“IEC officials were also helping Basarwa to vote. They did not know how to vote and because they wanted to vote Mogalakwe Mogalakwe who was with the opposition they were encouraged to vote AP and UDC spoiling their votes,” said Mogalakwe Mogalakwe, at the High Court Wednesday.
Mogalakwe maintains that because it rained late in the afternoon IEC was obliged to keep open the polling station for an additional 2 hours to allow all voters affected by act of God to cast their votes.
This allegedly did not happen with lots of voters closed out the polluting station around closing time at 6:50pm and IEC officials refusing to entertain requests for an extension of polling hours despite queues of people closed outside the polling station when gates were closed.
A witness told the High Court a well known BDP official in the area, Kesebelolwang Gaorongwa was seen talking to voters at the polling station apparently canvassing for votes and had to be reprimanded by police officials at the polling station in the morning.
“They also collected 3 elderly ladies and coached them on how to vote. Our car doors were touching and I could hear everything they were saying. They were told to vote BDP,” said Oitsetse Dikhuhang, a witness for Mogalakwe Mogalakwe in the ongoing court case.
Mogalakwe is petitioning outcome of Shoshong Mosolotshane/Moralane Ward elections won by the BDP candidate in the bitterly fought October 2019 poll. The petitioner who polled 674 votes against winners 637 votes is expected to call 13 witnesses to strengthen his case.
Trial resumes 10th February 2020.
