A Gender Based Violence (GBV) activist and counsellor who works closely with prison inmates, Wiseman Gorewang, wants the government to allow prisoners to vote. In fact, he believes that if prisoners were allowed to vote, most of them would vote against the ruling government.

Gorewang acknowledges that by virtue of being incarcerated, inmates automatically forfeit their right to vote including their freedom or liberty.

He is however convinced that government withholds prisoners’ right to vote because most prisoners are not happy to be in jail, and therefore it is likely that if allowed, they would vote against the ruling government.

“However human rights activists continue to advocate for prisoners, arguing that denying prisoners the right to vote is not good.

“They believe that voting is fundamental as it determines the outcomes of how life is going to be going forward before the next elections, so this denies prisoners an opportunity to express themselves through a ballot,” Gorewang said.

Two by elections are set for this coming weekend in Bosele Ward, Gaborone Bonnington North and Grootlaagte ward in Ghanzi North, and inmates in the vicinity of these areas, or those from these areas and wish to participate in the elections, will once again find that the laws of Botswana will not be favourable as has been the case.

Thus IEC Communications Officer, Osupile Maroba is clear that whatever is happening currently is out of their control. He explains that the law clearly defines who is supposed to participate in the electoral process.

The law indicates that anybody who has been imprisoned for a period of more than six months is not eligible to participate in elections. However, anybody who has been imprisoned for a term less than six months is eligible to vote.

“Whether or not the law is unfair it is not for the IEC to judge. It is up to the general public, because members of the public have the right to submit recommendations and call for amendment of the constitution to that effect not the IEC because IEC will have to implement the law as it is,” Maroba said.

A 27-year-old ex-convict, Kebalepile Tsietso of Matshelagabedi shared that this is very unfair for prisoners not to cast a vote during general elections, noting that they have a right to participate in making decisions for the country as citizens.

She strongly believes that being in prison should not deprive any citizen of their right to vote. She is convinced that during elections, polling stations can be erected in prisons.