Botswana Elections Fever: State Of Fear

The Botswana Gazette reports that the advent of elections has brought with it a sense of fear and apprehension among many in Botswana.

While Botswana has no experienced the sort of incidents that often beset other countries’ during elections, there has been concern over a number of incidents in the run up to the general elections.

Recent media reports of house break-ins, theft and assault of political activists and media personnel are but a few such incidents.

Following the arrest of Sunday Standard Editor Outsa Mokone and the flight of journalist Edgar Tsimane to South Africa, news emerged that a member of council candidate Tumelo Segokgo’s campaign team was found half naked and dead, with visible stab wounds on her neck, outside her yard  at Tlokweng.

In another incident that happened last week Friday at Old Naledi, Botswana Congress Party (BCP) council candidate Oarabile Motlaleng was also brutally attacked by unknown assailants, who abducted him, tortured him and dumped him in a nearby trench.

A month ago UDC Mogoditshane parliamentary candidate Sedirwa Kgoroba was attacked at his home. Thieves also broke into the house of UDC activist Joyce Disoso Pheto and stole some property. At the same time, several attempts were made to break into the house of UDC President Duma Boko. In Francistown, Wynter Mmolotsi’s house was broken into and his cell phone and laptops stolen. On several occasions, thieves broke into the late Gomolemo Motswaledi’s house, stealing cell phones and laptops. Motswaledi was later killed in a freak car accident amid allegations that he was murdered.

All these incidents have raised red flags on the state of security in Botswana in the lead up to the elections.