UBCD PRESIDENT ANNOUNCES POTENTIAL BOYCOTT OF UNIVERSITY OF BOTSWANA SRC ELECTIONS OVER IRREGULARITIES.

Article By: Tebogo Mokoto

The President of the University of Botswana Congress for Democracy (UBCD), a student political party, has revealed plans to boycott the upcoming University of Botswana Student Representative Council (SRC) elections, following concerns over irregularities in the election process.

In a statement made to Gabz FM News, UBCD President Neville Sechele outlined several issues raised in a petition submitted last week, which calls for the postponement of the elections scheduled for April 4. The petition, which highlighted serious concerns about the election's transparency and fairness, includes complaints about inadequate preparation time, deficiencies in the revised election regulations, the absence of polling agents, and unclear nomination procedures, among others.

Sechele further stated that despite submitting the petition last Friday with a 24-hour deadline for response, there had been no satisfactory reply from either the current SRC President or the Head of the Student Judiciary.

In response, Sechele confirmed that the UBCD would now formally address the Director of Student Services. He also expressed his intention to engage with the two other major student parties—Moono wa Baithuti-UDC and GS 26-BDP—to join the boycott. The UBCD is demanding that the University of Botswana’s Director of Student Services either postpone the elections or intervene to address the irregularities within 24 hours.