The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has on Saturday distributed the first batch of electoral materials to the districts ahead of Local Government Elections.
Speaking in an interview with the Agency at IEC Warehouse, IEC Logistics Officer. Mrs. Manepo Letsapo said the electoral materials, which include among others ballot papers, inks, watches, and pens have been distributed to Mokhotlong, Thaba-Tseka and Qacha’s Nek.
She said other electoral materials have been distributed to Botha-Bothe, Leribe, Berea, Mohale’s Hoek and Maseru, saying they will be distributed via airlift upon arrival at these districts to hard-to-reach areas.
She, however, said the truck which distributed the materials to Qacha’s Nek will also distribute the materials to Makhoalipana Council as it is along the way to Qacha’s Nek.
She added that other materials will be distributed to Leribe, Berea, Maseru, Mohale’s Hoek and Thaba-Tseka for advanced voting as they are the only districts which applied for advanced voting.
She said the electoral materials are transported from the IEC warehouse to districts under the supervision of District Electoral Officers and members of the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) as well as representatives from political parties for safety.
Mrs. Letsapo indicated that upon arrival in the districts, it will be handed over in the presence of representatives of the political parties and will be distributed to councils and polling stations thereafter.
Meanwhile, she said the second batch of the electoral materials would be distributed to Quthing on Sunday, the third batch to Leribe, Berea, Mohale’s Hoek and Mafeteng on Monday (today) while the fourth one to Botha Bothe and Maseru rural on Tuesday while the fifth one to Maseru Urban on Wednesday.
The Local Government Elections will be held on Friday, 29 September 2023 while advanced voting will be on Wednesday and voters include amongst others, the media practitioners, Independent Electoral Commission staff and Security Agencies.
The first Local Government Elections were held in 2005 and a zebra model was used in a bid to empower women to be part of the decision-making at the community level.
Source: LENA 23/09/2023
