Kanu Party leader Gideon Moi has been appointed chairperson and leader of the Commonwealth Observer team in the Botswana elections.
Moi will lead a distinguished group of five other eminent persons drawn from across the Commonwealth with expertise in politics, elections, media, and civil society.
The Botswana elections are set for October 30, 2024.
The Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said the observer team’s presence in Botswana will not only reaffirm the commitment to democracy and human rights.
"As we gather for Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Samoa, our presence in Botswana to observe these elections reaffirms our unwavering commitment to democracy and human rights.
“Building resilient societies demands free, fair, and inclusive electoral processes. We stand in solidarity with the people of Botswana in upholding democracy and development values as enshrined in the Commonwealth Charter," she said.
The CET will also be supported by Commonwealth Secretariat staff members, led by Nancy Kanyago, Legal Adviser for Rule of Law.
The Commonwealth Expert Team members include;
1. Georgina Kekea, Former President, Media Associations of Solomon Islands
2. Pamela Ogiste, Assistant Chief Election Officer, Elections and Boundaries Commission, Trinidad and Tobago
3. Judge Peter Herbert OBE, Human Rights Barrister & Judge (ret.) United Kingdom
4. Chipokota Mwanawasa, Policy Adviser to the President of Zambia
5. Idzuafi Hadi Kamilan, Executive Director, Institute for Political Reform and Democracy, Malaysia
The scope of the observation will include the evaluation of pre-election preparatory activities in different provinces across the country as well as monitoring of the election day procedures.
On election day, the team will observe the opening, voting, closing, counting and the results management processes and will consider all aspects of the election process and provide observations in a final report on whether the elections align with Botswana's democratic commitments.
In January 2023, the former Baringo Senator was part of the Commonwealth election observer team in Antigua and Barbuda.
The team was led by former President of Seychelles Danny Faure.