IEC, Political Parties Discuss Election Apathy

The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) and representatives of the country’s political parties are to meet on December 22 to look at the general apathy among the parties.

According to the IEC Communications Officer, Mr. Rethabile Pholo, said they had organised the meeting in view of the poor participation of most political parties in past by-elections. The meeting would find out the reasons behind the apathy, he said.       

Less than half the number of the political parties in the country took parties in the last by-election, a situation that Mr. Pholo said, has left the Commission worried that there might be some problems militating against proper participation of the parties in by-elections.

The meeting would hopefully thrash out any existing problems if any so that there is better participation in forthcoming by-elections, he said.

The IEC is currently preparing for by-elections in the Thaba-Putsoa constituency, to be held on January 24.
17 December 2003