From the first pre-independence general election of March 1965 elections in
Botswana were run by the Supervisor of Elections, who fell under the Office of the
President. As time went on the public, particularly members of the opposition
parties, perceived the Supervisor of Elections as being a government employee
controlled by the ruling party, or at least under its influence.
Government heeded the call of opposition parties for the formation of an
Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) to run the elections and, in 1997, the
Constitution was amended to accommodate the establishment of such a body to
replace the office of the Supervisor of Elections. Section 65A of the Constitution of
Botswana sets out the composition of the Commission.