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There
is more to elections than what has been articulated in the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the most recognised
and influential international human rights instrument:
Article 21 states that “[t]he will of the people shall be
the basis of the authority of government; this shall be
expressed in periodic and genuine elections which shall be
by universal and equal suffrage and shall be held by secret
vote or by equivalent free voting procedures.”.
Thus,
elections are major, if not the only, means by which a
people expresses its sovereign will which is the basis of
all political authority in a democracy. It is, however, only
through free and fair elections that this sovereign will be
expressed.
It is
also through elections that the electorate expresses their
preferences on how their political, economic and
socio-cultural lives should be governed. Elections offer
indispensable opportunity for political parties to mobilise
popular support, establish their constituency and make their
policies public and defend them.
Development can take place and people can make plans on
their lives only where there is political stability. This is
not possible where there is no predictable mechanism for
transfer of political power. Today, it is globally accepted
that elections are the only reliable and predictable means
for transfer of power.
In a
similar fashion, Ethiopia plans to hold local elections in
the coming April. The National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE)
and the contending political parties are busy with their
preparations to have a good show during these elections.
There
are various reasons why these elections should be free and
fair: Where elections are not free and fair, the validity of
their outcomes would be contested. Unless such problems are
rectified through established democratic processes,
uncertainty prevails.
Sadly,
our history is replete with innumerable instances of
uncertainties surrounding accession to power. The result of
such uncertainty is often political instability which, as
the recent incidents in Kenya show, can easily degenerate
into violent and bloody conflicts.
Not
surprisingly, in Africa, the credibility of elections’
results has been contested, often triggering political
upheavals and conflicts. The events that have unfolded in
Kenya following the 2007 presidential elections are only the
latest proof. What triggered the current crisis in Kenya is
the serious flaws of the 2007 elections whose outcome was
rejected by the opposition. The crisis is taking its toll on
the politics, economy and social capital of Kenya.
The
violence has already claimed the lives of more than 1,000
people and displaced over 300,000. It has deepened ethnic
hatred and animosity, bruising the bonds of common
citizenship among Kenyans.
Economic growth estimates for 2008 have already dropped by
four per cent. The tourism and flower industry are seriously
affected and more than 20,000 jobs are lost. Many fear that
it may take some years for the economy to revive to its late
2007 position. The country has lost its goodwill as one of
the preferred destinations for investment and tourism in
Africa.
If
there is one important lesson that we should draw from the
on-going electoral crisis in Kenya, it is the importance of
ensuring the freedom and fairness of elections whether on
national or local level.
For
those of us in the developing world, where the situation is
qualitatively different from those in the developed world,
elections have more to do than putting political parties and
the people that lead them into offices. At best, we are
poor, a very important factor that sets us apart from the
developed world. We need all the time, peace and stability
that make investments and development possible. This comes
from the legitimacy of those governing as ensured through an
accepted electoral process.
I would like to see Ethiopia in this context; at the moment,
the country is showing impressive economic development,
where the economy is registering double-digit growth.
Important sectors of the economy are booming.
There
is a need to sustain this growth, and to facilitate
conditions to allow the expansion of this growth. Nothing
should be allowed to hinder or bring the growth to a halt.
Ethiopia cannot afford to have anything less than free and
fair elections. The stakes are too high for all sections of
society, the ruling party, opposition parties and most
importantly for ordinary citizens who always strive for
improvement of their lots. All bear the burden of making
sure that these elections are free and fair thus certified
by independent monitors and observers.
Much of
the burden to ensure this is happening is obviously put on
the governing party. It has the advantage of being in
control of the machinery of the state and hence better
placed to ensure the success of these elections.
The
government should therefore take the various complaints
lodged by opposition parties seriously and address them
swiftly and properly. This is all the more crucial when it
comes to local elections.
It is
through local authorities that the electorate receive
various services from development projects that are executed
at the local levels. For the electorate, this election is
therefore an opportunity to elect competent and committed
councillors who can deliver efficient services, competently
execute local development projects, support local
initiatives and nurture peaceful coexistence among members
of various religious, ethnic and social groups.
For the
government and the ruling party, it is time to show their
commitment for good governance and the improvements of
service delivery and the fight against poverty. It is also
during local elections that the governing party can see
whether or not it has the support of the public for its
programmes and policies. This, it can only know if the
elections are free and fair.
Opposition parties too stand to benefit a lot from local
elections. It gives them an opportunity to mobilise and
broaden their electoral base and establish constituency at
local levels. Indeed, in those places where they win, they
should establish a foothold so that they will eventually
translate that into an electoral support for the national
elections.
Both,
however, should have the self interest to let the people
express their sovereign will and respect the result; of
course a challenge that can be overcome if the constitution
is genuinely observed to its letters and intent.
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