The Answer To The Curse Of The Ballot Box

It has long been the norm for African countries to have cases of conflict and war right after the results of a (general) election have been announced. Those that are announced as winners believe that they won fair and square and that the public has exercised their democratic right to vote for those they wish to govern them. Meanwhile, those that lose believe that the said elections were rigged or that someone or some people were bribed or threatened to announce the results as they did and that it was they that had rightfully won the people over. In such instances of a deadlock, and with both sides unwilling to relent or back down, the likely cause of action to be taken next might entail conflict; each side’s supporters willing to fight it out for those that they feel won.

Recently, about 3 weeks ago, Gabon’s capital Libreville was rocked with protests after protesters clashed with police following word of the presidential election results.[1] Violence erupted after the Interior Minister announced the results, which showed that Incumbent President Ali Bongo defeated opposition leader Jean Ping by a very slight margin. The opposition claimed that the results were fraudulent hence the protests by their supporters. The result was that Parliament and other government buildings were set ablaze, three people died, hundreds were injured, and businesses were looted.[2] Other countries that have been rocked by post-election violence are Kenya in 2007 – 2008, and Cote d’ Ivoire in 2010[3]

For many, whoever clinches power determines how they get to live their life. In Kenya for example, it has long been the perception and, I dare say it, still remains the perception that when a general election is conducted and a person from a given tribe is declared winner, then that tribe and others that support it are set for prosperity while those that oppose it are set for doom. Kenyan political parties operate around personalities rather than ideologies.[4] The candidate is a vehicle for his own party or ethnic group. Zero–sum ethnic politics, which means supporters of losing parties do not see opponent victories as a win for the other side, instead they see it as a loss for themselves and their ethnic group.

After the election of President Mwai Kibaki in Kenya in 2003, John Githongo was appointed as the anti-corruption czar.[5] Two years later, he was on the run after discovering that the new administration was ruthlessly pillaging public funds. The justification, according to politicians and civil servants close to the president was that “under former President Moi, his Kalenjin tribesmen ate. Now it’s our turn to eat.” The answer to the curse of the ballot box lies in ridding people’s minds of that perception, and that can only be done if the practice on the ground is different from what created that perception in the first place.

Power is deemed a two-faced beast. It either builds or destroys, reconciles or tears apart, brings peace or causes disruption–those that hunger and thirst for power should do so only because they wish to use it for the benefit of all and not some of the electorate. While it is true that people driven by greed exist in every tribe and nation[6] there also exists people driven by virtue. How to weed them out is making power less attractive and having it viewed as more of a duty than a privilege.

For example, in countries where presidents can serve for a maximum of 2 terms, they should be cut to 1 only. This way, people that genuinely wish to do good for their country will compete for president, knowing they will have to deliver within that 1 term, rather than waiting only until a few years preceding the next election before they do their jobs. In turn, hopefully, conflicts in the name of power will reduce or die out altogether. While it is arguable that even within the one term the exclusion of others may come into play, it is important to note that with institutions in place to act as watchdogs, the same can be avoided.

In Ghana, for instance, democracy is indeed democracy – civil society has been left to thrive and so has the media and the government, as well as the private sector, which is kept in place. The decision-making process is very involving of the people and thus “by the people, for the people” is at the forefront. [7]

The end of phrases like “it’s our time to eat” and the beginning of service to the people is the cure to the ballot box curse.

[1] Radina Gigova, ‘Gabon erupts in post election violence’,< //edition.cnn.com/2016/09/01/africa/gabon-election-protests/> ,

[2] N 1

[3] Nancy Annan, ‘Violent Conflicts and Civil Strife in West Africa: Causes, Challenges and Prospects’ //www.stabilityjournal.org/articles/10.5334/sta.da/

[4] The Atlantic, Olga Khazan, Mar 5, 2013 ‘What Causes Some Elections to Go Violent?’ //www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2013/03/what-causes-some-elections-to-go-violent/273728/

[5] Michela Wrong, “It’s Our Turn to Eat. The Story of a Kenyan Whistleblower” //michelawrong.com/ourturntoeat_syn.html

[6] King Geumwa in Jumong, season 4

[7] AlJazeera, ‘People and Power’

Hawa Gaya

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