The country is already getting hot with political pressures as we get ready for the general elections next year. Political parties are conducting various elections such as primaries to get ready for the general elections. The voters on the other side are excited to reap once gain from the exercise as many are seen chanting asking for T-shirts, caps and money. Good governance is made up by a supply and demand side and for there to be good governance, there must a good balance between the demand and supply side of governance.
The demand side of governance is the voter. Article 3(4) and Chapter 7 of the African Charter on Democracy and Elections and Good Governance (ACDEG) enjoins state parties to hold regular, transparent, free and fair elections. Further, Article 1 of our Constitution gives power to citizens and provided a framework in which they will exercise this power and hold leaders accountable. Article 59 provides for the right to vote for every Ugandan Citizen of 18 years and above through an adult suffrage. The voter therefore transfers their power to the leaders they vote and what they expect is the supply of adequate efficient and effective services. We give government and leaders two things, power (votes) and taxes and what we expect is effective service delivery.
The demand side further means that as voters, we have the obligation to put to account our leaders and participate in the affairs of Government as provided for under Article 38 of our Constitution. Just like according to Charles de Gaulle, Politics is a matter too serious to be left to politicians alone cements the notion that our leaders are strong or weak depending on our level of demand for accountability. An election is a social contract between the electorates and those voted in power. What is common during the elections period is that there are many promises flying around he places by various candidates committing to and promising to deliver certain things to the voters including those that are out of their jurisdiction. I have heard a candidate aspiring as a Councilor promise a 20Km tarmac road, an ambulance and money to their voters and now I am at pains with his voters.
As the leaders come back to us to as for another term, let us ask them to account before they promise. We need to put to task our leaders to account for the 5 years they have spent in power as against their manifesto they put forward when they were campaigning in 2015! We have the power to determine the next breed of leaders and we must exercise this power consciously and responsibly. It is time to ask the leaders to explain what they have done for us in the last 5 years before they can promise again and ask us to renew their term. The campaigns are not just about leaders and new entrants telling us what we would miss if we don’t vote them to power, but it is a time for accountability. We should only vote a leader on merit, a leader who is able to outline and explain what they promised and that they have done in the last term. The candidates too should allow the voters to ask questions, put them to account to allow the flow of democracy we pride in as a country.
We also need to create a conducive environment to allow debate and respect dissenting views during this election period. I have observed with sadness several people attacking those they don’t agree with and share a divergent view and yet they continue to preach democracy and good governance. One of the cardinal principles of democracy is the level of tolerance of all opinions regardless of where they belong. Increasingly, many people are attacking each other on behalf of their favorite candidate who even has no guts to reign on their supporters/fans/voters that turn out chaotic. It is important that all political leaders and candidates can control their camps and put in place mechanisms to check/ punish the undisciplined, this will be a good a precedent in terms of achieving internal party discipline and democracy.
Lastly, I call upon everyone to stay calm and maintain peace as we embark on this election period. We can avoid all the violence by respecting everyone and above all promoting and protecting human rights for all as there cannot be Democracy and good governance without respect for human rights which is a fundamental pillar in building a nation. Let us build and not tear down our beautiful Uganda for there is life after and beyond elections and we must build beyond ourselves but for our posterity as well.
Michael Aboneka is the Coordinator: African Governance Architecture-Uganda
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