Maravi

Rigging elections

Rigging elections
By The Post
Thu 15 Sep. 2011, 13:59 CAT

It doesn't make sense to call for peace before, during and after the elections while at the same time doing things that may lead to or breed conflict in the nation.

It doesn't make sense to ask the Zambian people to accept election results and remain peaceful while at the same time those asking for such peace, for such calm are engaging in practices that make it difficult, if not impossible, for citizens with a sense of justice, sensitivity and fairness to accept such results and do nothing about it.

We say this because fair-minded people, citizens with a sense of justice are incapable of not doing something about injustice, about unfairness, about fraud.

In this case or under such circumstances, what is being asked of our people is not peace but docility or something else. Peace is not a product of docility or of accepting wrong things without questioning. Peace is the tranquility of order that arises from honest and sincere dealings.

Electoral malpractices or fraud can never be a recipe for peace. The Zambian people have stomached quite a lot up to this time in terms of electoral malpractices, unfair political playing field.

They have witnessed an unprecedented abuse of state institutions in the run-up to next Tuesday's elections by those in power in an attempt to give themselves an unfair and unjustified electoral advantage.

They have peacefully complained about these abuses. But nothing has been done to address their concerns. However, there is a limit to everything. And it is unwise for anyone who has in the past gotten away with wrongdoing, with injustice, with unfairness to continue to stretch their luck too far into the realm of practices that may be seen as rigging elections.

There are many things that need to change as we head towards Tuesday and on Tuesday itself. For instance, the practice of delaying voting in what may appear to be targeted areas for electoral malpractices has to stop.

And also the announcing of results in areas where the ruling party is weak first and then overload its votes in other areas may this time be difficult for most of our people to accept. We say this because they have seen how this was used by the ruling party to win the 2001 elections.

In 2001, voting in parts of Northern Province was extended beyond the stipulated time by two days. While results were being announced in Lusaka, people were still voting in parts of Northern Province. And it was here where the ruling party got its victory. A similar pattern followed in 2006 and 2008.

Refusing to address the fears that our people have about rigging will be a dangerous decision which could land this country in a lot of problems. In the past when we have had disputes about elections, the opposition leaders have managed to convince their supporters to accept the outcome.

In 2001, Anderson Mazoka did his best to stop his supporters from exploding. In 2006 and 2008, Michael Sata had to summon all his persuasive skills to stop his supporters from taking to the streets over the election results they could not accept as a result of some of the weaknesses we have pointed out that were not addressed by those running the elections.

In both the 2006 and 2008 elections, one of the methods that Sata used to convince his supporters was to encourage them to register as voters. He asked them to be patient and wait for the next time round. The electoral register is testimony to the fact that many more people have registered as voters. It is dangerous to take such people for granted. This is why those who are thinking about tampering with the elections this year should be very careful.

It could land all of us in a lot of problems. The Electoral Commission of Zambia continues to have a duty to ensure that this is not allowed. Over and about that, the Electoral Commission of Zambia should also ensure that no impression is created that vote tampering in any shape or form has been allowed.
Electoral malpractices of injustices will not lead to peace. They will be rejected.

Intelligence demands the rejection of wrongdoing, of injustice, of fraud. Every time you let someone cheat you, deceive you, rob you, manipulate you, con you and you don't do anything about it, you are not acting with intelligence and should not be on this earth - you won't be on this earth very long either.

We are not in any way saying the losers should reject the results and resort to protests, but when the facilitators of the elections fail to manage the process in a fair and just manner and allow fraud to be perpetrated, then the losers have the right to protect their votes and demand justice.

This is within their rights. Those who engage in electoral fraud should not expect the people to accept it all the time and be the victims of unending electoral injustice. Then when they explode, they want them to explode politely or calmly! There is no such a thing. Why, they may be dealing with the wrong people at the wrong time and in the wrong way.

For these reasons, it is clear to see that peace is not docility, is not accepting wrongdoing without question. Peace is the fruit of honesty and truth. Rigging elections and expecting other citizens to sit ndwii and accept the results as if nothing has happened is dangerous and will not lead to peace. Injustice has to be fought.

It is a strict duty of justice and truth not to allow those who engage in electoral malpractices to get away with it.

All modern democracies hold elections, but not all elections are democratic. Dictators and tyrants also stage elections to give their rule the aura of legitimacy. Such elections may offer several candidates for each office, but ensure through rigging that only the ruling party candidate is chosen. Such elections are not democratic. We should not go or accept to go the tyrannical way that encourages a culture of passivity and apathy, a system which seeks to mould an obedient and docile citizenry.

The ability to conduct free, fair, transparent and honest elections is at the core of what it means to call a society democratic. And this is what the Zambian people want to see next Tuesday. It is this that will guarantee our country continued peace and stability.

Let us all be vigilant and stop every possible attempt to manipulate, rig our elections. Expose and question every act, every decision that seems to be aimed at rigging elections.

Labels: 2011 ELECTIONS, KENNETH KAUNDA, VOTERIGGING

posted by MrK @ 6:50 PM