It doesn’t matter how long or how many times LC1 elections are halted to improvise on certain issues but for as long as they are to be held using the lining up method of voting, we should expect a lot of atrocities.
What do you do when you have a family that is a father, mother, sisters and brothers and you are openly forced to choose between them? You really love them and you are aware of the endless times they have been there for you. So, you clearly know that if you choose one, the others will feel hurt and left out. Really, how do you escape such a scenario?
This is the same predicament the Electoral Commission (EC) has put us in with the LC1 elections when it stated that LC1 voting will not be by secret ballot but rather voters will line up behind their preferred candidates in all villages across the country.
I really wonder what the government was up to, to suggest such a method of voting. World over, voting by lining up is an archaic method of voting. Even when it comes to a school level, companies or any other event that requires voting, it’s the secret ballots that is used.
Isn’t this a clear indication that our Government is totally not interested in the development of our communities?
Given that the LC1s are at the level of a community, the government should be aware that these are people who are well acquainted with us, the voters. We have grown up with some of the candidates, others are family friends and as for the incumbents, these are people we have relied upon to solve our problems. Many of them know of our dirty little secrets.
So, how can government expect us to choose among these people for our next leader without the help of the secret ballot? At least with a secret ballot, our choice of a candidate remains anonymous. We are presented with a privacy to choose a candidate without fear or favour.
But considering that we have been relating with many of these candidates, we are already intimidated because there is a chance of losing friendship and creating enmity. The question that first comes to mind is that what happens when the person I didn’t line up behind wins? Will they treat us impartially as they execute their administrative and judicial duties?
Can we safely say that there won’t be any conflicts? Because already, husbands are dictating to their wives on whom to vote and mothers are dictating to their children who is the right candidate basing on the problems that have been solved by the incumbents.
So, where is the fairness in that? And how can we ensure to vote the candidate of our choice without antagonizing our families, friends and relatives.
I believe if we insist on voting by lining up, we risk creating disasters not only in our communities but also in our families. The only option I for one I have for preventing such a disaster is to avoid voting altogether.
