Cutting off the nose to spite the face

Mmegi Correspondent | Thursday August 14, 2014 12:16

From BaZezuru, to resident of Suping to vendors in Gaborone, communities with an axe to grind against government have used the general elections as a cause celebre, hoping to bring attention to their grievances. In as much as some of these grievances are absolutely credible, the rationale behind the boycott threat is not only flawed, but more importantly betrays a deep-rooted fallacy within some sections of the electorate.

It is incorrect to believe that boycotting the general election will “fix” government or punish it in some way. In the latest incident as reported in our issue yesterday, McCarthy’s Rust residents resolved not to vote because government had not recognised them as a settlement due to their small population. Thus, McCarthy’s Rust residents believe withholding their participation on October 24 will send a strong message of their unhappiness with the Local Government Minister’s decision.

This logic is patently flawed and in fact, boycotting an election to punish government often works in favour of that government, at least in the Botswana experience.

Perhaps due to the dominance of the ruling party or because of their traditional allegiance to it, some Batswana have felt that they are doing their elected representatives “a favour” in voting. As a result of having had the same representatives for decades – in some instances – many voters are increasingly unable to distinguish between political representation and government.

And the “government” has happily fostered the confusion by not wasting an opportunity to blur the lines between party and governance at events such as political rallies and in social interactions such as donations. Over time, residents of some of these areas, having been intentionally undereducated by their political representatives, begin to believe that withholding their votes is the same as not voting for the ruling party and is the same as not supporting the prevailing government.

For the purposes of clarity, it is important to remind voters that our constitution clearly distinguishes between the State, government and political parties, despite the best efforts of some within both the ruling party and the opposition to blur these lines. Withholding one’s vote is denying oneself the opportunity to participate in the fundamental democratic process which identifies the next stewards of taxpayer funds at local and central government level.  The disgruntled would rather be encouraged to participate in the political process from grassroots, to primaries to the general election pursuing the candidate of their favour while remembering that the democratic process is all about the numbers.

Our political representatives, as intoxicated as they are with October 24, also need to spare a second of their political invective at rallies for the education of voters.

                                                                     Today’s thought

“The ignorance of one voter in a democracy impairs the security of all.”

 

                                                                  – John F. Kennedy