Voter Apathy Strengthened
THE recent election court verdict has just compromised our democracy and the independence of the judiciary to a certain extent once again.
For the layman, who is unemployed, hungry and poor, we are left with more questions than answers. Is there really still any need for us to go and vote in future elections and to get what out of that? voting is about what is coming the way of the electorate. We have heard of the outcome of the 2009 national elections only after three years, yet we do not understand it. People who are lawyers and who are in the legal fraternity might have followed the verdict with a better understanding.
For me, it has just strengthened voter apathy. Look at labour unrest, disputes and strikes in the country. It speaks volume, people have had enough of what is going on and they have decided to hold their elected political and tribal representatives accountable for what is happening.
No real solutions are being proffered to improve the standards of living of the poor in the wake of the prevailing economic recession. Those at the pinnacle of the economic cake should rethink, if they really want to prosper or to remain in power, otherwise avarice, self-enrichment and selfishness would cost them direly. We would simply stop voting, if it is about maintaining the economic condition, status and benefits of the political elite. Let us share the little economic resources at our disposal by distributing the wealth equally. Why should somebody go and steal in order to climb the economic ladder very promptly?
The verdict has just underscored the technical discrepancies, definitions of the returning officers and the purpose of the elections forms, probably to close the loophole in the electoral system for future elections. The poor voter was left in the dark without knowing the actual implications of the judgement in letter and spirit.
One good thing of the verdict was, it has at least saved the country from the battle of who was supposed to be in Parliament legitimately and who not for the remainder of the tenure of office. This would have become another economic crisis and have immersed us into further economic turmoil for personal survival.
Southerner writes
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