Imperfect Elections, Yet the Nation Has to Move On

It is high time for the Ethiopian political space. The fifth national elections is unfolding as a series of preparatory events is leaving the final judgment call to the voting public. So much has gone on since the last national election in 2010, which can, in one way or another, be linked to the latest elections. Fortunate and unfortunate circumstances have occurred, with perspectives about them differing in the lead up to today, a crucial day wherein the voters will be casting their cards in line with their preferences.

On this very day, the voting public, as the normal process of election entails, will cast their vote. An aggregate number of votes of the public will, then, define the political party that will be forming the next government.

If one has to be honest, though, the fact that this voting day has passed does not mean that the whole process was perfect. By any measure, the process was anything but perfect.

A large part of the imperfection comes from the nature of the political playing field. For years, the political space has been a landscape wherein a hegemonic ruling party, which remains in place to get blotted with each day, plays against its rather fragmented opponents. Much of the political landscape (be it institutional or communal) also remains to favour the incumbent.

The opposition is challenged to grow beyond individualistic interests, leading to division and animosity, instead of collaboration. Complemented with the institutional biases, the fate of the opposition camp has been bound to facing the hegemonic ruling party with a rather divided inertia.

Aside from the purely partisan imperfections, the pre-election process has also been disfigured with shortfalls in managing the election. Often criticised for being partisan to the ruling party, the way the National Electoral Board of Ethiopia (NEBE) conducted its business has been problematic, leading to disappointment on various sides of the political aisle. Issues such as selection of election implementers at various levels and disclosure of approved candidates were raised, and questions of professionalism remain on the horizon.

As imperfect as the whole pre-election process might have been, though, the crucial time in the process is voting day. It is on this very day that democracy will be exercised at the individual level. By virtue of casting their votes, therefore, individuals will be practicing their right of representation. Power will be entrusted by the voting public to politicians, and their parties, so as they can leverage it to advance what they see as the interests of the public.

Surely, democracy is the best known governance system in the world. As one of the crucial faces of democracy, at least in its modern version, elections are considered instrumental in consolidating the social contract vital to effective governance. As much as there cannot be meaningful democracy without elections, it would be difficult to imagine a successful election without democracy. It therefore means that the whole process of democratic governance is mutually inclusive of representative elections and competitive politics.

Voting, as an individual right and responsibility, is a way to ensure that the expected effectiveness is there in the democratic exercise. It is this right and responsibility that around 35 million Ethiopians will be employing today for a fifth time. Indeed, the exercise is both a right and a responsibility.

In fact, this exercise of rights and discharge of responsibilities is influenced by the democratic culture of a given nation. Democratic culture evolves in such a way that the effective practice of rights goes along with thoughtful and informed voting. It therefore holds true, that imperfections are natural in an emergent democratic culture.

With Ethiopians going to the polls, it is not only individual decisions that will unveil themselves in the form of aggregate votes, but also the state of democracy in the country. But the cultural aspect extends far beyond the voting day.

Needless to say, the whole post-election process is part of the culture. This part, which involves vote counting, disclosure of results and management of complaints, is as vital as the pre-election and the election processes.

If one is to view democracy as an evolving culture and election as a set of instrumental activities, then, it is obvious that responsibility is equally distributed along the activity line. Much of the pre-election and post-election responsibility falls upon institutional stakeholders, mainly the NEBE and the political parties, whereas the election process closely relates to the voters. It, however, would be vital to underline that this matrix of responsibility is not mutually exclusive.

For a country like Ethiopia, which struggles to reduce the margin of imperfection with each election, not to mention the variability of political challenges, be it internal as well as external, managing the election and post-election processes is a huge responsibility for political players and the public alike. It requires looking beyond the immediate.

Even with the imperfections, the rights of the voting public have to be respected. Their judgment ought to be taken as the final word. This very fact may be discomforting for some, considering the unevenness of the political space. Nonetheless, it is a critical factor that makes democracy work as a system of governance.

Surely, those with the discomfort are not left in vain. They have due processes, be they institutional or legal, to table their discomfort and derive solutions.

It would be naive to discount the imperfections of the complaint system. Yet, it is one of the best features of democracy. After all, the alternative is costly, destructive and hugely uncertain.

Primarily, it is up to the NEBE to deal with the imperfections in a thoughtful manner. Not only does it have to undertake a soul-searching exercise, but it has to act as a responsible referee. It has to weigh its actions, be they disclosure of results or treatment of complaints, in light of their impact. Operating in a more responsible manner is the best way to satisfy the democratic stakes.

But it is not up to the NEBE only. Political parties, regardless of their position in the political arena, have also the responsibility to respect the decision of the voting public. By going beyond emotions, they have to stand accountable. In case they are challenged, they have to be transparent in compliance with the prescribed legal instruments.

It all, however, boils down to the voting public. It is the public that gives the institutions of the state and the various political parties taking part in the election their mandates. Both the democratic culture and the nature of elections will, therefore, hugely depend on the public.

It is a responsible public that will establish the basis of effective democracy. This cannot be different for Ethiopians, regardless of the political party and the political cause they support. Hence, it is imperative for Ethiopians to exercise their rights in a responsible manner. They should not allow situations to guide them, but they need to guide the situations in the right direction.

As the fifth national election unfolds, responsible action is what should transpire in the political sphere of the nation. And all Ethiopians have a stake in it.


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