Ugandans have a lot to learn from Kenya polls
David Ouma Balikowa
NAIROBI – Today Kenyans in their millions go to polls to elect their third president, parliamentary and civic leaders.The electoral commission spent all this week trying to fix up the loopholes. On Tuesday they agreed with the political parties to rely on the 2002 register. Earlier on they had allowed presiding officers to use their discretion to allow those not on the latest register but with a voter's card to vote.
The decision had sparked off protests from all parties including the ruling party KANU. The consensus did bail out the electoral commission. Hopefully neither of the parties will turn around to disown the consensus when today the final verdict goes against them.
There are some lessons for Uganda in this particular election. That is if our government and parliament cares to improve on the quality of our electoral process.
The Kenyans are saving a lot of money by electing a president, members of parliament and civic leaders at the same time. In addition they have shortened the effect of campaigns which often prove quite distracting from other important matters.
So while Ugandans spent a whole year campaigning and electing the three categories of leaders, the Kenyans will accomplish this in just months. If the elections end peacefully, they will be able to get back to business by New Year.
Besides that, the incidents of violence have been relatively few. Up to Christmas day – a day away from elections – Kenyans were busy shopping for the festival, not stocking up rations in case of violent elections.
I remember asking a few friends here whether they had stocked up food just in case things go bad after the elections. To my surprise, they had not.
In their view it was not warranted. They have often gone through elections without that need ever arising.
Being the typical Ugandan, I had stocked up on food items in my apartment to last me a week just in case things went bad after voting day. In Uganda we can hardly have hope to survive election! s, espec ially if the ruling group loses power.
But neither do Kenyans have the experience of surviving elections where the ruling party is likely to lose power to the opposition.
In all their previous elections, the ruling party has stayed put at State House. Actually, outgoing President Daniel arap Moi has won all the elections in his 24-year rule.
So the Kenyans are yet to test a drastic transition of power from the party that has ruled them since independence 40 years ago. Neither have they experienced transfer of power through coups as Uganda has done.
If they had had to flee the city or stay in doors for days as the new regimes shot their way into power, they would probably have understood why I was not taking chances by stocking my apartment with foodstuffs.
On Dec. 24 while shopping at Nakumatt store, I noticed pangas (machetes) hanging next to the cashier’s counter. Now that was three days away from an election where the ruling party was facing the hottest challenge of its time.
The Ugandans will probably know what I’m talking about. Panga politics was a big campaign issue in our presidential elections last year. The opposition was quickly associated with the pangas among the many negative images in the campaign.
That the pangas were not pulled off the shelves, is perhaps the best measure of how far Kenya – despite its own shortcomings -- is ahead of Uganda in political maturity.
But this maturity will come to test with the results of today’s elections. Todday’s elections have major stakes.
If the opposition alliance wins, the ruling party will be under its greatest test. If it respects the verdict and hands over power peacefully, then Kenyans would not regret not stocking up foodstuffs.
The prospect of KANU being announced winner is something many Kenyans will find difficult coming to terms with.
One of the coalition leaders, Raila Odinga has promised to lead a civilian “army” of one million Kenyans to State House if the ruling party wins by rigging.
Now if that happen! s, one c an’t be too sure of what will follow next. Those that stocked food might turn out to be the wiser – that is if they live to eat it and are not forced to flee.
Good luck to our brothers and sisters in Kenya.
***** ****** *******
Talking about luck, the Ugandans badly need it too as we head for a likely difficult year.
The political prospects do not look so good with all fear of new and old wars.
So as our president Yoweri Museveni and group sit down to munch their chicken for having survived 2002, they should be wary of the dangers in 2003.
The economic prospects do not look rosy either. The inflation and depreciation of the shilling could run out of control. With the political challenges, we will be demanding a lot from the governing block.
A happy New Year to the leaders and my fellow citizens.
December 27, 2002 00:28:40
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