Gov’ts should ensure transparency during polls – Dr Ndikum

Dr Nsoh Christopher Ndikum, Senior Lecturer in Political Science, University of Yaounde II, Soa, analyses elections on the continent this weekend.

The coming weekend will go into the annals of Africa’s political history as that of presidential elections in three countries and referendum in Senegal.

How do you appreciate the current wave of elections in the continent?

In some countries elections have respected good practices in Africa. That means appropriate time and a fair procedure like voters registration registers, budget distribution to political parties, recruitment and training of pooling agents. Furthermore, some countries have made it possible for citizens to be able to have easy access to voters’ registration process, fair and transparent treatment of voters and political parties.

Accurate information flow to the electoral process is made to all political parties. Just to name a few, this has not usually been the case in most African countries. That is usually the reason why after elections in most African countries, there is always the cry of electoral frauds and violent demonstrations and at times conflicts.

Furthermore, most African states have always carried on elections on majoritarian basis forgetting the heterogeneity of their states. It should be clearly stated that this should not be done on “majoritarian basis.” In most situations, minorities have developed apathy to vote in many countries because it does not matter if they vote or not.

Their votes have always been drowned by majority groups following the universal parlance of “majority carries the vote.” In this situation, democracy kills democracy. If elections are to be practiced in a heterogeneous state, it should be clearly in black and white written in the constitution that it is going to respect the principle of proportional representation second class citizens will be killed and the menace of secession will disappear.

What are the major stakes of the elections?

In Congo, government is supposed to be prudent in managing the elections in order to evade violence after the elections. Violence will not be of any interest to the country and the sub region. On the contrary, it will lead to under development and mass movement of beyond national frontiers and create internal displacement.

Meanwhile in Niger, the elections will be held in a context of Boko Haram and political tension in the country. The country is faced with the challenges of holding peaceful, fair and transparent elections in order to ensure peace and security and to convince its citizens to stay together in the fight against the terrorist group Boko Haram. This election will help the authorities consolidate democracy and development if done on the basis of fairness and transparency.

What are perspectives for peace and development in the countries after the elections?

The perspective for peace and development could reign if these governments respect a transparent game during the elections, stamp out corruption in the society, involves youth in their government, include minority groups of their countries in a proportional representative strategy in government and further real decentralization of their countries.

Furthermore, economic challenges should be addressed in order to fight economic doldrums in these countries. The governments should see that resources are equally distributed to the different peoples of their states. However, durable peace and prosperity will one day reign in African countries.