Lining up is the best way to elect LCs

 

The local council ones (LC1s) who are supposed to be the cornerstone in the cherished innovation of participatory democracy last got their legitimacy in 2001. 

 

Now around the country most are not functioning or it is a one man’s affair; very detrimental to the growth of democracy but most damaging to the NRM.

 

I remember when in 1987, I supervised the resistance council (RC) now local council (LC) elections at Kyetume parish in Lwengo District, I saw the enthusiasm and openness of the whole exercise, the common platform and equal opportunity for every candidate. The public exposure and scrutiny of those vying for leadership was all free from intimidation, violence and sectarianism. When I look back, I am made to believe that we lost something fundamentally valuable.

 

Yes I know that in an ideal situation of modern democracy abled by logistical means, all elections should be by secret ballot but given where we are, we cannot fly without wings neither can we sit still, we need to move within the available means.

 

The village is the basic community heritage which should not be bogged down by party politics; there is nothing party like in the village community service locally known as Bulungi bwansi. There is nothing like DP or FDC in unsilting the village well or bush clearing the village paths. Therefore, leadership should emerge on individual merit in the best interest of the village.

 

Secondly, my proposal is practical, visible and simple and has a spreading democratic multiplier effect especially to the young population. What some Ugandans may not appreciate is the fact that democracy is a culture which must grow through practice and experiment. 

 

What an opportunity for our youth when they observe practical democracy at work through lining up behind candidates after all, very few secrets are kept at village level because people know themselves and what matters is who will serve their community interests better and in so doing you are practically nurturing the democratic seed.

 

Apart from political wrangles, the other reason is finance /logistics. Almost 50,000 villages having a secret ballot country wide would be more or less having a second presidential election within a year and the only artificial advantage of the exercise will be individual secrecy; is it worth it?

 

Should we sacrifice the glaring benefits of a legitimised village leadership at the altar of secrecy? The decentralisation cycle cannot be complete without decision making and participation at the very nucleus of society.

A survey done recently indicated that people in the rural areas prefer lining up.