Change of Electoral Commission name and related perception

By Keefa Kaweesa

The world is yet to experience great democracies. The event of baptism or naming a newly born is typical of social setting.

It generates excitement in the same domain, however, to the old village witch who traditionally administers  local herbs to unsuspecting expectant mothers and barren women and is never invited to the event but was apparently the first to pronounce the birth of the child (either due to the village rumor mill and gossip) pours out venom and curses including false prophesies that unless her advice and local herbs is sought, the child will never grow up and meet the village challenges.

On the other hand, a grown up child or person can also be baptised or renamed but here there is less pomp. Another occasion that generates excitement and new names is the wedding of youngsters probably inexperienced, young, but what defeats my old self, is celebrating 25 or 50 years of marriage without any new names, however, with cutting of the cake. At law, celebrating and consummation of marriage are quite different issues.

Most professionals, especially my learned friends, are less excited about changing their maiden names after marriage vows but accept on the wedding night to be called Mr. and Mrs. to the excitement of the intoxicated guests. The least occasion in attracting name setting is the deed poll for change of academic names; nobody raises an eyebrow, not even the school mates.

In Ghana, the electoral commission of Ghana established a biometric system of registration for the electoral register prior to the 2012 presidential elections. Its independence is guaranteed by the 1992 Ghana Constitution. In 1993, it used to be called the Interim National Election Commission and against odds, prepared and executed the assignment and delivered a result that has made a turning point in election democracy in Africa.

In 2010, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria appointed Professor Attahiru Muhammad Jega as the new chairman of INEC. INEC fought tooth and nail to legitimise its existence and rebrand itself to extent that the outgoing president Goodluck and his wife were victims of voter cards and had to be assisted with manual voting to save face. The recently concluded election was procured by the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) amidst all the odds, including several petitions, irregularities, intimidation and threats of dismissing the electoral chief on the election eve, finally delivered Major General Buhari.

The latest election in Guyana is ushering in retired General David Granger, a lover of democracy and has always had confidence in the electoral system. Just like Major General Buhari, he had contested for five years and lost but his APNU/AFC coalition won the just concluded election with 34 seats against 33. However, the outgoing president is still crying foul and is clamoring for a recount.

For the case here, the electoral commission has been credited with handling elections at various levels including election of the opposition members of parliament even during highly contested bye- elections.

My submission is simple. The renaming of the Electoral Commission to be the Independent Electoral Commission should be welcome, however, the negative perceptions and prophesies being natured will only negate the much spirited development of democracy which everyone’s is cherishing to enhance.

The writer is a lawyer