Say no to vote buying! Voting wisely in this April 9 2022 parliamentary elections entails critical thinking about the current situation in the country.  

In the absence of real political parties that are supposed to present the basis for choosing candidates, the task of ‘voting wisely’ is more difficult. That makes this forthcoming election very important.

Hopes are already high among various aspirants. The country’s fragile democracy after 22 years of brutal dictatorship is once again being put under test.

It is sad, however, to read in the news of reports of vote buying in some areas. In our Tuesday’s edition of The Point, The Election Watch Committee (EWC), a consortium of three Civil Society Organisations has alleged that its observers have reported witnessing or hearing reports of buying voters' cards. This news is not only worrying, but goes to paint a bad image for our democracy. The committee also reported use of hate speech or inflammatory language during campaigns on social media.

Some politicians have already mastered the art of duping voters with the highest price in their bid to win the elections. However, that would only portray a bad image for the country’s fragile democracy.

Perhaps, many voters have already decided already for whom they will cast their ballots. But the report, if it is true, has the tendency to influence the minds of many voters ahead of the election going by the daily realities of life.

Let’s elect candidates who will listen to us, know our concerns and are ready to address our concerns. Remember that parliamentarians have a great role as far as national development is concerned; as they deal with passing of laws and these laws have a great impact on our society.

Again, parliamentarians should also protect and promote practices that are conducive to self and community development.

However, we’ve seen in the past, where some rubber stamp lawmakers would vote where the majority lies. This is because they lack self confidence to freely express themselves.

Those are the types of MP’s that would not contribute anything positive and tangible in addressing the plight of people, who voted them into such offices. Let’s be careful of such in this election.

Let’s be careful for those bent on these clandestine vote buying as the date inches ever closer. Don’t give them that listening space. They will be knocking at your doors at night.

Remember that ‘your vote is your power’, so vote wisely.