Election related violence according to Ladan (2006) could be categorised into physical and psychological. Physical election violence including physical attack, resulting into assault, battery, grievous bodily harm or death, disruption and other campaign, use of abusive language and other forms of violence inflicted on individuals and groups. Psychological election violence include indiscriminate pasting of campaign posters, chanting slogans (particularly the use of local poets and singers to attack and abuse opponents), intimidation of public servants and businessmen for opposing the status quo or the incumbent administration, use of the media (especially state owned) to inflict psychological violence on the opposition and the denial of access to such media by the opposition parties, reckless driving by those in a procession to campaign rallies, which intimidate other road users and the use of traditional ruler to intimidate the masses into electing particular preferred candidates.
Democratization has soared on the
continent of Africa. Democracy has been embraced by all and sundry. Democracy
has given the power to rule to the people. A fundamental bed rock of democracy
is the election of political leaders through the electoral box. (Henry
Quaii,2015)
Electoral process gives the citizenry
the sole right to elect their preferred political leaders. As if this is not
enough, electoral process in Africa have most often been characterized by
violence at various stages, from pre-election, during elections and post
elections. This electoral process which give rights to the people to govern
themselves is been challenged by the threats to security, peace and
development.
Electoral violence in an African
election can be seen manifested in various forms as physical assaults, arson
(the illegal use of fire to destroy a house, building or property), snatching
of ballot boxes and murder.
Can
Africa boast of a stable democracy for ones? One might be quick to ask; what are the factors that
might instigate all these electoral violence?
Again, it could be captured across the
streets of Africa that electoral violence is been instigated as a result of the
culture of impunity. The ineffectiveness and malfunctioning of the security
forces also give people the impetus to stage electoral violence. The
ineffectiveness especially on the part of the police service is a major factor
which encourages electoral violence. Pre-electoral violence is often associated
with killings but the police service always fails to get to the root of those
killings. This failure seems to be creating a culture of impunity and
motivation for recurrence of crimes and violence in our society.
Electoral violence is not been met with
strong criminal codes in Africa. Weak penalties or punishment for violators of
electoral process also give room for more crimes to be committed. Penalties or
punishment are intended to achieve correction, retribution and deterrence. Most
countries in Africa lack legislation against perpetrators of certain electoral
offences. This poses African election to all forms of crimes and violence.
Weak governance and corruption can also
instigate electoral violence. Corruption can set the stage for structural
violence. Weak governance and corruption make people feel desperate enough to
seek any means of revenge against political authority including violence. Small
arms proliferation in African countries is on the increase. Possession of arms
leads to the perpetuation of violent conflict and the creation of new cycles of
violence and crime.
Leadership
must come and go the Africa is a continent that should prepares succession
through the preparation of second and third layer leadership. I agreed with the
position of mystic philosopher of the Zhou dynasty, Lao Tzu, when he said, “To
lead the people, you have to walk behind them”.
The
real trick to good governance is to place the needs of the masses above
everything else; to lead not just with words but with action. Actions define
priorities. It’s the only way politicians can successfully bring us the long
sought dividend of democracy.
Hence to resolve political violence, accountability, social
justice, transparency, rule of law, gender equality and due process must guide
governance and leadership in Africa. Electoral reforms must include other
things as mass education. There must be some level of education for the
citizenry to know who is a registered and considered as an eligible voter under
the laws of the land.
I
dreamt of Africa that would one day have one currency one President and one
government which will preside over this continent. Because in any way we are
one, this borders of Africa were imposed on us by the colonizers, we need
leaders who are going to lead us to that drain where there would be one Africa.
BY: SAIDINA ALIEU JARJOU
Alias Dr.ABS Taal Jr.
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