RESPONSE TO EBC CHAIRMAN’S FLAMBOYANCE

Sir,

What a show of arrogance by the EBC chairman? The problem with most of those entrusted with national duties is this widespread tendency of becoming big-headed and assuming a ‘know all attitude’ once appointed.

The EBC teams going to constituencies around the country purporting to be conducting voter education are just joyriding under informing gullible Swazis with the aim of keeping them misinformed about what democracy is.
Democracy is a universal concept; so there is nothing like ‘democracy the Swazi style’.

For any election to be labeled democratic, the winning candidate(s) must have obtained a little more than 50 per cent of the votes cast. This is referred to as a simple majority.

This means that a democratically elected candidate should have the support of more than 50 per cent of the votes at least, even if those do not reach the 51 per cent mark. Once a candidate gets 51 per cent and above of the votes, such a candidate is said to have won by a clear majority.

Furthermore, a candidate amassing 67 per cent and above of the votes is said to have won with an overwhelming majority. So there are three levels of majority wins Mr EBC chairperson; this is the basic understanding of a democratic election.

Now let us come back to our EBC conducted elections. When the EBC voter education team came to Masibini Umphakatsi, I raised two concerns: 1) The allowing of numerous nominations; 2) The declaration as winners to some candidates who fail to meet the majority mark – even the simple majority as aforementioned.

Allowing numerous nominations tends to divide the votes such that it becomes difficult to come out with a clear democratic winner.  Suppose there are three candidates to be voted for by 12 voters and the results are as follows: Candidate A gets five votes; Candidate B gets four votes and Candidate C gets three votes. Under the EBC conducted elections system, Candidate A is declared a winner simply because (s)he has the higher number of votes and yet none of the three candidates has democratically won by universal standards since none got the at least 50+1 per cent majority, which is the basic minimum requirement for a winner.

The point I am making to the chairperson is that five is not and will never be a majority of 12.
In other words, in most cases like the aforementioned, the EBC opens the door to Parliament for undeserving people; there we are Mr EBC chairperson. So it is clear that the EBC conducted elections are not democratic. Who can begrudge me for saying the EBC conducted elections lead to a ‘minocratically’ elected Parliament?

Let the EBC wake up from its slumber and complacency and conduct the 2018 elections democratically; please. Has the EBC forgotten the furor that followed the 2013 elections? I really do not want to believe that the EBC has such a short memory.
Or is it playing the ostrich mentality (burying their heads in sand instead of tackling the challenges head on)?

Swazis are steadily becoming more politically minded and any pretence to the contrary is sheer waste of time and scarce resources.
Lastly may I call upon the EBC to garner support of the media, the print media in particular, and give the nation comprehensive results of the national elections?

This would ensure or enable all and sundry to make informed opinions whether the elections are democratic or minocratic.

Edward Mzwandile Hlatshwayo

Note: In an effort to afford the EBC the right to reply, this letter was emailed to them on August 14, 2017 but unfortunately there has been no response forthcoming.

Ed
     

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