ARE WE GETTING VALUE FROM PARLY?

Sir,

At this juncture I am wondering if it is not time for us as a country to do a brutal introspection on whether we need to introduce some changes to certain aspects of the electoral system. I am an admirer of the process of our system of ensuring that the most popular candidate proceeds to Parliament in a constituency. This is a system that does not have any complications.
However, a mission statement by definition summarises the objectives and values of an institution. Is our Parliament living up to its own mission statement; if not, what are the reasons?
Our Parliament’s mission statement is very strongly worded; so these should not be just words, but they should be the guiding principles of how we all work towards ensuring that all our actions are aligned with this powerful mission statement.

Review

Areas where I believe our system needs serious review in order to make the mission a reality are the following: A certain level of education should be a pre-requisite for any aspiring Member of Parliament (MPs), this is more so the case considering that Parliament, by its very nature requires some level of literacy and it is a miracle that we expect illiterate MPs to somehow understand and contribute meaningfully to Parliament business, and it is a very strange conviction. While it is true that literacy can never be a measure of intelligence, it would still be bizarre to expect an illiterate MP to effectively deliver on his/her mandate without the ability to read and research on any legislative matters.

The electorate seemingly believes that MPs should somehow play a role as development officers in their respective constituencies. In my view this endemic philosophy, warped as it is, can only be addressed through civic education on what the role of an MP is.

The process of recalling a non-performing MP needs to be seriously interrogated and made simpler and clearer.

As a country, I don’t think we are getting any value from Parliament by virtue of not having the right caliber of people who will effectively debate legislative issues, hold the executive to account and ensure that government does not embark on wasteful expenditure at the expense of life and death issues. It is no secret that the current arrangement allows characters with shady backgrounds and dealings a real chance of becoming MPs, as long as they deliver and promise goodies to the electorate, who are naturally vulnerable because of the numerous economic challenges we face as a country.

The vetting system for prospective MPs, if any needs serious evaluation with a view to establishing a track record of the candidates before they even become legible to be voted into office. This would eliminate the serious questions around some MPs. There is no need to be diplomatic on things that are dragging down the country and letting down the electoral system, we have to tackle them head on, no one will do it on our behalf.

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