On Thursday, the Electoral Commission (EC) completed the exercise of nominating Ugandans aspiring to be part of the national leadership (Parliament and presidency). Throughout human history, leadership at the national level has always determined national progress. National leadership determines and enables citizens to pursue and enjoy social and physical security, access to public services, exercise rights and responsibilities (as well as transforming their livelihoods).
Therefore, seeking office comes with demands. Needless to say, the led also have a duty and responsibility to treat elections with the importance they deserve by choosing their leaders wisely.
Since the EC no longer carries out civic education, our people (voters and those seeking elective offices) should be told that elections matter.
The three major roles of an MP are frozen in the Constitution and the traditions of democracy. These roles are supervising the government, budget appropriation, and representation (constituency).
As a national leader, an MP may find that of the three major roles, representation is the least. Yet at a personal level, it is representation that offers the seat at the table of national leadership. If one appreciated his duty as a national leader, one would not find it difficult to reconcile the demands of the constituency and the exercise of national leadership.
As a national leader, an MP needs to explore and appreciate challenges preventing his or her constituents from experiencing social stability and improved livelihoods. However, in exercising his role of representation, an MP should not be parochial in outlook as to limit his or her leadership to the constituency. As a national leader, an MP should be able to link (and compare) the needs, opportunities, and challenges in his or her constituency with other parts of the country.
Those seeking to be MPs ought to work towards a national vision. With a national vision as a guiding principle, it is easy to appreciate the needs of the people and leverage them (needs) into a national narrative (leading to national policy positions and ultimately budget appropriation).
During elections, people seeking leadership offices need to do some kind of self evaluation based on the national vision. Ditto the voters. Uganda needs MPs who recognise their limitations and are able to work with others. Voters have to exercise the duty and responsibility to choose MPs who are not ambitious for personal gain. Ugandans don’t need leaders with a record of misusing or abusing public offices and resources for selfish ends.
Those seeking to be MPs should be women and men who do not use ethnicity, political party or religious affiliation as a basis for determining the human and social value of other Ugandans. For MPs, voters should choose women and men who have an understanding of government structures and how those structures work. With this knowledge, an MP would be able to guide his or her constituents on accessing public services.
At a personal level, I urge Ugandans to treat these elections as very important. These elections kick off the beginning of a national transition of power to the next generation. It would be a folly on your part as a voter to choose an MP who is unable to appreciate the importance of Parliament in circumstances of managing the transition of power.
It will be a folly on the part of the voter to choose an MP whose main driver is the monetary expectations. Voters should not choose an MP who limits his or her role to signing the attendance book just to secure the trigger for the processing of allowances and other accruals. Voters should not choose MPs who don’t view themselves as national leaders.