Elections in Africa

Haruna Mohammed Yusuf (Daily Trust)—The electoral process in Africa is responsible for the failure of democracy to provide its benefits to the people, Professor Peter Anyang Nyong’o, has said.

Professor Nyong’o, Kenya’s Minister for Medical Services, was a guest on "Straight Talk Africa" aired by Voice of America and monitored by Daily Trust in Abuja and he spoke on the challenges of leadership in Africa.

He said leadership at all levels is supposed to provide service to the people; most often, people agitate and contemplate whether Democracy was the perfect system of governance.

His words, "democracy gives the people periodic opportunity to change their leaders and they also have preferences in choosing those to lead them. Democracy is not expected to solve all the inherent problems but gives way for choosing leaders who are accountable to the people".

Professor Nyong’o, however, faulted the electoral process in Africa for not responding to the wills and wishes of the people.

Lamenting that why should African states hold election when elections are not right.

He cited the violence in Kenya which has led tens of people to death, hundreds injured and thousands displaced as an aftermath of failed electoral process. Instead of helping the people, the process has successfully thrown them into absolute poverty.

He continued by stating that, " the elections have not responded to the tenets of democracy in changing politics in the provision of basic amenities that concerns the people such as security, education and hospitals".

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