A man sweeps ballot boxes to disrupt voting during the ODM National
Delegates Convention at Kasarani, Nairobi, on the 28th of February 2014
after claims of rigging were made. PHOTO: EVANS HABIL / NATION
The bungled elections of the Orange Democratic Movement
yesterday brought to the fore the question of governance and party
democracy.
All along there were indications that the
elections could be messy. For a couple of weeks, the campaigns for the
top positions became adversarial and threatened to tear the party apart.
Capturing party leadership became a matter of life for some candidates.
Clearly, the interest shown in the election
demonstrated that there are many who have faith in party system. This
demanded that the party conducts its activities with decency and
decorum.
What transpired at the election demonstrates
how fragile parties are. Very few have matured, which is bad for
democracy. There are individuals who do not believe in competition and
legitimacy; it is their way or never.
Yet, parties must
subject themselves to test through regular elections where members
determine their leaders in a free and fair manner. Similarly, they must
have structures right from the grassroots and complete with a register
of members.
Most importantly, they must be driven by
vision, philosophy and common goal. Hence, they must cease being outfits
for contesting national elections, but rather platforms for political
mobilisation and national development.
Since parties
provide the platform for forming governments, it is incumbent that they
are built on a strong foundation. It makes no sense for party leaders to
rant and rave about poor national leadership when their entities cannot
hold an election, are undemocratic and are held in stranglehold by
individuals.
The chaos that led to the cancellations of
the elections put a big dent on the party and it behooves its leaders
to rethink how they want to convince voters that they can be trusted
with national leadership.
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