Every effort must be initiated in pursuit of holding LGE soonest

Dear Editor,

For some time now two clocks have been ticking though not at the same time. One for the holding of Local Government Election (LGE) 2021, the other for electoral reforms.

As regards LGE 2021, it appears that the clock has been effectively stopped with the leakage of correspondence informing that LGE has been ‘deferred to a later date.’

Assuming the correspondence in question is legit, the Minister responsible for Local Government and Regional Development knows that at some point in time, he will be compelled to go to parliament to seek the National Assembly’s approval to have the election postponed by law.

When it is officially announced that LGE 2021 is postponed, the big issue still remaining is the urgent filling of key and critical posts at GECOM left vacant with the termination of the services of some of its officials now before the court.

With LGE 2021 likely to be kissed goodbye GECOM in effect will have more time to get its act together.

Yet two of the big, if not urgent issues facing GECOM are the selection of a Chief Executive Officer and his Deputy since there are only two males in the contest.

Failing unanimity on the selection of a CEO and a Deputy, the combined votes of the three PPP/C appointed Commissioners plus the Chairman will pave the way for appointments to the two critical positions.

While the clock has apparently stopped ticking for LGE 2021, the clock for the much anticipated electoral reforms continues to do so.

In the meanwhile, concerns have been expressed over the nature of the reforms proposed and the accompanying consultative process.

The impending postponement of LGE 2021 will, in effect, take the pressure off both government and GECOM. In addition, such a move will give more elbow room to the Minister of Legal Affairs to make available the additional amendments he promised publicly.

While the LGE subject minister will be saddled with the task of tabling a motion in the National Assembly seeking passage for a postponement of LGE 2021, the Governance Minister in the meantime, will be winding down consultations on the proposed electoral reforms with a view to tabling in the National Assembly amendments to the Representation of the People Act.

In the circumstances, the opposition is likely to play hardball and will not give any support for a postponement of LGE 2021. We know what the storyline will be. It was belched out ad nauseam during their election 2020 campaign. Politically they will see postponement of the LGE as ‘a blessing in disguise’ to be milked exhaustively.

Left gasping for breath following the blows meted out to them because of their attempt to rig the 2020 election, postponement of LGE 2021 will give the opposition some oxygen that will allow them to fume over what they claim as a feather in their cap.

As matters stand, the opposition will want to have its cake and eat it. However, with the holding of their congress ‘up in the air’ and their leadership question yet to be settled, they will be hard- pressed to turn their attention to LGE and demand the holding of elections but duplicitously, not support its postponement.

The opposition’s stand might seem contradictory. Ostensibly, they will claim they want LGE but at the same time not support its postponement. However, its main objective would be to make political capital by weaponizing the issue.

Here’s how the pages in the opposition’s playbook will read; they are likely to make a big hullabaloo over the legal and constitutional requirements for the holding of LGE and GECOM’s readiness to proceed with elections preparations. Also, they are likely to raise questions whether the elections petition currently before the court can legally prevent the holding of LGE and whether a new voters’ list is required for the holding of LGE whenever.

When the opposition’s demands are not met and the questions not answered to their satisfaction government will be blamed for not holding LGE this year.

But there is one big obstacle militating against the opposition’s iniquitous designs. And it has to do with the mess they made of themselves between March and August last year when they dug themselves into a hole from which they now seek to extricate themselves.

Fortunately for the PPP/C, it continues to have, by and large, public opinion and the international community on its side. This augurs well for a limited postponement knowing it will come with a political price. Therefore, the sooner LGE the better. Political goodwill is not a permanent feature in local politics, it can end up being frittered away.

Moreover, the extant correlation of forces favourable to the PPP/C nationally and internationally should not be underestimated nor overestimated. The ebb and flow of local politics offers no guarantee to success unless serious political work is done on the ground.

In 2016 and 2018, the PPP/C handsomely won freely and fairly two consecutive LGE’s. And although LGE do not excite the electorate as in the case of General and Regional Elections, it nevertheless is known to lay down benchmarks with respect to the overall performance of a government.

Notwithstanding the goodwill and public support government enjoys at home and abroad, every effort, innovative and otherwise must be initiated in pursuit of the holding of LGE soonest.