Teacher, what does election mean and how is it done? A student asked me
Malek Arol Dhieu, South Sudanese medical doctor, writer and journalist
By Malek Arol Dhieu, Juba, South Sudan
Wednesday, 25 September 2024 (PW) — While teaching in Peasant Children’s School at the outskirt of Juba, a 14-year-old boy asked me for what election means and how it is done. I tell you, I felt ashamed as if I were the one who cold-bloodedly killed democracy in South Sudan. But because I could not stand leaving the little educand unanswered, I defined for him that election is a process of choosing a President, Members of Parliament, Councillors, and other representatives by popular vote.
Elections are carried out after a fixed number of years, be they five or ten, according to what the constitution says, I added. When elections are nearing, their process begins with a census, which refers to an official counting of people, and ends with campaigns of contestants. Thereafter, votes are cast, counted and the results are announced.
After all this explanation, the little boy looked at me with guilt as if someone misinformed him that I’m a former President of South Sudan. The whole class went quiet and attentive as if the students agreed to make elections as the major topic of the day. As I turned to proceed with our Social Studies lesson, the little boy stood up bravely and asked me; Sir, have you ever participated in elections? God forbids! I was curious. But I swallowed my curiosity and answered the little boy.
Yes, I participated in elections, but it was 14 years ago, maybe the year you were born. He smiled at me weakly. I continued; I was supposed to participate in another election in 2015 and another one in 2020, but because of war to which an end is being put, the constitution is compromised. Your grandfathers, namely Salva Kiir Mayardit and Dr. Riek Machar Teny have made a deal which gives no room to elections. A week ago, they decided to extend elections to 2026; a decision being now censured nationally and internationally.
Even elections of unions and associations are hardly conducted, but once conducted, instead of them being opened by a prayer, they are opened by a fight and closed by a communal conflict. Remember the little boy was still standing! Because the little boy asked me about the topic, I eat without a 1-minute loss of appetite, I furthered my explanation, directing it bravely to Members of Parliament.
In my own words, I described MPs as Members of a Suppressed House who feel threatened if they follow the constitution and so, the only tune to dance to is “extension after extension”. The little boy closely looked at his neighbour’s eye and laughed provocatively, little did I know his neighbour is a grandson of a Member of Parliament. The little boy then sat down, and our lesson proceeded normally, though stares at the ceiling were innumerable. This is the consequence of growing up in an undemocratic country, I concluded my explanation.
On my way home, I told myself, “NO”, President Salva Kiir Mayardit and FVP Dr. Riek Machar Teny should not complicate people’s lives even in voluntary teaching by subscribing to dictatorial governance which deprives young adults of learning the normal practices of a democratic country. I would not have been asked this challenging question had President Salva Kiir Mayardit and Dr. Riek Machar Teny prioritized democracy and good governance.
This is unbecoming! The same government withholding the salaries of teachers is the same government subjecting teachers to answering questions of democracy and good governance in schools. If any student again asks me about election or anything concerning governance, I will refer him/her to the presidency for answers, period! In a country where elections are not held for the citizens to choose leaders of their own choices, the government is always a government of specific individuals, and not government of the people all together.
Thank you for reading “Sowing The Seed Of Truth”.
The author, Malek Arol Dhieu, is a South Sudanese medical doctor who can be reached via his email address: Malek Arol Dhieu <malengaroldit@gmail.com>
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