Debates good way to educate voters
By Editorial.Team, July 21, 2022There is a good reason why Article 1 of the Constitution vests sovereign power in the people of Kenya. Through it, the people can choose to exercise that power directly, through independent institutions or elected representatives.
Elections provide a valuable avenue for citizens to decide and entrust their common good on elected representatives.
In a democracy, elections are a tool for peaceful transfer of power. This is the point at which Kenyan voters find themselves, hence the need to think critically about the challenges facing them and the kind of leaders they need to elect.
It is also the reason why media offer those seeking elective office a platform to articulate their agenda, especially on what they intend to do to address such issues as reducing the high cost of living, improving health services, and reducing poverty and unemployment.
Live debates provide an opportunity for such candidates to articulate their visions for the country and the solutions they intend to offer. They also give voters an opportunity to evaluate such candidates and make informed decisions. With opinion polls showing that nearly three million Kenyans are undecided on who to vote for in the August elections, their importance of such debates cannot be gainsaid. Debates can help demonstrate the candidates’ standpoints on controversial issues, test their stamina and temperament for leadership and give voters the opportunity to appraise them based on their past performance in public life.
One of the grave concerns about Kenyan elections is lack of voter education, which is primarily a responsibility entrusted to political parties and the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission. However, they have not been in a position to discharge this mandate either because they lack the financial capacity or face other constrains.For an institution like the electoral commission, lack of sufficient budgetary allocation for that purpose severely limits its ability to conduct credible polls and to adequately prepare voters on what to expect before, during and after elections.
That is where structured political debates come in handy. Indeed, media agencies have been conducting such debates for candidates in governorship contests in various counties. But there have been concerns that the debates have been dominated by sideshows at the expense of the issues voters want addressed.
Whereas Kenyans are still learning, going forward, we encourage all who take part in such debates to put the needs of the people at the core of their engagement. The ultimate aim, after all, is to empower voters to make informed decisions.