You're Doing Elections Wrong
The 2016 American Presidential election is like watching your sibling do something stupid. You know you should say something but you kind of want to see what happens. That is the response the world is having to the elections.
I feel it would be accurate to say that this has been the wildest election that anyone has ever seen, but then again.... legend has it that Kenyans used to stand behind the person they were voting for in the '80s. Uganda had their soial media sites blocked during their 2016 elections. Also, who could forget every single election Zimbabwe has had since Mugabe refused to step down.
However, this is America, not a random country in Africa that doesn't understand democracy. This is the land of the free, home of the brave and all that good stuff that makes them the greatest democracy in the world, and they are just falling apart. Like Brexit you are both intrigued and shocked that this is happening. It's almost beautiful to watch.
It's shocking for the rest of the world because they have never seen anything like this outside Africa, South America and maybe Asia.
It's shocking to Africans because they never thought America was capable of such an election year.
It's shocking to Kenyans because we never thought that there would be another country, other than Zimbabwe and Uganda, that could mess up elections like we could.
All I can say is... it's about time someone joined our little club and obviously Karibuni sana!
The main question on everyone's mind is how could this happen?
Where did they go wrong?
Did they not perform their sacrifices correctly?
Could it be punishment for all their years of interfering in other people's elections?
It could be that someone has put some serious witchraft on America,but I seriously doubt that's it.
I too had been plagued by how this could happen to America, but I recently figured out what the problem is!
Their election system is flawed... the problem is that it works (to a certain extent).
I knew this election was doomed when I found out they don't get the day off to go and vote.
What kind of country does not shut down everything, so that its citizens can stand in line and waste their time?
Secondly, when you conduct elections you can't only have two candidates... you should have around seven or eight. The main race will still be between two people but you need your citizens to believe that they have more than one choice.
Let us look at some recent examples, in their 2016 election Uganda had 8 presidential aspirants. The race, however, was really between Museveni and Musevini... just kidding, Besigye. The key to succesful elections is to give people the illusion of choice when really there is only one or the other.
Thirdly, the voting system is too electronic. You need to get back to counting votes manually.
Dipping people's fingers in ink that won't disappear for the next two weeks.
What fun is elections if everything goes right? You need some spice!
Will they steal votes or not?
Will dead people be voting in this election?
Will the president miraculously win all the votes even though he is the only one who voted for himself?
Will the internet be turned off?
You never know! Anything could happen with a flawed election system.
I know most people would say that the election looks more and more African by the day. With accusations of rigging and the idea that Donald Trump is more suited to be the president of an African country than America.
That's how you know you're doing elections wrong. When people begin comparing you to African countries. That is the point of no return,
However, this is good news for Africans. This election coupled with Brexit has leveled the playing field. We're all equal now.
Western countries can't point their fingers at us anymore because we can now point it right back at them. They are just as bad as we are. That's what makes this election the mess that it is.
It has given African countries and leaders the chance to say
"Eish Baba! Even us we're not that crazy."