One Sixteen millionth of a population

Maybe I am partially to blame for some of the grievances I have about my country. Maybe by virtue of being one of the 16 million people in Zimbabwe, I am accountable for one sixteen- millionth of what is going on.

Let us start from the basics, I don’t know my wards councillor, I voted for him based on the party symbol that was next to his name but I don’t know him, I don’t even know why he wanted to be a councillor, I have no idea what promises he made during campaign time. I don’t know what he stands for. So how do I track progress? How do I know whether or not he is delivering his promises? How do I as a constituent of the ward make sure that he is not sleeping on the job? How?

Side conversation; if you didn’t even take time to vote then your story is different because you ignored the call to participate in process of electing our leaders (despite what may or may not happen to your vote), it's your vote to cast. It’s one of the few weapons that are available to you in the fight for democracy. Make noise about a stolen election after having at least voted.

Back to me and my councillor; I am not sure if he ever came back to address his ward after the election. I don’t know that he has done during his term of office. Coming to think of it, honestly although embarrassingly so I have never taken time to go through the “Job Description” of a councillor. I have assumptions of what I think his job is but I don’t know for fact what his roles and responsibilities are. So I can’t hold him accountable for his office. Even if the candidate I wanted hadn’t won, whoever had won would need to be accountable to me but what have I done with that responsibility? Absolutely nothing

I find it amusing when people want to ask “what has Obama done for Africa”. We have all this energy to have expectations of Obama but we don’t even hold our own office bearers accountable.

Before I go did you know that you don't have to wait until election time to register to vote? Avoid the long queues and hassles that come about when one tries to register just before the election. Visit your local district office with your national ID card and proof of residence (which can either be a water bill in your name, an account letter from a credit store or a signed affidavit) and REGISTER TO VOTE.

 

 

To be continued…