THE GHOST OF DISPUTING ELECTION RESULTS : HAS DEMOCRACY LOST ITS VALUE IN SOUTHERN AFRICA?

A new political norm is on a rapid rise in Southern Africa politics. A ghost of disputing pronounced election-outcomes within the political spectrum. In the 23 August 2023 elections in Zimbabwe, the Citizens Coalition for Change, a major opposition party denounced and disputed election results as rigged stolen vote, a habitual allegation not new in Zimbabwe political circles. Then, uMkhonto WeSizwe political party in South Africa, threatened the Independent Electoral Commission, an electoral  body with legal action in the 2024 elections, claiming the announced election results deflected from the accurate election outcome due to foreseeable irregularities and vote manipulation. The opposition parties in Mozambique claimed that the October 9, 2024 election results were rigged and refused to accept it, leading to violent clashes, and a court challenge. In Namibia, the biggest opposition party, the Independent Patriots for Change, after losing elections, proclaimed its intention to challenge the election results which they described as deeply flawed. These political actions bear catastrophic consequences for the future, value and desirability of democracy in the region, as the practicing democracy is slowly turned into a fertile source of conflicts, civil unrest, bloodshed, and civilian masked coups, instead of driving peace and development. This is prompting controversial questioning, and propositions as to the motivation behind the problem, observers seeking to establish the root cause of such precedent chain of political denunciations, that challenge even electoral results legitimised by approving judicial declarations that are guided by constitutional requirements. Thus, failure to comply with these judicial declarations has consequential potential to render constitutionalism redundant. The refusal to accept election results, further, is contrary to the ideals of democracy, that operate under the functionality of the principles of rule of law, multiparty system, majority rule, respect of human rights, equality, independent judicial, free and fair elections et al. As practically understood, a vibrant and functional democracy is reflected in firm observance of its internal-integral principles within the pragmatic being of democracy inclusive of the acceptance of election-outcomes. Without the existence of such absolute and uncompromised observance of those foundational principles, democracy becomes a fallacy, and a mockery exercise that ultimately will defeat its own foundational purpose. 

The disputing of elections has become a hovering ghost in our politics, and a tact for electoral losers to secure political power through a back-door of unsubstantiated vote-rigging claims. By the measure of natural law, any allegation or claim that cannot be proved is indisputably inconsequential, and morally wrongful to accept it as truth. But, by creating outrageous chaos through baseless, 'violent-protest-inciting' claims of flaunted disregard of democracy, and ever-ending unprovable stolen will of the majority, self-centered politicians conveniently create room for negotiated settlements in the form of Coalition Governance for their individualistic gains. All this is necessitated by the fact that, the multiparty system kind of democracy, by its very nature is divisive, and objectively guarantees no outright election winner, hence, the possibility of electoral disgruntled participants disputing any election results not favoring them. This is so, because, multiparty facilitates the creation of small political groupings, short of all standards of political relevance and reasonability, but good at creating a social and political climate impossible to build national consensus and cohesion. This political division, infused by political affiliation has transformed national politics into competing multi-pronged political belonging, based on numerous conflictual factors, that include but not limited to protection of elitist interests, rooted in shared vision, and compromise, where it is needed. And ethnicity, regionalism and ideological lines among novices who regularly exhibit subjective political hostility, based on the perceived sense of political rivalry, evidenced by the content of their political rhetoric, even in circumstances where the voice of objectivity is needed. Politics is a game of the mature not the amateur.

Rivalry political competition substitutes electoral contest based on mutual respect, fairness, in favor of power-contest, not ideal for democracy. The end goal of all 'rivality electoral competition' is the retention of power between small and big, the weak and the strong. A theatre-show of  power, and dog-eat-dog situation that temporarily suspends the rules of the game with a prospective accumulation of collateral ramifications in damages. It is unfortunate that, when such situations occur, there is no logical political will from either side, to advocate for the restoration of rule of law, advancement of democratic ideals, and subsequently allow the will of the people within the sovereignty of majority rule, to take its course and lead politics. The system simply falls apart paving way for inclusive settlements. This is the reason political losers in electoral competition found defiance of electoral outcomes that does not favour them, attractive to initiate violent protests and demonstrations, a trite democratic practice, that have factually long ceased to be a symbol of a functional democracy, whilst the incumbents, with ruling advantage resort to the capture of institutions of power, and securing judicial favouritism. This put the future of democracy at stake.

This sums up the undeniable fact, that, it's all politics, and the substance of politics, historically, has always been about retention of power by all means necessary, and neither our current oppositions nor incumbents are saints in the game. It's equally all dirty politics.

To better safeguard the integrity of elections and democracy, the disputing of election processes, and outcomes, is a political problem that should be a subject confronted by an autonomous institution within the independent judicial. An institution that is vested with autonomy power to issue, exert and enforce legislated penal sanctions within a prescribed electoral period, for any conduct that defies the sanctity of elections, and undermines electoral outcomes.

Elections are a constitutional vehicle of democracy, and the absence of electoral sacredness are signs of an impending death of democracy.

..................................................................................................................................................by P Dekeya