Only 38 percent of the population voted in the last general election. There have been concerns about the lack of interest in the voting process in the wider society. Retired media professional Kay Osbourne believes that citizens feel they are not getting the basic services and respect that they demand, and as a result, have withdrawn themselves from the voting process.
“The Bible obliges leaders to serve the interest of the people, to deliver those services that citizens need. To be practical, services such as adequate and appropriate healthcare,” she argued.
“The people are saying the obligation of leaders, based on Biblical requirements of justice and taking care of the interest of the people, is not being served, and so, using their Christian values, they are saying, ‘I am not going to support the system that does not benefit us in the way that the economy ought to,’” she said.
Theologian Peter Espeut cautions against assuming that people choosing not to vote is an indication that they don’t care.
“If somebody decides not to vote, how many people would say I choose not to vote because I don’t care, I don’t believe in politics, I don’t think anybody should vote, I think politics is not something for human beings to get involved in?” he asked.
“No, they say corruption is so rife in the country that if I mark my X against either the head or the bell, I am voting for corruption, and as a Christian, I’m not voting for corruption. That is not apathy; that’s a choice,” responded Espeut, who is also a newspaper columnist.
He said many are of the view that corruption is too prevalent in the country.
“I mean, the latest interim commission report says two new parliamentarians are being investigated for illicit enrichment, one senator, seven heads of government entities, seven councillors, one permanent secretary, and 36 other public officials, but no names are called. So this is even worse now. It means that when I go to vote, I have to mark my X against somebody’s name who very well might be one of those people that is under investigation for illicit enrichment. I would love a political party to say, ‘If you vote for me, I will remove the gag clause so that we will know who is being investigated so that you can decide whether you want to support decent people or not’. But no party is saying that, and therefore Christians must be in somewhat of a bind. Neither party is really coming out against corruption,” noted the theologian.
