Politicians will be more visible

Introduction

I don’t understand what our politicians are thinking but it seems to be a common trend that the only time they appear to be more visible, communicate increasingly and more attentive is during the election time. Our current politicians are currently secured for five years, and this article may be mute. My main point is that perhaps holding elections annually would capture our politicians’ attention. I know having elections annually can be expensive, destabilizing and disruptive to the parliamentary process. However the cost of the people’s disengagement and the weak accountability are higher.

Why annual elections?

First, despite political parties having manifestos, I think our country should have a plan in place that no matter who the Government of the day is, the plan will be carried out.  I was among those who advocated for a longer term, as representatives from all political perspectives have argued that four years is insufficient to accomplish significant objectives.  Of course, I am not in Government and maybe not appreciate how it works. However, our politicians are not communicating with us.  We only hear from them during Parliamentary sessions.  Annual elections could result in increased communication by officials during the final year of their term.  In fact, we see a lot of things getting done during the last year. Is it a coincidence that it is normally an election year?

This suggestion is not to create any chaos, but it is about reforming the system and the mentality that encourages inaction. I believe when politicians know that they will be judged annually by the voters, they will not be complacent. They will listen more; they will get things done faster and they will lead better.

Some may ask about the pension element. Currently the pension is available after serving for two terms. If we do annual elections, the pension should still be based on four years as a term. I am quite sure they don’t want to lose that opportunity.

We must do something to hold these parliamentarians accountable. They ask us for their trust in the form of a vote every election cycle, then we should be able to hold them accountable every year.

Furthermore, shouldn’t our political system be geared towards benefiting the citizens rather than convenience for the politicians. Annual elections would shift the balance back to the people.

Conclusion

Some may call this idea unrealistic. But real change often starts with uncomfortable questions. If we truly want a responsive, transparent, and modern government, we should stop settling for the same old cycle — and start demanding better, more frequent representation.