Continuity over change

The new roster of tried and tested electoral candidates does not inspire much confidence.

The run-up to the November 20 elections has gained new momentum after candidates from political parties as well as independent aspirants filed their candidacies under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system on Sunday. The parties had already submitted their closed lists of candidates under the proportional representation (PR) system last week. Neither process was encouraging. The candidate selection process should have enthused the masses, for instance, by reflecting the country’s diverse population and giving a chance to younger and more capable candidates. That is far from the case though. For example, although women make up more than half the electorate, just 9 percent of the FPTP candidates this time are women.