Dear Editor,
GECOM has been in the news recently, but not of its own volition. The European Union Electoral Observation Mission (EU EOM) and the UNDP`s Electoral Support Team (UEST) have issued a report, and a statement, respectively. It is those releases that brought GECOM into the limelight, even as the body itself remains comatose under the imposed care of the Chairperson, who, in her own words, is “guided by Article 161 (3)(b) of the Constitution as to the composition of the Commission, which will be decided on the convening of Parliament.” In other words, the Commission is dissolved until Parliament reconstitutes it, and specifically the term of the Commissioners nominated by the Leader of the Opposition has ended.
The Parliament was convened, but that guidance has apparently not been provided. However, the circumstance, basis for, and timing of the guidance are shrouded, since Claudette and the convener of the Parliament have been patently silent in relation to the reconstituting of the Commission upon the convening of Parliament, which has already been convened. In the meanwhile, the report and statement, respectively have triggered public debate, which debate is diminished in value in the circumstance of an UEST statement which is self-serving, since they are essentially reporting on their own work, and an EU EOM report which is but one of the numerous reports of observers. Not to mention their glaring differences on issues such as communications. The UEST praised GECOM`s communication effort, much of which was initiated and or conducted by UEST, itself. While, the EU EOM deemed it deficient.
The issue at hand is that all of the reports and statements should be inputs into an evaluation of the conduct of the elections, which evaluation GECOM should conduct, or outsource.
The conduct of the elections require a holistic and structured evaluation. This is standard procedure, and a best practice. Alas, GECOM is in a state of Claudettes imposed comatose and seems to be heading for the fate of 2020 thru 2025, when Claudette along with the PPP nominated Commissioners refused to have GECOM conduct an evaluation; and to have any new measures initiated, except those legislated, but not inclusive of the supplementary measures for the removal of the dead from the voters list.
The lack of parliamentary action, and GECOMs suspension seem to be conflated actions that stymie the work of the Commission, at a time when GECOMs CEOs elections report, which was due on October 31, and all other reports should be submitted to the Commission that superintended those elections, for the conduct of an evaluation as a form of introspection, accountability, gap analysis and ultimately guidance when conducting future elections. Quite apposite, Claudette is unilaterally superintending the preparation of GECOMs 2026 budget, inclusive of the preparations leading up to the 2026 local government elections. A budget which according to the Senior Minister of Finance is to be prepared in keeping with the PPP/Cs manifesto promises, which promises do not address GECOMs prospective work programme, and the myriad recommendations and unattended issues, a la the sanitation of the voters` list and many more such matters. It seems that GECOM is headed for deja vu in relation to all that has been called for by the observers, stakeholders and even the Commissioners.[1]