Money is corrupting our democracy - Rawlings

Former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings says the creeping canker of money politics threatens to destroy the natural consultative role of our political leaders.

“The new and current corrupter towards electoral democracy is the misuse and abuse of money…we are sowing the seeds of instability because we are using it to destroy the important human values that serve as an anchor in our civilisation,” he said.

He also noted that a one-size fits all prescription of democracy for the continent will be a recipe for “stress, tension and failure”.

Delivering the keynote address at the 5th Annual Symposium of the Electoral Institute for the Sustainability of Democracy in Africa (EISA) on Tuesday, President Rawlings said: “Democracy works only when it has evolved within a specific socio-cultural environment and fused into the traditional political systems such that it is seen as an indigenous product, but unfortunately Africa has not been given the opportunity to develop this.”

The former President lamented the disinterest of political parties in strengthening internal structures and making strong efforts to have a huge membership base. He said though political parties work hard to have a strong support base through raising funds from individuals who expect to be rewarded during electoral victories, registration of members seems not to be a priority.

“Registering members seems not to be the primary objective of most parties but rather a desire to have a large base of supporters who are not necessarily registered members. Is it not ironic to see political parties galvanise funds from a few individuals who literally buy votes through the provision of cash, motorcycles, bicycles, and other essential amenities for the electorate and naturally expect to be rewarded when elections are won?

“It is not uncommon to see the campaign offices of presidential, parliamentary or party executive aspirants properly equipped with every conceivable facility comparable to party offices in other parts of the world while the actual party offices in ours are still set in an antiquated way of doing things.

“Parties no doubt have the capacity to be efficient, embrace modern technology and management methods and adopt state-of-the-art communications strategies but all these will come to nought without empowerment – empowerment of the people…the ordinary people.”