IRONY OF ELECTORAL CAMPAIGNS Campaigning can be broadly defined as a process whereby a series of activities are undertaken, directed towards a particular group of people, in an attempt to achieve a particular objective. General elections campaign is not something of which Mauritians are unaware; we all know that political parties & politicians conduct electoral campaigns so as to extract votes from the general public and eventually be elected. We do also know about the various activities undertaken during electoral campaigns – the most apparent ones being posters, meetings etc etc, and also the less obvious ones like electoral bribes, job promises etc etc.
The way these campaigns are conducted is an irony in itself but let me just point out some facts:
Activists who work hard day and night, convincing people to vote for their respective parties; how many times have we seen them participating in non-political social activities, being present in social functions where politicians are not present? They are seen only during election periods and in gatherings where politicians are present; and ironically they claim that they work hard for the interest of the country and for their community. The posters, flags and streamers which are put and stuck everywhere and let to be washed by the rains or flown away by the winds after the elections – are they not polluting our environment? If a common man happens to throw something on the roads unintentionally, the act is considered to be an offence to the law while in the case of these politicians, this is called electoral campaigns. Irony indeed! As pointed out in the previous journal ‘Mauritius is a democracy’, one of the heads of the present government said that soon his government will regulate the contents published in local newspapers in view to combat defamatory news. But what about those statements given by politicians during meetings which are not only defamatory, but also abusive and offensive at times?Ministers& MPs can never be seen to mingle so much with the general public than before the elections. They become easily accessible for the ordinary common people through the various meetings and regular door-to-door visits that they conduct. But what’s the use of all these since he is no longer in power and cannot do anything for us; he should have done this when he was in power, not when he will soon be out of power! Irony!
Electoral campaigns will always be present among politicians and the electorate; but we should not let these campaigns influence our voting decisions. We should cast our votes based on informed judgements and on a honest assessment of the integrity, honesty and competence of the candidates; they should never be guided by personal motives!
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Lolz!!! we'll win 4 sure! N euh me 2 rilly hpe dat pa p kze tro bcou la, coz mwa oci mne in p pren nisa ek tou dimoun :D!! Pou al gagne n gro la tet si reds prdi! Mai g confiance en mn ekip lol! We're ve best!! Go LIVERPOOL!!! Cheers ;P
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