By CHRISTOPHER KAYUMBA

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Political parties and the four independent candidates in the September 2-3 parliamentary polls kicked off their vote hunting campaigns on Monday, August 13.

To better understand voters’ concerns and what might decide electoral outcome, I have been talking to people from varied stations in life.

What I learn is that while competing parties face different problems depending on the fortunes of each (with some even struggling to raise campaign funds), the biggest challenge is how to energise and attract voters to their rallies and convince them that they not only know their problems but are also capable of solving them.

Simply put, not many people believe outgoing MPs sufficiently represented them or helped solve their problems. So they wonder whether aspiring MPs will be any different.

This is affecting interest and passion in the exercise; with most individuals I talked to saying they will vote only out of duty; not belief in what MPs can do for them!

This is a conundrum since members of parliament (MPs) are supposed to represent the people and are normally referred to as “Intumwa za Rubanda” (people’s representatives).

A cab driver in Kigali recently told me that while he is aware of the upcoming elections, “I don’t know any member of parliament! They (MPs) don’t know our problems! I don’t see them talk about our problems and I haven’t seen any of them speak for us when we have problems.”

He explained: “Today, Revenue is telling us to buy a new taxi billing machine and insert it in the car. But our cars already have these machines they ordered us to buy more than two years ago. We bought this machine at Rwf 175,000.

Now, they are telling us to buy a new one where we will be required to pay 10 per cent of the money we get from every client to the company distributing this machine! Why is that? This only serves interests of companies; not us ordinary people. Can those MPs talk about this kind of problem?”

On a weeklong working visit to the north recently, a trader in Musanze market asked me: “Who of those members of parliament knows my problems?”

A shopkeeper told me: “Our houses on the main road are being demolished and we are told to build new modern buildings. How come no MP is talking about this?”

Another said: “Recently, MPs increased taxes on houses. Why do MPs increase the tax burden on us ordinary people?”

But when asked whether there is anything good that has been done, the response is affirmative!

A cellphone vendor in Musanze Market told me: “Cyane rwose (Oh, yes!)! Look at this market! It’s big and beautiful. We have good roads and security.”

When asked who they attributes this, many say: “Ubuyobozi bwiza” (good leadership) and in particular, “Perezida wacu” (our president)!

From these conversations, it is clear that the president is perceived to be a problem solver while MPs are perceived to be out of touch. This also means that if the president campaigned for any party, that party would win!

And since the president is also the chairman of the ruling RPF and the party is campaigning promising to help him achieve his campaign manifesto, we can safely say, as we have argued before, that the party will comfortably eat big in this election.

But why do citizens feel that MPs neither know their problems nor represent them?

There are three broad explanations to this: First, the nature of the electoral systems that makes parliamentary representation nationally impersonal, placing too much power in the hands of political party chiefs who draw up lists of candidates.

Second, limited media coverage and analysis of what parliament does and the role of individual MPs. Finally, limited incentives for MPs to take up causes other than those advanced by their parties.

That is, since the electoral system is designed to subordinate individual MPs to their parties and curb the development of a power base for individuals, a factor that explains the high threshold for independent candidates to become MPs, the parliamentarians only take on issues chosen by their employer — the party!

In that sense, MPs represent parties and parties in turn represent the people! It’s representation by a few “wise men and women” who lead parties!

In other words, MPs owe direct allegiance to their party chiefs; not citizens. This is especially the case since if the party loses confidence in an MP, it can replace him or her with the next on the list without holding any by-election!

Christopher Kayumba, PhD. Senior Lecturer, School of Journalism and Communication, UR; Lead consultant, MGC Consult International Ltd. E-mail: [email protected]; twitter account: @Ckayumba Website:www.mgcconsult.com