[ASU] We Refused to be "future leaders" of the continent

[George Wakaba Gathigi]

Members.

I am sure we all have "enjoyed" the election dance. Although one member thought
a few weeks ago that the day of the dance shall come and pass, we are still
dancing. This day has been truly long.

There are many arguments that have been raised regarding "democracy" and
justification of the same. In the last beats of the dance that I have listened
and dance, the possibility that some members are future leaders has moved me.

I am stunned by the idea that some of us, having been fed (against our will) the
of old  rhetoric of pre-1990s autocratic or dictatorial states may have
swallowed and digested  the litany of the ruling class. Now we are freely
whistling the refrain. A common catchphrase some of us remember employed by
leaders like Daniel arap Moi was "The youth are the leaders of the
future/tomorrow". We were supposed to stay still waiting for our time come, may
be in 2050, if it ever comes.

Is it an accident to hear such rhetoric today? The last time I checked, ASU is
an organization that comprises of former ministers, managers, teachers,
community organizers, activists, and many more. Are these not leaders? What
future are we talking about here? The people I know are leaders. Neither are
many of us waiting to go back to the proverbial continent to be leaders for
leadership need not be political. We lead everyday from wherever place we are.

Ten years ago, I was a member of a movement in Kenya called Youth Agenda. We
campaigned on foot and managed to get some young people to the parliament.  

Our motto was "Young and taking charge, for tomorrow has come". If ten years ago
was tomorrow, to be referred as a future leader is to be taken to the
prehistoric age. 

Whatever point we want convey by alluding to the "future", our future is yesterday. 

For me and my house, I am a leader and shall not be called a future leader!

Have a leading day/night.


George Gathigi


> 
> I hear some people are experiencing difficulties opening the
> attachment I 
> sent from Prosper. Here with the letter pasted:
> 
> March 3, 2009
> 
> 428 Carriage Hill
> Athens, Ohio 45701
> Tel: 740-274-2041
> Pt340808 at yahoo.com
> 
> Dr. Matthew Adeyanju
> School of Public Health
> Ohio University
> Athens, Ohio
> 
> Dear Sir:
> ANNULMENT OF ELECTION RESULTS FOR ASU PRESIDENCY
> 
> I by this letter call for the annulment of the results of the
> presidential 
> election of the African Student Union held on February 28, 2008
> between 
> 8:30 pm and 10 pm. My decision is occasioned by events surrounding
> the 
> conduct of the election which I furnish herewith:
> 
> First of all, in the interest of fairness and transparency, I
> demanded 
> members of the Electoral Commission to utilize the list of qualified
> voters 
> by calling individuals to cast their vote one at a time. But they
> objected 
> with the reason that it was not part of the stipulated regulations.
> Lo and 
> behold when voters were invited to cast their ballots, there was a
> needless 
> and avoidable scuttle to cast their ballots. As a corollary, the
> number of 
> ballots casted outnumbered the number of voters on the voter list,
> which 
> was also compiled without recourse to any guidelines.
> 
> Secondly, what was supposed to be a secret ballot turned out to be a
> 
> manipulation of process where some individuals who had already ticked
> their 
> chosen candidates decided to pass the ballot paper on to others, 
> influencing them in whatever way possible. This in fact undermined
> the 
> principles of "confidential choice".
> 
> Thirdly, my plea to the Electoral Commission to make provisions for
> those 
> who may not be on campus during the weekend to cast their ballots by
> proxy 
> fell on death ears. It is even possible for us to utilize our oak ID
> to 
> vote we take the simple step collecting names of all African students
> (or 
> as it is normally  put, ASU members), and allow them to send their
> votes to 
> a designated email address for collection, verification and
> announcement.
> 
> Finally, considering the fact that elections have become hotspots on
> the 
> continent, it is imperative that we the future leaders of the
> continent 
> learn to conduct contests of this sort in a manner depicting the
> highest 
> levels of fairness and transparency, and never allowing our personal
> 
> judgments and biases to obscure our judgment on what is fair and 
> transparent. Would it not be fairer to work from the premise of how
> to 
> empower more African students to get involved in the process and to
> cast 
> their votes, than to consider first how to thwart some from casting
> their 
> ballots?
> 
> I therefore call for the annulment of the ASU presidential elections
> and 
> request an independent body to take charge to conduct a new poll for
> the 
> ASU presidency.
> 
> Thank you for your attention and cooperation.
> 
> Sincerely,
> Prosper Tsikata
> Communication and Development
> 
> Cc: The Out-Going President
> ASU
> Athens, Ohio
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Asu-l mailing list
> Asu-l at listserv.ohio.edu
> http://listserv.ohio.edu/mailman/listinfo/asu-l
> 



-----------------
George W. Gathigi
School of Media Arts and Studies