Politics is not just about elections

ELECTIONS are important rituals in representative democracy. It is a franchise given to citizens to exercise our sovereignty, but it cannot be treated as the only moment where we perform our duties. Unfortunately, it seems that most people become passionately engaged during an election to a point that they are even willing to sacrifice their friendships and abandon their family ties, and then turn cold on their civic duties and return to being apathetic, detached and passive citizens after the elections.

There are people who are so energized about issues during election campaigns, but have not acted similarly on analogous issues in their communities and workplaces. They adorn their social media pages with all kinds of memes and colors, even taking time to walk an extra kilometer or two to attend a political rally, even proudly stating that it is the first time for them. Yet, these are the people who remain quiet about problems confronting their neighborhood, companies and communities.