WITH the National General Elections drawing ever closer, its fever is also heating up, causing much hype amongst all registered voters, however also causing divisions amongst families, tribes and communities as a whole.
Concerns have been raised if campaigning or the Elections in general are informative, educational or just another means of breaking down relationships amongst families, tribal groups and communities.
Speaking to this paper, already a good number of people have expressed how the hype and fever of Election campaigns is breaking up relationships amongst families and communities.
“It is indeed a concern. Our families, our tribes, our communities have been torn apart as a result of candidacy preferences amongst ourselves.
“Brothers have fought with brothers, fathers with sons, elders with their wives, many more examples.
“Relationships have been tattered by the Election fever that is heating up amongst our people,” a group of elders from Burns Creek in East Honiara said.
Similar incidents and instances have also occurred in the provinces with many elders drawing in Police to stop clashes amongst voters of various candidates.
“Democracy allows for people to vote who they believe will be a good leader, however clashes with our traditional believes whereby elders should be respected, hence pledge support to whoever our elders decides will be the candidate for us to vote,” Able Satu, a community leader of Funafou in Lau Mbaelelea Constituency, Malaita Province said.
Similar sentiments were echoed also by various community and tribal elders and leaders from other provinces who said that incidents have already occurred of clashes between families and tribes with regards to candidacy preferences.
Police have however called on all voters to help make the coming Elections a peaceful and corrupt free one.
Police have also stressed that matters of such should be reported so that the law takes its cause.
By JEREMY INIFIRI
