My asking this question is motivated by two unrelated events. The first one happened in Kenya, 2010. A new constitution was drafted and a referendum planned. In principle, voters were required to either vote for the adoption of the new constitution or reject it after reading the constitutional document. The “Yes” side won and by a good majority. The sad thing is that though some voted for and against the constitution, their decisions were not based on a thorough reading and understanding of the document.
Recently, and far away from home, British voters opted out of the EU in what has famously been christened ‘BREXIT’. Again, like in the Kenyan context, it is alleged that some of the voters did not fully understand what a Yes or No vote would mean for the future of the country and her citizens.
I could go and on, but the two incidents have piqued some questions in me. Do the voters really know what’s best for them?
Voting is influenced by what your favorite politician is pushing for.
How many times have we heard even here on Ktalk supposedly informed fellows proclaim ‘siwezi soma baba amesoma na akasema ni mbaya’??
Hehe my answer is no. I am in the product development industry and we always keep in mind what people say they want but produce products that they didn’t think they needed (there is no innovation without thinking outside the box). The common public think only of what they want today and require someone to plan for their future needs.