From my article in The Sunday Times today:
“Our democracy is failing because our political parties are unregulated, their internal elections are outside the scrutiny of the state and open to corrupt practices, they hog free speech by employing journalists and pollute the media landscape, they are funded from backhanders on the back of public contracts delivered or promised.
“Our democracy is failing because our electoral system limits the electorate’s choice, forces clientelism, increases candidates’ vulnerability to corruption, encourages parochialism and deters competent people.
“Our democracy is failing because our parliament is a ceremonial rubber stamp, that votes on laws without reading them, that provides no scrutiny to government and that even in times of crisis such as what this country experienced over the last two years proves to be as good as useless.
“Can we achieve material change in our legislative branch of government as we have secured change in the judiciary?”