The United States has found itself in a precarious moral and political situation as the drama surrounding its 2020 elections reverberates across the world.
President Donald Trump’s fraud claims, delayed results from battleground states and violence in some cities have left a bitter taste in the mouths of millions of citizens who voted.
What’s more worrying is the fact that this election has left the American public sharply divided. Several independent surveys say the poll has ominously widened social divisions across blue and red states, and it can only get worse with the looming contestation of results amid the current Covid-19 pandemic.
Trump and allies have challenged the integrity of counting and mail or absentee ballots and have gone ahead to file lawsuits to stop counting in Nevada, Pennsylvania and Georgia. The Republican candidate is also demanding a recount in Wisconsin.
From an international relations point of view, intrigues around this election have dented the image of a country hitherto seen as a beacon of democracy and evolution. Regardless of the outcome, the big question is how fast the US will heal and repair its global reputation.
By prematurely declaring he had won the election on Wednesday, President Trump erred big time. US networks pulled the plug on his social media messages for spreading lies. While Trump was overconfident and full of himself, his Democratic Party rival Joe Biden called for calm, urging poll officials to count every vote.
With this election having delivered a “Divided States of America” rather than a united one, we urge Americans to grasp the nettle and deal with the consequences now to avoid a slump into a serious political malady. It is not the right time for political exclusion and racial bigotry.
Time is of essence. Despite its centuries of democracy, US voters can learn from the Kenyans’ familiarity with divisive elections and how a polarised society struggles to develop.
Let there be sobriety. Trump and Biden have an obligation to respect the will of the people. We call on them to ensure nothing suffocates America’s engagement and global leadership because every nation, directly or indirectly, depends on it.
Most importantly, the winner of this election has a duty to ensure the glorious flames of the American democracy aren’t put off by destructive politics. There’s no two ways to it.
The Standard Group Plc is a
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Standard Group is recognized as a leading multi-media house in Kenya with a key
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