EDITORIAL: Time to level the electoral playing field

There is a need for electoral law reforms to ensure that the playing field between presidential candidates – both independent and those standing on a party ticket – is levelled.

Currently, it is easier to run for president under the banner of a party than as an independent candidate.

This discrepancy has seen many presidential aspirants fall by the wayside.

While we understand that strict requirements have been put in place to ensure that chance takers are kept at bay, we must treat all candidates equally.

Political parties have the luxury of choosing any of their members to stand as their presidential candidate without that nominee having to go through the troubles of collecting signatures countrywide like their independent counterparts.

What this does is create loopholes, especially in smaller parties where anyone can join a party and become its candidate, even if ordinarily they would not be able to obtain the 7 000 signatures on their own.

Perhaps it is time presidential candidates nominated by their parties are also compelled to gather signatures like independents.

We have seen cases where presidential candidates get fewer votes than their parties.

Surely this is a sign that the popularity of their political homes cannot automatically be ascribed to the said candidates.