THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- September 4, 2017- Topic 2

Back to the ballot

On the annulled Kenyan presidential vote

The Kenyan Supreme Court’s annulment of the presidential vote is a bitter-sweet victory for an ethnically divided country exasperated by the brutal violence that has marred successive polls. Friday’s decision is a challenge to the election commission, which needs to repair its tarnished reputation. It is also a challenge to the political parties, which need to find a dignified way of settling election disputes. 

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s opponent, Raila Odinga, a three-time contender, alleged that the integrity of the polls was compromised during the cumbersome data transformation process, from ballot boxes to computers. The violence that followed the declaration of the results exacerbated tribal divisions, and left at least 20 people dead. It was not of the order of the post-poll violence in 2007, when more than 1,000 people were killed and for which several politicians faced trial at the International Criminal Court for alleged crimes against humanity. The 2013 campaign, held under a new constitution, was equally chaotic and controversial and the final verdict was challenged by Mr. Odinga. Despite an overhaul of the poll mechanism, this year there was increased scepticism over the prospects for free and fair polls following the murder of a top official from the electoral body. Given the absence of the institutional prerequisites of a functioning modern democracy, there is the real danger of a steady erosion of popular legitimacy for any form of representative government. But there is a positive dimension to Kenyan politics. Governments have deferred to the principle of periodic renewal of the popular mandate ever since the country returned to multi-party democracy in the 1990s. This is in stark contrast to the practice in some African nations where incumbents resort to constitutional fiat to stay in office almost indefinitely.

For all these reasons, the Kenyan court’s decision for a repeat election appeals to common sense, despite its characterisation by some as relatively peaceful. The rerun, to be held within 60 days, is of course bound to raise genuine doubts about the efficacy of the electoral mechanism to undertake another mammoth and expensive operation, with no guarantee of a clear result. Mr. Odinga’s supporters are naturally enthused about another chance at the hustings; but there would be few takers for any more outcries of foul play, whatever the outcome. In an assertion of judicial independence, the court has taken a calculated gamble on the country’s democratic future. Politics should commensurately evolve to a level of accountability where the habit of exploiting traditional loyalties gives way to respect for human rights and observance of the rule of law. Kenya is in the midst of a prolonged drought, and many face the risk of starvation. Kenyans need, above all, a stable government committed to mitigating their sufferings.

Vocabulary

Annulment: the act of annulling something.

Example: The applicant sought the annulment of the decision

Bitter: having a sharp, pungent taste or smell; not sweet.

Example: The raw berries have an intensely bitter flavor

Synonyms: sharp, acid, acidic, acrid, tart, sour, biting, unsweetened

Tarnish: lose or cause to lose luster, especially as a result of exposure to air or moisture.

Example: Silver tarnishes too easily

Synonyms: discolor, rust, oxidize, corrode, stain, dull, blacken

Contender: a person or group competing with others to achieve something.

Example: A presidential contender

Cumbersome: large or heavy and therefore difficult to carry or use; unwieldy.

Example: Cumbersome diving suits

Synonyms: unwieldy, unmanageable, awkward, clumsy, inconvenient, incommodious

Chaotic: in a state of complete confusion and disorder.

Example: A chaotic jumble of spools, tapes, and books

Synonyms: disorderly, disordered, in disorder, in chaos, in disarray

Absence: the state of being away from a place or person.

Example: The letter had arrived during his absence

Synonyms: nonattendance, nonappearance, absenteeism, truancy, playing truant

Prerequisite: required as a prior condition.

Example: The student must have the prerequisite skills

Synonyms: necessary, required, called for, essential, requisite

Erosion: the process of eroding or being eroded by wind, water, or other natural agents.

Example: The problem of soil erosion

Legitimacy: conformity to the law or to rules.

Example: Refusal to recognize the legitimacy of both governments

Stark: severe or bare in appearance or outline.

Example: The ridge formed a stark silhouette against the sky

Synonyms: sharp, sharply defined, well-focused, crisp, distinct, obvious

Fiat: a formal authorization or proposition; a decree.

Example: Adopting a legislative review program, rather than trying to regulate by fiat

Synonyms: decree, edict, order, command, commandment, injunction

Mammoth: huge.

Example: A mammoth corporation

Synonyms: huge, enormous, gigantic, giant, colossal, massive

Enthuse: say something that expresses one's eager enjoyment, interest, or approval.

Example: They both enthused over my new look

Synonyms: rave about, be enthusiastic about, gush over, wax lyrical about

Assertion: a confident and forceful statement of fact or belief.

Example: His assertion that his father had deserted the family

Synonyms: declaration, contention, statement, claim, opinion, proclamation

Commensurate: corresponding in size or degree; in proportion.

Example: Salary will be commensurate with experience

Synonyms: equivalent, equal, corresponding, correspondent, comparable

Observance: the action or practice of fulfilling or respecting the requirements of law, morality, or ritual.

Example: Strict observance of the rules

Synonyms: rite, ritual, ceremony, ceremonial, celebration, practice, service

Midst: the middle point or part.

Example: To be plopped in the river's midst , in a canoe, on a spectacular day, is tranquilizing.

Synonyms: middle, center, heart, core, midpoint, kernel, nub

Drought: a prolonged period of abnormally low rainfall; a shortage of water resulting from this.

Example: Chinese officials say cloud seeding has helped to relieve severe droughts and water shortages in cities.

Synonyms: dry spell, lack of rain, shortage of water