One more week till we head to the polls to vote for the candidates of our choice for the Kuwaiti parliament.

Alot of people have not made up their minds yet who they will vote for. Some people have an idea about two candidates but are not sure about the other two (we are allowed a maximum of four choices, ok? Don’t look with amazement at the scores of names and mark of more than  four at random!).

Alot of people have chosen to remain at home to watch coverage on the many local news channels or to read newspapers or internet news.

In my visits to candidates’ rallies, I have found the atmosphere to be exciting and very different than watching at home even if it is with the rest of the family. There is a festive air at these rallies and an excitement that is hard to feel in the comfort of one’s home.

I described some of my visits during the first elections campaign in 2006. This year I still haven’t gotten around to it but I am very pleased with the female involvement and turnout at these rallies. There is genuine interest in listening to candidates and where it is permitted, to engage in a question/answer session at the end of the sessions. It is thrilling to be amongst large gatherings of people to speak freely and rally people without fear of repercussions. The presence of police cars if any were only to monitor traffic congestion resulting from the multitudes of people attending a candidate’s rally. This in itself is a relief when one thinks of the volatile situations in our region.
Despite all the debates, the rumours, the scandals, and the dirty politics, we are now living a special time in Kuwait as we approach the election date of May 17th.  Some people are disgusted with the whole matter and like to remain cynical and apathetic.

It’s your choice:
You can choose to become an active citizen or you can remain coccooned in your own world. It is your choice.

But your voice does matter.

I’m optimistic (yes, that is one of the themes everyone is harping on this time):

For a while now we were sick of the antics of the previous members of parliament (good riddance). We are both hopeful and fearful of the outcome of the next elections. We are apprehensive of those underlying currents that are waiting to sweep us into dissension as a society.

Many of us acknowledge that Kuwaitis are masters of wit and satire and they have lost no time in creating jokes or in making fun of parliamentary candidates. Sometimes we judge candidates just from their campaign photos or from what other people say about them. And inevitably we form unbalanced opinions

But when I have made the effort to attend a rally and listen to the candidates and their speakers, I am uplifted by those who are still hopeful, who are proactive, and who believe in practicing their rights as citizens. And it is a good feeling.

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