William Bird of Moxii Africa spoke to Ml Sulaimaan Ravat on the role of citizens, media and civil society in strengthening democratic participation and keeping those in power answerable to the public.

“Now is the best time to find out what they’re promising and keep a record of that,” says William. It is the time to have politicians, who usually “disappear and evaporate just after the elections” listen to what people, even those in distant rural communities, have to say. It is time to know who the politicians are, ask them the hard questions on what they stand for, and find out what practical step they plan to put in place once they do come into power.

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