Reverend James Lahai of the National Elections Watch (NEW) has ignited a fresh national debate after issuing a scathing critique of attempts to impose Proportional Representation (PR) on the people without broad-based consultation, consensus, and constitutional clarity. In a statement that is already sending shockwaves across the political landscape, Rev. Lahai warned that forcing PR on citizens under the guise of reform is not only deceitful but dangerous to democracy itself.
Speaking with unmistakable conviction, the respected cleric and civil society advocate argued that electoral systems derive legitimacy only from the informed consent of the people, not from political convenience or elite bargaining. According to him, any attempt to smuggle PR into the country’s electoral framework without genuine public buy-in amounts to a betrayal of democratic trust.
“You cannot force Proportional Representation on the people and call it reform. That is deceit,” Rev. Lahai declared. “Democracy is not built on shortcuts, secrecy, or political manipulation. It is built on transparency, participation, and respect for the will of the people.”
Rev. Lahai stressed that while electoral reforms are not inherently bad, the process matters as much as the outcome. He warned that pushing PR without nationwide civic education, parliamentary consensus, and constitutional safeguards risks plunging the country into electoral confusion, legitimacy crises, and post-election instability.
As head of National Elections Watch, Rev. Lahai said his organization has closely monitored developments surrounding the proposed electoral changes and is deeply concerned by what it sees as a deliberate attempt to railroad the public. He accused political actors of prioritizing power retention and partisan advantage over national interest.
“When reforms are rushed and forced, the people begin to suspect hidden agendas,” he said. “And when trust in the electoral system collapses, the entire democratic structure is weakened.”
The NEW boss further questioned why such a fundamental shift in the electoral system is being pursued without a referendum or extensive public dialogue, noting that PR fundamentally alters how votes translate into power. He argued that citizens deserve a clear, honest explanation of who benefits, who loses, and why now.
Rev. Lahai also issued a stern warning to institutions tasked with safeguarding democracy, urging them not to become instruments of political expediency. He called on Parliament, the Electoral Commission, civil society groups, and the international community to stand firm against any process that undermines democratic norms.
“History will not be kind to those who remain silent while democracy is bent to suit political interests,” he cautioned.
His remarks have already sparked intense reactions across political parties, civil society circles, and social media, with many praising his courage for “speaking truth to power,” while others see his comments as a direct challenge to the political establishment.
As the debate over Proportional Representation intensifies, Rev. Idriss Lahai’s bombshell intervention has reframed the conversation—not just around PR itself, but around honesty, consent, and the soul of democracy. One thing is clear: the question is no longer simply whether PR is good or bad, but whether the people are being respected in the process.
And in Rev. Lahai’s words, any reform forced on the people is no reform at all—it is deception dressed as progress.
