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Is it worth it to belong to a political WhatsApp Group?

There is promising evidence on social media improving transparency of organisations and government ministries, but less evidence on whether this improves accountability. As critical as this plan is, it poses challenges. How, for example, do we avoid putting legitimate activity at risk? Many human rights organizations commonly use Facebook to spread educational messages around the world. The wrong kind of transparency could put governance in real danger in many countries. But according to researchers, as well as screenshots of group chats from as recently as that I have read, these WhatsApp group chats frequently contain and disseminate false information and hateful rhetoric, much of which comes from forwarded messages.

The challenges faced by WhatsApp are not limited to misinformation, but also the exploitation of personal data for political ends, mudslinging, character assassination and insults. Constituency-level volunteers popularly known as cadres, who often know many of the people they add to messaging groups, use a similar strategy, to sort people in the groups based on fake information. Given the above it is no longer inspiring to be part of the WhatsApp groups or just any platform that deflate, demoralise and dishearten your spirit.

A few things I have seen in the blogs:

1.       Misinformation

2.       Jealous and Hatred

3.       Extortion – Potential aspiring candidates being milked and given false hope.

4.       Exchange of insults between potential candidates

5.       Lack of focus and disorganised debates

6.       A way of losing cash through data bundles

The blogs have helped to damage the image of the party due to lack of discipline and self examination before saying or posting things. Loyalty has been overtaken by Entryism. Entryism (also spelled entrism or enterism or called infiltration) is a political strategy in which an organisation or political party encourages its members or supporters to join another, usually larger, organisation in an attempt to expand influence and expand their ideas and program.

There is a lot of leakage from our camps to the opposition who have penetrated our blogs as opposed to us getting anything from the opposition blogs. There is propaganda in the house being pushed by those who are sent to cause confusion and panic among us. Stop being negative or simply decide to jump out of the boat.

We are not in the wilderness to cry every day, Exod.15 And the people murmured against Moses, saying, What shall we drink? Exodus 15:24  And the whole congregation of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron in the wilderness:  And in the morning, then ye shall see the glory of the LORD; for that he heareth your murmurings against the LORD: and what are we, that ye murmur against us?  And Moses said, This shall be, when the LORD shall give you in the evening flesh to eat, and in the morning bread to the full; for that the LORD heareth your murmurings which ye murmur against him: and what are we? your murmurings are not against us, but against the LORD. And Moses spake unto Aaron, Say unto all the congregation of the children of Israel, Come near before the LORD: for he hath heard your murmurings. Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."

Caleb and Joshua pleaded with their fellow countrymen. Their recorded words are a rallying cry for anyone involved in spiritual warfare today: “Do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them” (verse 9).

Show me why I must stay in the group if it does not help my party? Think before you post! Where are Joshua and Caleb who said we are well able to possess the land? Where are the youth that would say we the Mighty PF are well able to inspire other young people to join our party so that we can take leadership positions?

 


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