Republic of Fiji Military Forces (RFMF) Commander Major-General Ro Jone Kalouniwai says they are duty bound to vote for whoever they think has the mandate to lead Fiji.
He made the comment during end of the year parade at the Queen Elizabeth Barracks Ground in Nabua this morning.
Maj-Gen Kalouniwai said each and every one of us present and not present, listening in from the Middle-East and the other areas, every one of you will be exercising your democratic right to vote in the next couple of days.
He said this is on the basis of our constitutional mandate of each and every one present at the parade
“We must look at this as a duty to avoid complicity with injustice.”
“For those that do not want to take part in this year’s General Election, you must remember, by not doing so you become in-complicit and you allow injustice to prevail over the most vulnerable of our people.”
“Nothing is more integral to democracy than voting, I urge you to vote for your families, vote for your children, vote for the unfortunate, the needy and the vulnerable of communities.”
He said that bad choices can lead to another four years of Government.
“Let me remind you this morning that bad choices may result in unjust laws, needless conflicts and violence and calamities economic policies.”
“In the next few days, you will have the opportunity to vote again for a Government that will lead us for another four years… This is a very significant moment in our nation and I hope that all of us will vote, cast your ballots carefully and consciously,” he said.
“By next week, 14 December, you will now who will be the next Government, some will be content with the outcome while others may not.”
“Whatever your post-election disposition, this is the time for us to honour the democratic process, by respecting the outcome of the results.”
“It is also a time for us as an institution to lean into our better selves and not yield to our poorer selves.
“If we supported the candidate that won, let us continue to trust the Lord.”
“We must keep a perspective of our constitutional mandate that regardless of the outcome, democracy is alive and God is still sovereign,” he added.
