Are We Truly Practicing Democracy?

I would love to state that no system of government is perfect, be it democracy, dictatorship, or military rule. But then, a democratic system of government seems to be the best system of government due to the way it is being structured to bring about fairness and justice and give the people the opportunity to choose who they want to lead them, but the big question is, do we really practice democracy even for countries that claim to use a democratic system of government?  ***** If we look deeply into the meaning of democracy, which is the government of the people, by the people, and for the people, you will realize that it's supposed to be a beautiful thing that the citizen of any country that practices a democratic system of government should enjoy. Imagine when the government is of the people and all that? It means the people's choice would be respected. It means our voices would be heard and acted upon. It means the leaders would always look out for the ones they are leading; they will care and have the welfare of the people at hand. ***** It means the leaders would recognize that it's the people who put them in the seat to lead and thus would always make every effort to deliver. It means a lot of positive things we should be experiencing in our democratic country if things are done the way they are supposed to, including accountability, transparency, and much more. But then, the reverse is the case in a democratic system of government like mine.It has not been much help to the well-being of our people in my country in any way. We only answer democracy government by mouth but not in reality. ***** Without going far, the last presidential election conducted in my country says it all. It was obvious that the people knew who they wanted; they cried for their voices to be heard, and they screamed for their vote to be counted. A lot of us sacrificed our time and money just to get our voter cards, but at the end, what did we get in return? Disappointment, corruption, and many evils kept prevailing. Isn't it obvious that we aren't practicing democracy leadership? The leadership is only for certain individuals and not for the masses. Before we say "jack," a lot of things will be hijacked by those in power; whatever they want happens, to the detriment of those they lead.  ***** Our well-being does not matter to our leaders; the outcome of elections since I started casting my vote never reflects the choices of the masses, and yet, they write on the paper that we are under a democratic system of government. Like I mentioned earlier, I don't think any other form of government would do better for the prosperity of my nation because none of them are perfect. I heard the story of how my country was when the military was ruling. There is no any difference, same history ; instead, we can do well to revamp our democratic system of government. **It's doable and achievable**. Let's get democracy in the right shape, and everyone will enjoy peace, transparency, and accountability without any form of manipulation. ***** Overall, the voices of the people will be heard; it becomes a win-win for all. *This is my response to the #HiveLearners community contest on the topic titled*, **"Democracy."** ## All images are mine