A LEADING sickle cell disease (SCD) campaigner has alleged that election hopefuls are desperately requesting him to support their campaigns or speak at their majlises – in an attempt to woo voters suffering from the hereditary blood disorder.
Bahrain goes to the polls on November 12, to elect 40 members of Parliament and 30 municipal councillors for a four-year term.
Bahrain Society for Sickle Cell Anaemia Patient Care president Zakreya Al Kadhem said as in previous elections this time too candidates contesting for Parliament seats want to prey on people suffering from SCD.
He claimed that though he is not contesting in the polls, there have been several offers from individuals and even lobby groups eager to use his goodwill to win seats.
“It’s election time and this is when people suddenly remember sickle cell patients, and want to help us,” Mr Al Kadhem told the GDN yesterday.
“These Parliament candidates want to use thousands of sickle cell patients and their families who are part of our society to win a seat for their own personal goals.
“I have made it clear to them and will once again reiterate that we do not mix the society’s work with politics.”
Mr Al Kadhem, himself a sickle cell patient, said he continues to receive requests from Parliament candidates to speak in their majlises or join their election campaigns which kick off next month.
“If we look at the current scenario, there will be more independent candidates contesting compared to those backed by political societies.
“And these candidates lack a strong vision compared to one backed by a political society; they need an anchor or support to help them win, and they feel that sickle cell patients are the winning horse.”
The GDN reported yesterday that many experts expect independents to win the majority of Parliament seats in the upcoming elections.
They attributed this to the fact that Bahraini citizens no longer trust political societies, and that they are only interested in candidates, regardless of whether they are independent or belong to a political society.
SCD, a genetic condition highly prevalent in Bahrain, occurs when a person’s body produces unusually-shaped red blood cells that cause clumping and blockages in small blood vessels.
There are around 5,000 registered SCD patients.
Mr Al Kadhem requested election hopefuls to not use the SCD patients to win seats in Parliament.
“People who were absent from the community for a long time are suddenly sympathetic to our cause and pledge to work for us.
“There are candidates suffering from the disease who are contesting for the polls and we wish them all the best, but cannot let them influence the vote bank negatively.”
Candidates contesting in the elections can nominate themselves from October 5 to 9.
Voting will be held on November 12 from 8am to 8pm, with a run-off on November 19.
The theme of this year’s poll is: “We vote for Bahrain.”
sandy@gdnmedia.bh
&uuid=(email))