The third Thromde election for Thimphu, Phuentshogling and Gelegphu is just around the corner. Expectations of the residents within the three Thromdes are set high for better and improved services and overall development. The candidates standing for the post of the Thrompon and the Thromde Thuemis have their pledges and promises as they go campaigning with their eyes set for the coveted seats.
Thimphu, the capital city is all set for the third Thromde election scheduled to happen towards the end of this month. The Thrompon and the Thromde Thuemis will be elected. Thimphu has over a hundred thousand residents and the number has been growing with people from across the country coming in to make a living. However, it will be just about 8,000 voters who will vote to elect the Thrompon and his team of Thuemis. Seeing the need to develop the city and have independence in decision making for the ever-growing population, Thimphu was given the status of class A thromde and the first Thromde election held in 2011. Thromde’s infrastructure development and all the planning has to be done in line with what all the residents living in the city needs and not just for the small number of registered voters of the city.
It so happens that the residents of Thimphu look forward to many developments and improved amenities along with services for every resident from the elected Thrompon and their representatives.
“We have drinking water shortage everywhere in Thimphu and in addition, we have drainage and sewerage issues which can even damage our homes. So whoever gets elected as the Thrompon should address these two problems. If these issues are prioritised and solved at the earliest we will be very grateful,” said Wangda, a resident of Thimphu.
“The footpaths in our areas need to be improved and the ongoing road construction has to be completed. There are roads above and below our place but those living in between have none. Whoever comes as the new and the third Thrompon should speed up the work with the ongoing project. We hope to be benefited from the road construction project,” added Sangay, another resident of Thimphu.
The views and stories of the other two Thromdes of Phuntshogling and Gelegphu are no different from what people in the capital city hopes for.
“We hope the pandemic will end soon and following that the business community will get the much-needed support. There is a lot we can have to improve our business here, for instance, we see opportunities in the tourism sector for our town,” said Neel Kumar Mongar, a resident of Gelegphu.
“We already have road and electricity connection in all the homes. What we need now is blacktopping of the road and maintenance and building of the drains. The rainwater will damage the roads. We also need street lights installed. We need dustbin and garbage collection facilities too,” said Budhi Maya Rai, a resident of Phuentshogling.
As expected by the residents the ones contesting for the post of the Thrompon and the Thromde Thuemis too have renewed and high pledges as they go campaigning, in line with the election commission’s Dos and Donts spelt out in the rule book. It is also a part and parcel of a vibrant democratic practice and principles anywhere in the world. At the end of the day, it is however important and duty of every individual voter to question and review if what is promised during the campaign is done and fulfilled during the tenure of the elected leaders.
Kinzang Yeshey and Chhimi Dorji
