Paul Juma Makhandia

From the moment the Vatican’s bells tolled as an indication that Pope Francis had died, to the swirl of white smoke that announced Pope Leo XIV as his successor, the world witnessed an impressive orderly transition of power. No bribes, no leaked tally sheets, no tribal caucuses forming inside the frescoed chapel—only an institution, confident in its rules, moving from grief to governance with metronomic discipline. This contrasts with many countries where democracy and elections are often anarchic, bruising, and stained by innocent blood. The world is called to draw a sober mirror from that Roman fortnight.

From the outset, the conclave demonstrated that transparency is anticipation, not after-the-fact disclosure. The Vatican Press reported that cardinals, especially those voting, knew beforehand who could vote and how, when they would vote, how ballots would be burned, and what smoke color would speak to the world. The statutes are lucid and adhered to the letter. In some countries, opacity defines the process: hidden servers, whispered algorithms, missing forms. Anxiety rises when systems go dark, villages ignite, people butcher each other. This suggests that credible elections begin with clear architecture—the poorest villager should know where each result goes, who handles it, and how it is watched. An incredible inclusivity.

At the beginning of the conclave, the Church epitomised how speed married to ritual defeats mischief. The cardinals allocated seventy-two hours for prayer, then the Sistine Chapel doors were locked. The Church has built trust over centuries. In contrast, many nations suffer slow processes: hacking, suspicion, power blackouts, and ethnic militias awaiting outcomes to either celebrate or avenge. A statutory clock—enforced by law—would stifle rumor and deny corruption the luxury of time.

Many who followed the Pontiff’s funeral online noted the fierce neutrality of the arena. The funeral Mass was sacred ground: Ukrainian and Russian envoys sat yards apart in peace. Unlike campaign funerals elsewhere—chaotic, politicized, filled with gunshots and theatrical displays—this was dignified. National rituals, even a child’s burial, must be insulated from vote hunting. Without true civic sabbaths, a nation never exhales.

A pilgrim in Rome, anonymous by choice, said, “Corruption—the cancer of many countries and the great-grandmother of squabbles—metastasizes every election year.” He added, “In the conclave, cardinals swear under Michelangelo’s Last Judgment—eternity staring down.” Civil elections, by contrast, feature pseudo-oaths and minimal consequences. “Imagine an Elections Integrity Act criminalizing rigging as economic sabotage: jail terms, asset seizure, lifetime bans.” Let impunity feel Judgment Day in earthly courts.

The Vatican diluted nationality by elevating biography. Toxic tribalism thrives where politics feels existential: yet a Chicagoan from Peruvian slums becomes Pope. By contrast, many parties still auction candidacies along ethnic lines. A proportional Senate and civic education from Grade Four onward could teach children that power is negotiable, life not zero-sum, and identity larger than a surname.

Media bias poisons perception before a vote is cast. The conclave’s operations were broadcast with one chimney feed; commentary diverged, but the raw signal was unified. In contrast, political media often split screens by party, amplify hate speech, and auction headlines. A stronger Media Council—able to revoke licenses for incitement—would remind editors that freedom without responsibility is license to maim.

Any lesson learnt? Did the world glimpse that Roman mirror? Billions spent on limping electoral commissions? Who manipulated the smoke? Any cardinal demanding a share of power? Any bloodshed because of a foreign Pope? A lesson written in incense and Latin, yet translatable into all tongues: peace, love, unity, transparency, honesty, clear laws, swift justice, neutral rituals, responsible media, and citizens taught that power shared is power secured. If elections rise above ethnic roulette to become a transparent sacrament, then perhaps bells will echo across the valleys instead of tear gas and gunfire when ballots fall like rain.