A tough job well done by Dasho Kunzang Wangdi

In the small space of Bhutanese society, simple issues can become extremely protracted, personalised and tense. When the general election was announced and two major political parties emerged, the Bhutanese populace knew it was not going to be an easy situation. Individuals and communities were going to be pitted against each other, out in the open. It was going to be rough going. Dasho Kunzang Wangdi was selected for the job, a choice that did not surprise many. A known face in a small society and, after about five years in audit, an established reputation of one, who would not be easily intimidated in the execution of his duties.

True to public expectations, allegations began to fly even before formal campaigning began. At a time when everyone seemed to be accusing everyone else for everything, Dasho Kunzang Wangdi and the election commission of Bhutan (ECB) were accused of siding both parties, of muzzling the media, and running the election like a dictator.

Some said he did not make decisions, some said he made too many. ECB did conduct a number of investigations. It also reprimanded political candidates and the media now and then. The wisdom of it all may be debated for a long time to come.

In the end, ECB delivered an election that Bhutanese voters may also debate long and hard over, but EU observers found it free and fair. “It was definitely challenging but we know we handled the situation quite well,” said the chief election commissioner (CEC). Those who know Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, however, say that this was an understatement. Those who watched the announcement say that, while he was never an eloquent speaker, he seemed particularly overwhelmed, on national television, when he announced that the general election had been a success and that His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo’s vision had been achieved. “Until this day, he just goes quiet and doesn’t say a word when I ask him about that moment,” said his wife, Pem Tandin. That was the ‘other side’ to this tough guy. Some colleagues were surprised to discover that Dasho Kunzang Wangdi likes singing and dancing (boedra) far more than speaking. Dasho himself believes that he’s been able to serve the nation and perform his duties because of the seven women in his life: his wife, five daughters and mother-in-law.

If you look for anomalies in this man’s life, Dasho Kunzang Wangdi’s hobbies are photography, reading and watching the world wrestling entertainment on TV.

What’s it like to work with Dasho Kunzang Wangdi? Colleagues say that he is firm, sometimes to the extent of adamancy. Others opine he is by nature a conciliator. But it was in the royal audit authority (RAA), where Dasho Kunzang Wangdi worked as auditor general, that he earned his reputation for getting results by steadfastness.

“Let’s put everything out in the open and deal with it,” he said. “What isn’t yours isn’t yours.” Audit reports were made public for the first time, a largely unpopular move at the time. How seriously does he take his job? After he became auditor general, Dasho Kunzang sold his archery set and stopped playing. “Archery meant meeting friends and making more new friends. But friendship and auditing do not go hand in hand and I thought I’d make these friends upset one day while auditing.” What kept him going? “I got used to criticism and accusations because my conscience was clear. It bothered my family more than it did me but I had to perform my duties without fear or favour.”

Dasho Kunzang Wangdi was once caught cheating in an examination in junior high school. “It taught me that hard work and following the rules would never get you in trouble,” he said. That invaluable lesson got him through high school with the highest score among Bhutanese schools in the ICS examinations in 1973. He earned an honour’s degree in Arts from St Stephen’s college in India and went to the United States in 1979 to study how to set up a merit-based civil service

in Bhutan. He worked in the department of manpower, now RCSC, the ministry of trade and industry, and the royal institute of management. By the time he became the chief election commissioner in December 2005, he had reinforced his reputation as a no-nonsense man and tough taskmaster, who wants more than business as usual. On December 17, 2008, His Majesty awarded the Druk Thuksey to the chief election commissioner for the ‘successful general elections at the start of democracy’ and for his ‘personal integrity and hard work’.

“I feel fortunate because I was at the right place at the right time,” he said. “I was given a new job for which I had to develop an interest and learn and I gave it my best. But there’s a challenge ahead of me and my colleagues to conduct future elections more professionally.” Dasho Kunzang Wangdi, now 55 years, is ready for those challenges.

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