Tainted Political Leadership: Weeping Nations

You could wonder whether we have rogue political leaders in my country but I think contrary. I hold mutual accountability in all aspects but that’s just me, keeping check to ensure that we are all implementing our roles within the prescribed frames.

Ones I mentioned that politics is like a cup of coffee or tea that we do seep daily to begin our day. The realms and scope of operation is what differs. We exercise politics in all our operations; in the mind and even in our homes to ensure things operate in the required manner. National politics is lately turning to be interesting calling for the need to re-look at what defines politics especially for my friends who have been in a political science class. While majority of the countries are beginning to run on their feet after liberation and independence gained in the early 20th century, there seems to be an urge to crawl back into the doings of the time. The fierce politics exercised during that time was one called for and tolerated for the purpose of national independence, and technically, no country is going back into that era and those chapters have been closed and a repeat of the same is nearly impossible. The well written international binding documents have put in place measures to ensure no country regresses to the same either as an oppressor or oppressed. It is a well written history worth to be archived and places as monument in historical sites for the purpose of celebration of national sovereignty

As one of the countries that uphold multi-party democracy, there is need to re-orient the masses on the what political leadership is – having followers who believe in you and your ideologies because you have a common goal or purpose to be archived not for self but for national interest. Those in government need to be reminded that they have a manifesto which prescribed what must be implemented within the term they are in office as this is the promise made to the common citizens by ruling political party. While the above is the case, the opposition leaders also need to be reminded that they are like watch-dogs who have the direct access and power to hold the government accountable. The methodology they employ should be firm and tolerant to protect the interest of the people and not to succumb to the illegal operations.

That said all is only well when the citizens are also in support of their leaders. When instability arises, it is no peculiar thing to witness different communication modalities exercised by the people as most of this is usually stipulated in the constitution. A government with an active opposition whose leadership and integrity is ‘impeccable’ is likely to achieve great strides in development even with meagre resources.

National accountability to a common citizen needs to be reflected by quick action by the government to restore normalcy especially when things are getting out of hand. It is not normal for any country to have children not going to school, it is not normal for any country to have high cost of living that is not affordable leading to disruption in provision of basic needs, it is not normal for any country to have unaffordable primary health care which is not accessible, not adequate and inappropriate. While the ‘abnormal’ seems to be ‘normal’ in my country, this can only mirror high level of corruption with the cessation of leadership and integrity principles. High levels of corruption have deeply been engraved into all sectors leading to power struggles and leaders tend to build both direct and indirect political dynasties and high levels of nepotism for the purpose of eon legal ‘protection’.

It chokes when in the current 21st centuries people still experience political assassination and gagging of the media to curb accountability. It chills when in the current technological and development era basic needs cannot be met by more than 50% of majority of the populace. I lament when there are no attempts to change the hand-out mentality due to overdependence on ‘donor’ money and slavery loans. It’s not politics as usual when rulers who have been on the throne for decades have failed to raise the common citizens even to the bare minimal of the basic requirement.

From an entrepreneurial lens I am told that if a business idea fails for more than three years after trial, then change the tactic or do away with the idea. It’s time for a new approach, and I believe there should not be much gamble or shame in selecting the alternative strategy and obviously without clothing the current strategy in the name of change