BEYOND POLITICS: A Power Monger

Braamfontein, Johannesburg.SA.

IN 2011, over 2,000,000 Egyptians gathered for days at Cairo governorate’s square El-Tahrir, the center stage of the Egyptian Revolution bringing Hosni Mubarak’s government to a grinding halt. This is following his 29-year-reign as head of office. 

The result of the forthright collective voice was remarkable and through the revolution. Egypt finally held democratic elections to replace Mubarak and Mohamed Morsi was elected president. Today, this is referred to a power monger or clinging to power.

 

Since 2011, Africa has experienced ups and downs in terms of politics via ballot box. The simmering political situation in a tiny country in the Great Lakes region is a reminder to all that we should learn from brothers and sisters in Burundi. 

Since their president Pierre Nkurunziza was returned to power for a third term by a limited pool of voters, over 400 deaths in a political violence have been reported and more than 200,000 Burundians have fled to neighbouring countries. 

Not long ago, Tanzanian president, John Magufuli showed Africa and the world that there are leaders who have interest of their people at heart. He is the shining example, long may it last. 

Magufuli rejected of what he considers unnecessary excesses that left many Tanzanian in awe. This includes scrapping first class travel by government officials, expensive parties and offering universal education free of charge to children. He has also diverted money from parliamentary parties to hospitals.  

In his previous job as Ministry of Public Works, he was widely praised for overseeing major projects worth millions without being implicated in corruption; it comes to a matter of political will and vision. This is the face of the leaderships that Africa needs. 

Even though, tough time ahead in African politics but this is what achievers do, they break through tough time to shine. It is barely three months into the New Year and already political storm is tearing our continent asunder.

More than a third of the African’s 54 countries will conduct polls which, therefore, see a busy continent in electoral democracy stakes. Therefore, elections are very important in carrying a particular weight and serve as a yardstick for advancing electoral democracy but political leaders are missing a point.        

In Uganda, a divided opposition struggled to unseat Yoweri Museveni in February elections after his three decades in office since he took over from IDI AMIN, a former tyrant, who died in exile in Saudi Arabia, a man who became known as the “Butcher of Uganda” for brutal, despotic rule that killed thousands of people. He seized power in a military coup in 1971 and ruled Uganda for eight years. 

Now president Museveni will now be among the top four longest-serving Presidents in Africa, includes Zimbabwean president Robert Mugabe, Angola’s Jose Ewardo do Santos, Teodor Obaing Nguema Mbasongo of Equotrial Guinea and Dennis Sassou Nguesso.   

Martin Van Burren said a man to be a sound politician and in any degree useful to his country must be governed by higher and steadier considerations than those of personal sympathy and private greed.
Politicians should pay a large amount of attention to the electorates who give them jobs by voting for them; hence they supposed to respect and realize the will of the people. Indeed they should promote and protect the public interest in relations to the executive.

This marries to the statement of Steven Motale, an editor of The Citizen newspaper, who said crowd-pleasing is one of the most potent tools in the hands of opportunistic and manipulative individuals with uncontrollable ambition for political power.

Political vultures or political hyenas should be prevented from governing the country and leaders who have exposed several such dodgy characters and ruthless demagogues don’t deserve to serve also which is tip out to the head of states that are trying every trick in the book, including violence; alter their constitution to extend their own stays in power beyond two terms.

Africa needs to follow example set by Tanzanian services via integrity as they say to give real service you add something that cannot be bought or measured with money and that is sincerity and integrity. 

Mostly, political parties have sold the lie that the role and power of citizens begins and ends at elections time. Outside of elections, political parties have been raining to do as they please, to abandon the wares they sold to their supporters during campaigning time.

Now, for how long electorates has been loafing, thinking it was just enough to vote and leave all else to politicians as if these politicians act from a sense of selflessness and goodwill.

It is the same reason why many voters think voting won’t pilot to leadership change; some believe that elections are rigged. Others argue that the country’s leadership has failed to improve their lives hence NO need to vote, which could have not had an impact on the quality of life.

There is still no adequate healthcare, people’s income have not improved and unemployment is still problematic but then elections always retain the some old leadership and has made some people SEE voting as waste of time.

Lastly, I appeal on behalf of the majority to the world leaders, governments, politicians and political parties to consider the electorates and hear their CRY.  After all, derive your privileged positions and authority from the electorates.

The AUTHOR is Student Journalist, An Activist and Advocate,

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