By Moses Wawah Onapa
Every type of politics could be addressed from the point of view of leaders trying to survive. We have started a trend of replacing fallen politicians with their children. A move I anticipate that it is calculated in a broader way as the recipient might not be the ones winning the elections right now (sons or daughters of fallen heroes) but a big beneficiary is on the way to capture the top state power.
States don’t have interests. People do. Amidst all the debate about national interest, President Kennedy similarly fretted that if he took no action in what became the Cuban missile crisis, he would be impeached and the Democrats would pay a heavy price in the 1962 midterm election.
National interest might have been on his mind, but his personal political welfare was front and centre. The prime mover of interests in any state (or corporation for that matter) is the person at the top—the leader. So we started from this single point: the self-interested calculations and actions of rulers are the driving force of all politics.
The calculations and actions that a leader makes and takes constitute how he/she governs. And what, for a leader, is the “best” way to govern? The answer to how best to govern: however, is necessary first to come to power, then to stay in power, and to control as much national (or corporate) revenue as possible all along the way. Why do leaders do what they do? To come to power, to stay in power and, to the extent that they can, to keep control over money.
In Africa, after amassing wealth, we tend not to be secure and look for all available avenues to keep on top with securing our interests at the forefront. I have no problem with this school of thought but my fear is the trend we are taking as current in the way of electing replacements for the fallen heroes and heroines.
All the sons and daughters elected to our August house replacing their parents have not shown up in any heated debate so far, are we benefitting in rightful representation? NO
Couldn’t we see the trend that shall land this country into havoc especially if the fallen hero had deviant children?? Won’t the dimwits start to plan their way to the August house by plotting against their parents for they are studying the trend?
We can save this country by correct voting, not condolence vote for when the Hansard is visited, most of those who won by condolence vote have not performed well or at all because they went there without any manifesto rather than excitement.
The writer, Moses Wawah Onapa is a senior educationist and a social commentator
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