Merit Must Guide Selection Of Political Leaders

As another election gets closer, the most powerful players of democracy are the delegates who will decide on the preliminary stage at the ward and constituentcy levels.

In fact,the delegates are the most powerful as they can make and unmake the nation due to the type of representatives they choose at the constituency level for the greater mass of voters to select as a Member of Parliament (MP).

In a similar vein, delegates will decide the type of presidential material to be presented to the nation. And so delegates of the various political parties owe the nation a great deal of moral duty to make the best choices for the people on the basis of personal merit, love and commitment to national development.

In previous elections, several factors were taken into consideration before they elected the people. Some of these were monetary considerations, food, gifts and other forms of material gifts from candidates to make them win the support of delegates.

Therefore, as another election period is around the corner, some of the delegates may consider it another cocoa season to demand money or favours from ambitious politicians who at the turn of events consider their self interest first and that of their constituencies second.

It must be said that as the nation nurtured democracy into maturity, the electorate are becoming more discerning and wiser and ready to make better choices to suit the global political and economic dynamics.

Therefore if for any other thing than patriotism and personal merit, delegates make bad choices for the people it could be tantamount to mortgaging their conscience to their candidates.

How can a delegate become easily persuaded with a night in a hotel, or just a ride in a four-wheel drive with a candidate, or just a sip of whisky for the time in life, a bottle of beer, a T-shirt or a cell phone in addition to money.

Delegates become swollen headed with the empty promises of candidates and forget to assess them well.

This time around, delegates from the various political parties must not cheapen themselves to elect non-performers and spent forces, otherwise it may retard the development of the nation.

Delegates must shun candidates who only want to become representatives of the people with the view to maintaining their status quo. Merit and commitment to rural development must be the yard stick for choosing a presidential or parliamentary candidate for the people.

Article by Tim Dzamboe