Do we deserve our leaders?
by Nevanji MadanhireThis week’s episode with Jerry Nyazungu hit home an issue which has the power to transform
Zimbabwe: We must realise that we can make progress in our personal circumstances in
spite of the suffocating power of politicians. But because of our disempowering
obsession with outsourcing our agency over our lives to politicians, we relinquish this
power. We – meaning you and l, working first on ourselves and then bringing out the best in us
to serve each other and this nation – possess tremendous power. Awakening the pure
giants in each of us is the dynamo that will transform our societies. Political saviours
are a myth especially if they are by nature products of our brokenness and imperfect
political landscapes. Politicians are very likely to disappoint when we overly look up
to them for salvation. Young Tashinga
Bvekerwa alluded to the same issue observing how this country would change if
each one of us made a deliberate decision each day to give our best even in these
difficult times. There is absolutely nothing that would stand against our collective
better angels. Nothing!! Granted, politicians are pivotal in creating the enabling environment that powers private
enterprise, freedom and prosperity. But the leaders we elect reflect something of the
people who elect them into government and, this is equally true with opposition. This is precisely the point Joseph de Maistre was at pains to make when he said: “In a
democracy, the people end up with the government and leaders they deserve.” The
cumulative effect of our choices, the environment, and the laws that we allow or
tolerate produce those who lead us. A friend recently told me of the harassment commuters experience from omnibus touts. I
asked if the ruling party and the opposition were involved and his answer was negative.
It is now in our genes to be selfish, inconsiderate and downright abusive and rude to
each other. Last week I bought a new copy of The Highway Code to be clear that I was not going mad in
thinking that we all cannot drive. I was relieved to discover that there is nothing
wrong with my understanding of the rules of the road. The executive summary of the code
states: “You are required to know your traffic laws. To disobey them is a betrayal of
the trust that Society placed in you when you were authorised to share the roads with
others.” Few seem to know these rules, or they elect to disobey the code with impunity
or simply don’t care. To make matters worse, the police have given up on enforcing the
code and thus allow pure chaos to flourish on our roads. The politicians we elected and
those in opposition don’t consider this matter important. This is not surprising considering that all our politicians don’t care about law and
order in their political parties. They don’t give a hoot about constitutions as they see
rules as stumbling blocks to unfettered power. On the other hand, we also clearly want
unfettered power on our roads and our neighbourhoods. Municipal by-laws have been
jettisoned all across the land and it is survival of the cleverest and well connected. We are all complicit in this race to the bottom. We thus deserve the leaders we have at
local and national level, in government and opposition. But we can do better than this.
We certainly deserve better. Let us level up and find those who represent our highest
aspirations. Let us search for those who will ensure our roads and our communities are
beautiful and safe. Let us find those who represent the best in us in government and
opposition. Active and engaged citizens, a vibrant civil society and a strong opposition
are critical to good governance and a vibrant society. | 
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