The mistake
that some Malawian politicians made after Barack Obama’s 2008 victory was to
look at the triumph in regards to his age.
This became
evident due to the coincidence that we were having our own elections a year
later and many people took Obama as their platform of achieving their political
ambition.
“Vote for me
because I am young”
They really
tried to use their age, nothing else, as bait. Though several young people were
voted, it still remains a waiting game whether we have had and will see an
Obama in any aspect within our political sphere.
As we
approach another period of political campaigning for the 2014 Elections others
are dusting the same old script.
“I am young
so I will make a good President”
Really?
Again?
I wonder
where you get all this misplaced logic.
People are
not looking for the “young” in a presidential candidate. People are looking for
achievers with appealing track records.
Yes Obama
was relatively young in 2008 but that’s not all there is to his CV.
The Obama
you imitate is a Harvard graduate and he served as President of the Harvard Law
Review.
The Barack
you adore was a community organizer and taught law at some prestigious
University in Chicago.
BO (not his
dog but him) served for three consecutive terms in the Illinois Senate before
he set eyes on other bigger engagements.
When he lost
bid for the US House of Representatives in 2000, Obama never quit. He stood
smart and waited for another chance which came four years later.
If one quits
in the middle of anything then Obama is surely not the best comparison.
Obama never
quits. (It was only Marijuana he quit smoking long ago)
And there
has been talk of following in the footsteps of British Prime Minister, David
Cameron aged 46. He too did not win because of his age but performance and
astuteness. A first class honours degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics
(PPE) from Oxford, Cameron can surely not be measured on his age alone.
After
college he patiently and humbly worked for the Conservative Party in their Research
Department and became an adviser to Norman Lamont (a former Chancellor of
Exchequer) and Michael Howard (Leader of the party)
Cameron
served first before people noticed him.
What about
his 7-year stint at Carlton Communications and his defeat in his first go at
Parliament in 1997?
Just like
Obama, Cameron never quit and four years later he was elected MP.
From there
he was moved to the front benches and later on made a name as he was part of
the coordination team for the 2005 campaign for the Conservatives.
His party
lost the election yes but Cameron’s leadership skills had been well tested. So
it was not surprising when in the same year he won the leadership of the party.
One thing is
for sure, Cameron rose through the ranks of the party and they recognized him
along the way.
Nothing
artificial, nothing shrewd, nothing forced.
Do you still
doubt that age alone cannot be the barometer? Give me any
name of a young President and I will tell you the story behind him or her.
Don’t you
dare mention 38-year old Andrei Rajoelina of Madagascar. His is a story too
hard and twisted to comprehend.
From being a young
DJ in the clubs of Antananarivo he ventured into events organizing. His turn
around came in 2001 when Mark Ravalomanana won the Presidency. Rajoelina being
a shrewd young entrepreneur befriended Ravalomanana’s daughter and it is rumoured
that the two were having an affair. Within that period he became mayor of the
capital, Antananarivo.
As Mayor he went
into a professional and political confrontation with Ravalomanana, a crisis
that saw the latter losing his Presidency.
The military
played a part in the transfer of power from Mark to Andrei in 2009.
Though he
messed up the finances as Mayor, Rajoelina would still boast of running a
public institution besides his personal enterprises. He is not only young, he
is courageous enough to face tough situations including bullets and teargas
during his confrontation with Mark.
We can go on
and on and on but my humble advice to those who intend to run for the Presidency
in Malawi.
Don’t use
age alone as your platform. Show us where you are coming from and what you have
achieved along the way.
Don’t look
at the age of Obama and Cameron, these guys possess traceable and sound
credentials and rose through the ranks smoothly.
Take your
time to learn from the party about its philosophies and varying dynamics. Don’t
allow to be pushed into something you are not ready for. Rise naturally and make
meaningful impact.
Malawians are
not ready to change nappies of their President. NO.
You might be
young but do you have the guts?
Running
government is serious business.
Unfortunately, the achievers with a proven track record hardly offer themselves as candidates. Or they run brief-case parties and perenially remain with less than 1% suffrage. Indeed too many of them are satisfied with perching in the gallery and making wise comments, letting second-best options to run the show.
ReplyDeleteTrue Martin, but that does not give us the audacity to vote in those without sound track records to run the country. I would rather have a 102 year old man or woman with a good CV run the country than an empty 35 year old. Thanks for commenting and keep reading.
ReplyDeleteAbout a week or so ago, I had an argument with a friend over the same issue. Youth alone is no qualification for public office; a proven track record matters more.
ReplyDeleteYou are right Chatonda, we cannot sacrifice the future of our nation on the altar of immature ego. Let us not deny it, the elderly are the pillar of our society because they have lived and seen it all. Let us stay on alert and not give room to ambitions that will take us nowhere. Thanks for commenting, keep reading
ReplyDelete