Politics: Service to Self or Humanity?
Politics: Service to Self or Humanity?
Undoubtedly, this is the season of politics and until May 29 when, hopefully, there would be a smooth transition from one administration to another, we still have to talk about politics and politicians.
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Many times and in different contexts, politicians have referred to themselves as “Public servants” depicting with such phrases that they are merely servants who serve the public or messengers to be sent around.
During campaigns and in manifestos, we listen to these “public servants” sell themselves to us with cool voices, salient phrases, captivating sentences! They use idioms, proverbs and even religious verses all in the bid to unlock our trusting but vulnerable hearts.
Some say to us: “I could have succeeded greatly in my business, but I chose service to humanity at the detriment of my personal interests.” I heard another saying, “my personal business has suffered greatly because of my involvement in politics.”
The message we get is of people not satisfied with their positions in the government. People who are forced to vie for posts and leave their “personal businesses,” people who would testify before God if they lose elections. Yet what we see is different.
We see men and women who would do anything to be in power, politicians who happily crush toes in the process of vying for these posts ‘forced’ upon them. Men and women, who smear their names just to be politically appointed. Still they claim “service to humanity.”
Does service to humanity imply depriving those you claim to serve their dividends of democracy? Do our public servants even remember those they are representing once in the Green or Red chambers? Does it ever occur to them that they are sitting on that single seat only because there is no room for plenty on that chair? Apparently, most do not know these things – their service to humanity claim is actually a service to self.
Now their campaigns have brought them our way again and they are screaming:
“I donated chairs and tables for the Community Primary school!”
“I empower many youths with handiworks every year,” and the gist is “I will do more if re-elected”
Wait, why are we liable to vote? Isn’t it because we are of age and know our rights? Obviously, our servants do not know these facts for if they do, they would also be aware that we are privy to the constitution and we know that huge sums are being released quarterly into each constituency collected by our representatives: meant to be used for empowerment programs, local infrastructures, poverty alleviation at the grass roots, and so on. But they call it our dividend of democracy.
What do we get? In most cases, nothing and in some cases, little…then they even brag over the little.
When should we expect proper representation and true service to humanity? We want that time to be NOW. For our voices to be heard in the quiet of the green and red chambers, even as we sit in our rooms. For our pleas to be heard. Even as only one person speaks for us.
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