Politics should be about the people and not about power

One of the most interesting questions children are always asked is, 'What do you want to be when you grow up?' I remember in my childhood days, the most common answers were: doctor, lawyer, pilot, flight attendant (we called them 'air hostesses' those days), teacher, nurse, and a host of other professions.

However, the most ambitious amongst us would say that they wanted to be the president of Zimbabwe.

I am sure achieving that goal of becoming the president would make any mother proud.

However, what would inspire anyone to aspire to become a president of a country, or other government position, such as minister, member of parliament, mayor, or councillor?

Are our motives to venture into politics noble?

I think it would be prudent to first have a quick study of the etymology of the word 'politics' itself. It is from the Greek word 'politikos', which generally translated means, 'of, for, or relating to citizens'.

Without unnecessarily delving into a long and dreary discourse on political philosophy, it is clear that politics should be about the citizens of a country.

The primary focus, therefore, of any politician would be the livelihood and welfare of the citizens of their country.

The question which then arises is: are our aspirations for political office inspired by a devotion to the improvement of the welfare and livelihood of our fellow human beings?

When we said that when we grew up we wanted to be the president of Zimbabwe, was it because we had seen the immense suffering of the people of this country, or had we been touched by the lack of books in our schools, or the inability or our parents to afford our school fees, or the months of hunger in our households as a result of our parents' unemployment or lack of remuneration?

Did we see the lack of any meaningful development in our country, or the millions of citizens who do not have access to clean, safe and potable water?

Were we moved by a strong desire to change these terrible situations by making the lives of people better, such that we decided that holding public office, such as being the president of the country, would be the best way to solve these problems?

Can any politician honestly testify that this is truly what motivated them to go into politics? Or is it something else?

With the way people's lives have not improved in this country over the past decades - if anything, standards of living have worryingly deteriorated - can we not safely say that the crop of politicians we have in power in this country are not at all the least genuinely concerned about the people's welfare?

Otherwise, how can one explain politicians' obsession with positioning themselves for power or even fighting for positions, whilst the nation burns, bleeds and dies?

One would think that a politician who is genuinely concerned about the welfare of his/her nation would sacrifice everything for the sake of the people - because that should be the only reason they got into politics in the first place.

How can one enjoy a holiday, sunbathing somewhere in the tropics - gulping down millions of taxpayers' dollars - whilst the rest of the country can not even afford a decent meal?

Admittedly, politics has, unfortunately, been perverted into a 'game' of power, authority and influence.

How can anyone play a 'game' with people's lives, especially when these 'games' result in millions of people surviving in abject poverty, destruction of industry and commerce, thousands losing their jobs, thousands more being rendered unemployable, thousands of children dropping out of school, and so much more painful suffering.

Why not play chess if these politicians are so much into games?

People's lives can never be used as chips and wagers in any game.

It reminds me of when I was still a little boy and there were these people who used to play a gambling game they called 'njuga', or something similar. Some of the players would lose so much that they would end up wagering their own wives.

Actually, a number of families were broken apart because the wife would have been taken away by the victor.

This may sound incredibly cruel, but that is exactly how our politicians are treating the people of this country.

Politics should be brought back to its original meaning, 'of, for, or relating to citizens'.

It should be about genuine love for the people - and never about a desire for power, authority and influence.

As parents, let's start creating a new breed of politicians in our children, by teaching them the real meaning of politics.

Let the real inspiration for our children to aspire to become the future president of Zimbabwe be the desire to uplift the lives of all Zimbabweans.

° Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a community activist, communications specialist, journalist, and writer. He writes in his personal capacity. He welcomes and appreciates feedback. Please call/WhatsApp: +263782283975, or email: tendaiandtinta.mbofana@gmail.com