BY JOSEPH SOBOKA
At different eras, different statesmen come up with some kind of vision for the progress of their country. The visions could be in line with or counter to the interests of the public. It takes quite strong and discerning mind to differentiate one from the other.
In their surface value, all systems seemingly appear similar in their formation and are equally useful for the people. The dominant ideas, probably from the eighteenth century to the present are capitalism and communism, each vying to win and conquer the world to its side by its political and/or economic influence.
Leaders claim to stand for the best interest of their people by adopting capitalism, communism, or any other systems that have been at loggerheads for centuries. Some leaders, genuinely or not, believe that both (capitalism and communism) can peacefully co-exist, but others say that there will be inevitable conflict in which one liquidates the other and comes victorious.
For any nation to thrive, stability plays a crucial role. And one of the defining characteristics of a stable government is free and fair elections are held at regular intervals and the head of state/government does not tenaciously cling to power after his term of presidency is over. He can run for the second term provided that he is able to win the confidence and acceptance of the people.
On the other hand, the leader might have personal, self-seeking, and ambitious vision in the name of the people regardless of their interest. Frankly speaking, there might be nothing in it for the people. The people stand by and watch how the so-called leader enjoys the fruits of their labor on his behalf.
For instance, during the struggle for independence against colonialism, the freedom fighters used the people to enhance their vision of the future prosperous and strong Africa; the people sacrificed so much to achieve the vision laid down by their war lords, the name that proved more-true after independence.
But, these war lords eventually subjected their subjects to ethnical division in which many lost their lives simply by committing themselves to further the clandestine ambitions of the president or a group to remain in power. Until very recently, this crafty maneuver of people’s interest was apparent in many countries including ours.
Even after the death of the leaders with evil visions, those who replaced them, filled with the same spirit, are often heard committing themselves to pursue and further the atrocious vision.
The story of people who won their freedom on battle fields and negotiating tables, only to discover that their white colonial masters are replaced by black neocolonial masters who are more concerned with personal power and wealth than national development is rather disheartening. The greedy groups even today know that they do not remain forever.
The colonials designed the scenario of ethnic conflicts for disaster, and their puppets seem to be trying their best to fulfill it: calamity waits within arms-reach, obvious of the masters’ potential strength.
Due to such chaotic situation, economies are collapsing; and because of the migration of the rural productive force to cities, and even locust invasion, food production is declining. On top of these, population is alarmingly growing like weed-seed turned loose in a garden. In Ethiopia, the government fell at the whim of illiterate and disgruntled despots in the real sense for nearly three decades when prisons were over crowded by innocent victims; this was the vision that some mentally-drained, devil incarnate leaders committed themselves to further it.
Such system has driven millions from their homeland to rot in foreign refugee camps, in prisons and others to be underground. The more vociferous the African leaders are, which was more so with ours, about democracy, the more oppressive they turn out to be. They discuss much about the fast development of the country only to be more misunderstood for there is nothing that validates their empty rhetoric.
The irony of it that the more these leaders try to misguide the people’s mind, the more absolute poverty, instead of declining, is likely to gain ground. So how in the world can the vision of such perverse leaders is adhered to and be furthered? Such had been the situation in Ethiopia until a little more than two years ago.
In the middle of much uncertainty, there is a lot being done to alleviate the problem caused by the fatalistic legacy of the previous government – the government that little cared for the people it professes to serve; it was all lip service, and nothing else.
Abreast of this, to further elucidate the situation, Martin Luther King had a genuine dream, mobilizing millions of black Americans and peacefully voiced his demand and won the liberty of his people from the whites’ bondage. He fought for the rights of his people to the extent of being assassinated by the supporters of slavery policy. Owing to the blessed struggle against the tide of human degradation, the blacks have since then been able to raise their heads and walk upright like other American citizens.
Many have followed suit to further the valid dream of their revolutionary leader to firmly plant the objective achieved. Also the situation here in our country was entirely contrary to the normal trend of the issue that is consciously designed for the benefit of the people without any ulterior motive attached to it.
Yet, if things are right and normal, people feel rest assured and wholeheartedly support the vision and go with it all the way and willingly pay any sacrifice that it demands.
In such or democratic system judiciary is independent of the control of executive and legislature. In a stable government, the leaders have no chance of twisting the arms of the law for their own interest. The people trust the government without reservation since they believe that all are equal in the eye of the law and justice is fairly served for all.
To further such a positively motivated strength of the law, the people unreservedly rally behind their leader, as it is evident now in Ethiopia. Furthermore, they do not shun politics for fear of its repercussion if anything goes wrong; nothing can go wrong with something established on love and trust of the people. In such circumstance, there is an increased participation of people in political processes.
They willfully yield themselves to it and contribute anything they think can enhance the development of the country. After all, politics is a state as organized group of citizens to undertake the general business of the country with credibility.
There should not be self-seeking motivation in any person that comprises the state. The revelation is such that all the members are in that position to further the interest of the people, not their own. They are in that position to serve, not to be served; no wonder that their dreams are supported and upheld by their followers.
It is not surprising if the people angrily go out into the street to denounce things that threaten the stability the system they support and depend on. Placed on the same wavelength with their leader, they work hard day and night to maintain the unity, peace and security of their motherland.
The freedom of speech and expression assured so much that they do not refrain from publicly commending the strength of the leadership and constructively point out the shortcomings or the weaknesses that are observable.The tragedy related to this situation is that some elements take the advantage of the freedom and unfairly ridicule everything without solid ground and even raising arms to thwart the noble cause.
As much as the wrong vision of the previous tyrants furthered, the current genuine leadership should unreservedly be supported by all. The policy intent on enhancing the wellbeing of the people should be furthered joyfully. Let us all forget the bad past and stretch out to the good future. Then the preferred future with little difficulty will present itself. Rise and start the good race!
The Ethiopian Herald December 12/2020
