Opinions of Thursday, 11 February 2016

Columnist: Hardi, Ibrahim

We lack political maturity, young politicians of our generation.

One of the pre-requisites of democracy is that people or citizens should have access to information. Though having that access should be facilitated by all political stakeholders, human rights activists and democracy promoters, I feel people should also play their part in accessing this information.

Politician and citizens alike should read more and try to understand where we are coming from as a country in terms of our democratisation and political development. Reading and understanding these elements helps politicians to grow their political maturity and help citizens to understand and read between the lines. Young politicians should always learn from our history and what is happening in all political parties.

Young politicians should do their best to learn from yesteryear politics. Aided by what is happening today, political maturity will come along if no emotions or misleading spirits are not entertained. One thing I would also like to highlight is that overestimating oneself by mostly young politicians can bring about doom to some. Learning as much as you can will help you grow. Remember you are just a stone which is connected to other stones.

What we lack is maturity among our young or whom I may term as politicians of our generation. They are easily moved by selfish motives and emotions. Once you have people who behave like this just know that your future political leadership is mostly going to be doomed. That’s why I have always said that reading politics is very important. This is not only for politicians but also for young voters. Try to follow what has been happening in the last five to fifteen years or so. Try to understand what lead to what and what was the outcome of an individual or group action. Learn from this and you will see that you will make a good politician or citizen who is not going to be cheated.

If you where not active or you did not know what was happening probably you were young try to read and ask questions. People will always look smarter than you are because they read regardless who is writing. You have to understand that people get exited for nothing because they know very few people read to understand our politics, development and simple economic happenings.

I can promise you a lot has happened in the last 15 years. People have left and formed parties but nothing has changed. People thought they were popular that if they left a named party they will win elections. For argument’s sake for those who were not there or for those who started following politics because of social media,let reason with our minds and not our hearts.

Ibrahim Hardi,contact 0208235615,Email: bigkolaaya@yahoo.com