It’s difficult for one who has soiled himself to stand up and leave while everyone is watching.

But without standing up to leave and clean oneself the mess won’t disappear. And the humiliation won’t go away. It’s only by stand up to clean oneself that the humiliation disappears, goes away.

Similarly, politicians who have abused their public offices, who have stolen from their people and have been tyrannical have serious difficulties leaving power.

They invariably seek to perpetuate themselves in power. They seek to change constitutions and give themselves more years in power. They are never ready to leave. They try to persuade and convince everyone that only them can govern well, without them there will be chaos in the nation – only them are God chosen to lead.

Corrupt and tyrannical politicians work against the nation’s best interests to hold onto power.

There are two sides to political leadership. On the positive side, great political leaders can make a big difference in the nation. They can inspire fellow citizens to share a vision and to work together to achieve great national things. On the negative side, there are comforts that come with political leadership roles including higher salaries, respect, and other perks and even possible abuses. So, when someone attains a political leadership role, they are reluctant to give it up.

Unfortunately, the behaviors that some politicians may engage in to hold onto a political leadership role once they have it can seriously undermine national interest and well being.

When politicians had a political leadership strategy focused on keeping themselves in power in perpetuity, they limited the development of a new leadership to replace them to avoid being challenged. So, political leaders protected their position from the most threatening fellow citizens when they felt they could lose their position.

In this case, leaders with a desire to cling onto power would isolate the most talented fellow party members or citizens from everyone else. Those not seeking to cling onto power would allow alternative leadership to develop.

Politicians who are prone to want to protect their power will engage in behaviors that promote their own interests over those of the nation in cases where their continued hold on power is in jeopardy.

These tendencies are likely to influence even more well intentioned political leaders, and so they provide a tendency that political leaders need to overcome to ensure that they act in the best interests of their people and country.

Fred M’membe

Garden Compound, Lusaka