People of all countries have the right to choose their own social system and road to development in the light of their national conditions and characteristics. Anywhere there is a choice there is always a responsibility, that has been established. Shouldn’t we be conscious in making any decision more especially choosing our leaders and our governments?
As we are in a very crucial moment for our beloved nation, The Gambia to elect in a new government comes December. Have we already established as a people what we are looking for from the presidential aspirants? It’s a nom in the Gambia for many to vote for a particular candidate based on the party he/ she comes from and never put at test the individual’s personality.
Character Matters, Character Matters, Character Matters!!!
The individuals, to whom we are entrusting our public offices must be people to be trusted, must be principled, consistent in their beliefs, must have been seen in the struggles of the people and lived same lives with them if we want them to lead us and deliver to the cries of every poor.
One of the strongest and most persistent elements in national development has been the inheritance of political traditions and usages which the new settlers brought with them. The old system of politics in the Gambia: politicking on non-essential issues as we already start seeing, politicking on tribal lines, assaults on each other’s personalities etc must not be the type of politicking to be inherited from the past into this coming election. Gambians should stand up to these politicians to only talk about programs and policies not about castigating each other or using tribal lines to further polarize our already divided society. In that, people should start settling in for people who bring programs and policies before them and conduct themselves in the best moral ways and fact check their past for consistency and respect for moral agreements as we can only have moral agreements with them learning from the recent past.
One’s dignity can be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but it can never be taken away unless it is surrendered. Leaders with true dignity can never turn away from the promises they made to their people, no circumstance can make them change even when buried at the epicentre of power, nor can they be influenced by selfish individuals. It is easy to scout out leaders of such nature; our moral, religious and political traditions are united in their respect for the dignity of human life. Self-respect is the fruit of discipline, the sense of dignity grows with the ability to say no to oneself, and how many of these politicians have ever been selfless to the interest of the people? Dignity is trained into royal children before they can toddle, graciousness, consideration for others, and an unshakable belief in the greatness of their position.
The truth is that there is only one terminal for dignity, love, and the story of love is not important; what is important is that one is capable of loving. It is perhaps the only glimpse we are permitted for eternity. The love for the country should be at test for every presidential aspirant and that’s possible in putting consideration of their characters because it definitely matters. After electing any candidate either from a party or an independent after assuming office he/she automatically becomes an executive president, the most powerful man in the country. By default, all the promises and agreements he had with the people becomes a choice for him/her to implement or not and will be protected by the constitution unless he/she grossly violate it. 2016 should be a lesson for all because we don’t put character to test.
I wish this time we will not be voting for an individual based on only the party he or she is representing but also based on his/ character because character matters
By Ousman L Camara
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