CI-NEWS

2020 Legislative and Municipal Elections: Great expectations from newly elected MPs and Mayors of Ca

2020-03-16

No: 477

2020 Legislative and Municipal Elections: Great expectations from newly elected MPs and Mayors of Cameroon.

By Ekema Emmanuel Likine , Political Sociologist.

The twin elections held on 9 February 2020 are now history but the way forward is pregnant with a lot of anxiety and uncertainty if politicians will deliver on the numerous seductive promises they made during the campaign period. The National Assembly and our Councils are now a collection of old and new faces but the problem is not if they are new or old but if they will deliver on the expectations of the people who voted them to office. As it stands now, most politicians who don't know that the aspirations of their electorate are bigger than their personal gains, are already pricing new houses, cars, and landed property. Some are also busy adding the number of girl friends while a majority of them are already preparing luxury trips to Europe and America.

It is true that every work done merits compensation but it is sad to note that our politicians are noted for exhibiting gross greediness once they assume power. As it has always been the case, time is coming when they will start looking down on the same people who voted for them. We have often seen how politicians transform money which is meant for community development to their private investments. Dear politicians you were not voted just by your family members and children but the entire community empowered you through their votes so you can secure a better future for all and sundry. Politicians must inculcate the notion of putting in place actions that will benefit everybody because the public position they occupy is for the people and not a family business.

Politicians spend their entire time in office using Government funds to secure a better future for their kids and family members but they forget to know that the children of other people who are jobless due to bad governance or selfishness of politicians will become thieves or wayward children in general who will make life unbearable for the same politicians and their children so it is in the best interest of those in power to do everything within their competence to support a collective economic empowerment of youths. If this is not done, the young people who will be lagging behind the children and family members of politicians will constitute a permanent social hazard in the nearest future. The most important assignment of a leader is to better the lives of his or her followers and carry out a general development plan that will benefit everybody.

Members of Parliament and Mayors in particular must rise above party discipline and embrace bi-partisan actions which are geared at articulating the preoccupations of their people. The 10th Legislative period of the National Assembly that officially took off today has a glimpse of hope in the horizon owing to the impressive number of young members of Parliament. Their overwhelming presence is reassuring that Cameroon will witness a new beginning as far as grassroot representation is concerned. The clock is ticking and we the voters are watching and taking down notes to give our verdict through the ballot box in five years time.

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2020 Legislative and Municipal Elections: Great expectations from newly elected MPs and Mayors of Ca