Beyond Bickering

There is a new fad in town. Those who are charged with ensuring a better life and livelihood for majority of the citizens have found a new hobby aside from primitive acquisition of wealth. They now have to blow their personal trumpets loudly from the rooftops of the government houses and legislative chambers for the whole world to hear,

and if their political enemies or antagonists hear them loud and clear, the better. In recent times, past and present chief security officers of some states,

their counterparts in other states and top officials in the legislative chambers have thrown jibes, accusations and counter-accusations at each other, with

their executive brickbats and diatribes avidly showcased on the pages of national dailies and in the social media space. All these exchanges, which are yet to tail off, have combined with egos

of the gladiators to push focus on delivery of democratic dividends and good governance to the back seat.

Even though some of the bickering among these top government officials have had to do with development projects and their continuity, transparency and accountability, insecurity and corruption, security votes and good governance records, one thing is clear. And that is the fact that such ego battles and mundane exchanges (which are ea-

gerly snapped up by the print media as juicy gossip for sensational headlines) have not portrayed the combatants in the best of lights.

Top public officials are expected to set the standard in decorum in office,

and their roles are servant-leaders are expected to take precedence over personal egos.

Good governance goes beyond executive bickering, and the electorates know those who are actually delivering on their campaign promises. That should be the minimum yardstick for the leaders.... simple truth