AFRICAN POLITICS, A GOOD EXAMPLE OF BUSINESS

Dear Editor,

POLITICS can be defined differently by different scholars but all definitions border on activities associated with the governance of a country or area.

It can also imply activities aimed at improving someone’s condition or increasing power within an organisation.

While a business can be defined as a commercial activity whose interest is mostly related with generating profit, in business, people look for ventures that would generate them more profits and not ventures that would have them see another doing fine based on one’s ideologies.

Interestingly and well noted, Africa has in the recent years experienced mushrooming crop of politicians whose aim leaves much to be desired.

It is now very difficult to differentiate between a businessman and an African politician because all aim at making profits from their investments than seeing their people gain firm positions in society.

At a time of campaigns politicians behave like marketers who will do everything in their power to have you buy their product or services and leave you to handle all other related problems that come with it after leaving without providing an after sale service.

A lot of questions are left unanswered. What is the difference between politics in Africa and business, when both ideologists strive to gain profits from their initial investments?

When are we going to develop our way of politics into politicking that benefits masses and not ourselves who hold public offices?

Why do we see most rich and well to do businessmen wanting to go into politics when in-fact their current income surpasses that of a public officer?

It is a very clear indication that politics in Africa is now becoming a good example of business whose capital is deceit, selfishness and greedy.

Public office is seen as a business venture not to serve the masses but themselves that hold such offices.

People can sacrifice all but their leaders are not for the masses but for their own good and glory.

The voice of a poor man that is heard and cries out for development during campaigns, is left hanging waiting for the next possibility of replacing the current politician that could not deliver on his/her promises.

Could that be the reason why Africa has remained poor? Could that be the reason why most businessmen would do anything to befriend politicians in our societies?

Could that be the reason why we see people leaving their respective much income based jobs and or businesses just to become politicians?

All these questions have remained unanswered by a poor, vulnerable and poverty stricken member of the society in Africa.

What an Africa we have become and made for ourselves, a land where Westerners come and are allowed to fish out gold and other precious minerals, a right that is very hard to be granted a fellow African and all to the benefit of them that holds public offices.

There is no doubt African politics is a good example of business. Cry my Africa for your lost glory! Cry mother Zambia. And God bless Zambia.

JOACHIM P