Maravi

Mask no failures, difficulties

Mask no failures, difficulties
By Editor
Sunday January 13, 2008 [03:00]

One can get tired listening to government pronouncements that are never implemented. But we shouldn't get tired of listening. We should listen and hold our politicians accountable for what they say, for their pronouncements and declarations. We have to continue demanding delivery on the promises or pronouncements our politicians make.

Many things are easier said than done and many politicians are very eager to announce, pronounce and declare things but when it comes to implementation it's a different thing. Many will promise you heaven and tell you that they are driving you on the path to heaven and it's just a matter of time before you get there when they are actually not even on the route or anywhere near purgatory.

We can understand Zambia Congress of Trade Unions president Leonard Hikaumba's frustrations with government pronouncements that are never implemented. But it is better for our politicians to at least make such pronouncements than to keep quiet. If they open their mouths and promise to do something, it's easier to hold them accountable against their own words than if they had said nothing. If we can't hold them against their own words, what would be the situation if they had said nothing? How would we hold them accountable against nothing when we can't hold them on what they have said or promised? But of course we should by now know that our politics is full of sweet nothings. Everything is made to look good.

Very few of our politicians have the courage of their responsibilities, exacting from others a proper respect for their work and properly respecting the work of others. They should learn to hide nothing from the masses of our people. We should teach them to tell no lies. We should expose their lies whenever they are told. We should not allow them to mask any difficulties, mistakes, failures. And above all, we should not allow them to claim easy victories.

What is seriously lacking among our politicians is the spirit of criticism and self-criticism. Honest politicians should not fear criticism because the truth is on their side, and the basic masses are on their side. We are looking forward to a day when our politicians will courageously shoulder their responsibilities and overcome all difficulties, fearing no setbacks or gibes, no hesitating to criticise that which needs to be criticised. Conscientious practice of self-criticism will be a hallmark distinguishing honest politicians from crooks. We should understand that the main task of criticism is to point out political and organisational mistakes. If we base all our actions on the highest interests of the broadest masses of our people and are fully convinced of the justice of our cause, we will never balk at any personal sacrifice and we will never be reluctant to discard any idea, view point, opinion or method which is not suited to the needs of our people.

We must not become complacent over any success. We should check our complacency and constantly check our shortcomings, just as we should wash our faces or sweep the floor every day to remove the dirt and keep them clean.
As for criticism, let's learn to do it in good time; and not get into the habit of criticising only after the event.

Taught by mistakes and setbacks, we should have become wiser and be better placed to handle our affairs in a more effective, efficient and orderly manner. It is hard for any organisation or person to avoid mistakes, but we should make as few as possible. Once a mistake is made, we should correct it, and the more quickly and thoroughly the better.

What worries us most is the fact that whenever our leaders, especially the President, make a speech it's full of nothing but self-exaltation about what has been achieved. Failures are not talked about. If they are talked about at all, it is in reference to others.

We would like to see a day when the President addresses Parliament and in his address there is a long catalogue of the failures of his government and he openly takes responsibility for that. We are not suggesting this to humiliate the President or anyone else for that matter. We are saying this because the attitude - that is to say, the seriousness or purpose - of any government or organisation should be, or is, measured, basically, by the attitude it takes towards its own mistakes, failures or weaknesses. Of course, enemies or political opponents are always alert to know what those mistakes, failures or weaknesses are. But when these errors, mistakes or failures are not subjected to self-criticism, enemies or political opponents take advantage of them. When those errors or mistakes are made and are subjected to self-criticism, they may be used by the enemy or political opponent, but in a very different way. This is because in the former case, they would not be corrected and in the latter they would be. That is why our politicians should take a forthright and serious attitude towards their errors, mistakes or failures. We should always be analyzing all that has been done, good things that have been done and also the errors that have been made and the failures that have been recorded.

Admitting mistakes or failure is not a weakness; it doesn't reduce or diminish a person's integrity; it actually increases it. And integrity is the most valuable and respected quality of any leader. But of course, one has to always keep his word to continue being respected. And respect is important because it is the key determinant of high performance leadership. Let us not forget that sometimes we fail because of incorrect assumptions that lie at the root of our actions. And if we have the courage of self-criticism, we will be able to test our assumptions. It should never be forgotten that any great achievement is preceded by many difficulties and many lessons; great achievements are not possible without them. So it is ridiculous to pretend all is well and we are only scoring one success after another, no failures or mistakes. This is what seems to be the case with our politicians.

It is for this reason that people like Hikaumba are getting tired with speeches or pronouncements that appear to never be implemented. Let us not forget that words have a longer life than deeds. And sometimes a speech is no more than a device for saying nothing - and a neater one than silence. Words are chameleons, which reflect the colour of their environment.

Labels: JOYCE NONDE, LEONARD HIKAUMBA, ZCTU

posted by MrK @ 4:14 AM