Time for Donga Mantung Politicians to Reconcile

By Fai Cassian Ndi

If being recognized as a colossus is to guarantee peace, unity and development, then politics is a good game. But when the game is played with bad players it harnesses a vanity of an ego that promotes instability, ethereal and divisive tendencies. The values turn ugly perhaps. Political analysts who  witnessed the tension and the aftermath of the 2013 Twin elections in Donga Mantung left with the passive opinion that what have the influence to alter what we coin our political "reason, vision, and or mission" is sowing a dangerous seed that when it germinates, even it promoters may not be able to harvest.

Priorities can be altered in a fraction of a second whenever men of goodwill have the interest of the people they are serving or want to serve. It can be just one single word or an action because whatever has the strength to destroy, can be used to re-build once again.

Bitterness in politics just doesn't seem to make sense; it needs no justification to exist in the 21^st century. Being lost in the "why" only clouds the ability to pass it and move on. A higher intention awakens when we get to the edge of the precipice and as the bigger picture is exposed and lies out there in front of us. (Don't be afraid to step out of the madding crowd of haters and to stay there is to sacrifice the future of the unborn, development and progress.) The more rooted in love is the higher you fly and the clarity of your duty (purpose) is transformed with good will and forever shining on.

Hate, bitterness and revenge are luxuries politicians of Donga Mantung Division have been offering since the last September 30, 2013 Municipal/ Legislative Elections.  Hatred and bitterness is doing a great deal more damage to the vessel in which it is stored (the population) than the object on which it is poured (the political opponent). I have seen many of them sitting on the table but hidden knives ready to stab the other from behind. It has generated into witch-hunting, character assassination et cetera. I have observed militants of the same political parties not Seeing Eye to eye as well as those of the opposite side. The most dangerous threat is that any action involving this or that personality is sabotaged. Yet what they do not value is that odium leads to great acrimony, which is a deadly misuse of the creative flow from above. This kind of belief is completely unproductive and especially when it is patronized by people who are or want to hold a public trust. Hatred has gradually become a poor travelling companion in Donga Mantung Division causing discrepancy and despondency.

In politics, consciousness always advocated for politicians with character and conscience, but I do not want to think that our politicians are of low political culture, immature to the point that they have been blinded not to understand the essence of it. The situation is very precarious and disturbing especially when the youth are used as toys in the upset.

In Nwa, Misaje and principally Nkambe, some politicians seem to think they can only thrive under a climate of growing political hatred. This is very dangerous, both about the growth of hatred in politics and about its danger to individuals and the polity itself. We are increasingly witnessing covet and identity politics writ the large. It has germinated everywhere to produce the political overreach (a weapon to settle scores). As it is reaching into pockets, bedrooms, private lives – it is now uncontrollable. Donga Mantung has been taken hostage by this dilemma which has no parentage in love, and claims the allegiance of today on the ignorance and blindness of the past.

Every citizen's life in this part of the division is inevitably mixed with every other citizen's life, and no matter which political party they belong, no matter what precautions they take, unless the people of the lie are humane and decent and loving, this part of the country will continue to witness underdevelopment, and to the worse character assassination, blackmail and or life becomes short. Thomas Hubbs says it all about life in the jungle, and nothing is so perfect to Hubbs’ description than the present deadlock in a padlock that always ends in a deadlock in Donga Mantung Division.

The time is now for Donga Mantung politicians to sing the song of oneness, love and forget about their political outlook and affiliations. Until that bitter pile is swallowed by the little drummers hereto comes the glory for a win-win gimmick in Donga Mantung Division which may outsmart the Santa mafia in the game.

The Eye is aware that hatred is born out of envy in excess of the opinionated successes of opponents, and of competitors. But if envy has any shape it is just the boomerang of occurrences that the population is being nurtured with and tortured in. Envy is the most ridiculous of ideas, because there is no single advantage to be gained from it. An old saying goes that "When you compare what you want with what you have, you will be unhappy. Instead, compare what you deserve with what you have and you will discover happiness." The problem is that influencer paddlers have invaded the game and turned it into the game of the mastiff. They fabricate lies, rack in rumours. They want to be what they are not, tell what they think is good for the person they have at hand and bad for the person who is not at hand. The fools themselves love to give the ear and compensations. There is the need for politicians and their supporters to realise that nothing gets you behind faster than trying to fabrications. If envy were a disease, Donga Mantung politicians would all be hospitalized forever. Frances Bacon observes that, "Envy has no holidays. It has no rest." The envy that compares us to others is foolishness.  "They are only comparing themselves with each other, and measuring themselves by themselves. What foolishness!" (2 Corinthians 10:12). Richard Evans Iin trying to decipher what could place the human mind in such an obscure behavior said, "May we never let the things we can't have or don't have spoil our enjoyment of the things we do have and can have." What makes us discontented with our personal condition is the absurd belief that others are so much happier than we are. Thomas Fuller warned, "Comparison, more than a reality, makes men happy or wretched." Hatred and envy consumes nothing but its own heart. It is a kind of admiration for those whom you least want to praise. John Chrysostorm reflected, "As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth envy and hatred consume a man." There are many roads to an unsuccessful life, but hatred and envy are among the shortest of them all. Should Donga Mantung continue on this road?

There is a common saying that you can maintain power over people as long as you give them something. But when you rob a man of everything that man will no longer be in your power. Putting brothers and sisters at loggerhead, separating homes, destroying families is on the menu in Donga Mantung. It is being consumed in an overdosed manner which may lead to an explosion of consciences. My father once told me that “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it. But the day the truth shall explode, it becomes the mortal enemy of the lie”.

For example in Nkambe, the SDF and the CPDM do not want to see each others. The hatred has escalidated into confrontation, divided homes, entered into all the drinking spots and business places; in fact is a  very dangerous tool in the hands of youths and the speed break to development.

 In Nwa, it is the CPDM against the CPDM. The two elected officials even though from the same political party are like petrol and fire. In such a situation it is the people and development that suffer to their dictates. Nwa is enjoying its fair-share.  

In Misaje, camps have been developed and have grown into full scale. The CPDM is in factions and the council has been fractionalized. Who suffers, it is the people.

The lesson from Ako has always been meaningful, though from different political parties, Hon Abe Michael and Akio Augustine, SDF Mayor of Ako won the admiration of the world when they embraced and warned that anyone who dares will suffer and not development. The promoters of political hatred we taken aback, some sank into their chairs yet, it came to past that the entire Donga Mantung Division can learn from that and reconcile themselves. Ndu and Ako may have their political wrangling but the magnitude is not that of open bitterness.

(We might have avoided names but we will spare no efforts to unmask people anytime there is any attempt by whosoever to disturb the people from reconciling themselves)

When News Breaks Out, We Break In. (The 2014 Bloggies Finalist)