Of tumbling in primary elections and youth participation in politics

Are we better off as hand-clappers?

It started as a promising journey. For the first time we saw the buzz and excitement amongst the youths. They refused to be made spectators but most of them wanted to be part of the game. Am talking about the road to May 2014.

A lot of youths declared their interest to challenge their way to the August house. They really wanted to go to parliament and make a difference. We all rallied behind them and touted them big. Regardless of which political party they represented but I would say it was encouraging seeing most of us teaming up to get rid of these political old guards. We believed deep down our hearts that the old team had given us a raw deal. They were not representing the wishes and aspirations of the now generation. This was the year to get read of them and so that the youths take charge of the affairs of the country.

Hey, wait a minute; we are now talking a different story all together. Most of the youths that we know tumbled during primary elections.  The question is what went wrong? Some small answers are being whispered into my mind on this one. My conclusion is that we were far away from deserving even a seat at local assembly level. We are better off as facebook hand-clappers. 

Of course I know a few who are so matured and really deserved to make it but have been frustrated by the system. In some cases the old guards were using dirty tactics just to get rid of the brilliant chaps, I have examples in mind. This was because so and so is a friend to so and so within the hierarchy of the party, or even just because the party didn’t want to loose a particular “party heavyweight” so way to go was to impose their favourite candidates on the people.

Why am I saying all this? Just take time and look at how we conduct ourselves in these facebook groups and pages. I am not afraid to touch on several nerves if I conclude that these people could have been the worst crop of parliamentarians ever. It was a pity seeing an aspiring MP clapping hands almost to nothing as long as he or she is seen to be loyal to the party. Even the words and language being displayed in these groups so pathetic. To think that these were aspiring to be accorded the title “honourable” you would be shaking your head without stopping. 

We we seem to love it like this

Most of them thought they were politicians but in actual fact they were far away from being 1. They thought by being administrators of a particular group or page that automatically made them politicians therefore qualify to make it to parliament. Others thought by uploading pictures of their party leaders was a ticket to parliament. There was a group of them who thought by calling Peter Mutharika “Matchona” Joyce Banda “wa mandasi” Lazarus Chakwera “Yona othawa ntchito ya Ambuye” and Atupele Muluzi “Bebe olira ndi mkodzo wake” that made them better politicians. Just imagine how the situation would be like had it been that these people made it to parliament? Believe you me we were seating on a ticking bomb.

If what has been displayed in these groups by aspiring members of parliament is what we have been calling “political participation” then eish! The facebook generation is really corrupting our system.

This is where I salute some brilliant young men and women that I know who have always been shining examples and really deserve to represent us in parliament from May 2014. They are so smart in their approach to issues. They display substance not arrogance. They have impacted positively on the lives of many in the country and are seen adding essence to their political parties (I have names in mind and am sure you have your names as well)

However, am afraid to say that some of these young men and women that I have discussed who wanted to be called “honourable” deserve to be limited in their political participation to facebook hand clapping. Even some of those that have won made it because people in their area were tired of the seating MPs.

It’s good that they are here now. These are the kind of politicians who could have been voting yes to anything even without securitising the merits and de-merits of their vote. They have already displayed their lack of mental power to discuss issues of national importance on the social network like facebook. All they know is cursing and swearing, making noise, uploading pictures, attacking personalities, operating pseudo accounts and name calling. 

They belong to a bunch that is bundled in pickups painted blue, orange, yellow and green, sucking masacheti while dancing and singing in praise of their leaders.