Politics: The sublime art of deception

I was quite attracted to, and even amused by, a video clip received through social media a few days ago about a Congolese lawyer and activist Patrice Loch Otieno Lumumba, lambasting politicians in his country who abandon their promises like discarded husks after the harvest. In that video, he was pictured delivering the following address, with just a couple of my own observations:

“You know, sometimes, and many are those times, when I read the story in the Bible and I read about Jesus of Nazareth and I wrap my mind about his humility. I hear him many times saying that he did not come to be served but he came to serve.

Then I look at our leaders who when they are seeking to serve us, when they are seeking our support, they are humility personified. They kiss babies, they go to the shibins, they drink from dirty cups, they walk on bare feet, they smile with us, take photos with everybody, they discard their security, all to show their humility personified in themselves. They speak the language that we want to hear, they do the things that they think we want to see them do, they delude us, they cheat us, and somehow make us accept that they are our leaders.

But immediately they get what they want and they get power, oh…, they have a reverse polyline conversion. If they were Paul, they go back to being Saul. We can no longer recognise them. When you ring them, their phones are picked up by somebody called the PA, whose only claim to fame is being rude beyond measure. When you go to their offices, they no longer want to see you. When they are being driven in the streets, their sirens scare you, while I suspect that those who discovered the siren meant that they be used for good purposes. For the politicians and our leaders, it is a badge of honour to harass us in the streets. They acquire many things for which they have not worked for. They promise us things that they know they will never deliver. They want to be described as honourable even when they are horrible. These are the men and women we have as our leaders.”

Patrice Lumumba, who was featured in the video, was a Congolese politician and independence leader who served as the first Prime Minister of the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1960, following the May 1960 election. He was the leader of the Congolese National Movement from 1958 until his execution in January 1961. Ideologically an African nationalist and Pan-Africanist, he played a significant role in the transformation of Congo from a colony of Belgium into an Independent Republic. Shortly after Congolese independence in June 1960, a mutiny broke out in the army, marking the beginning of the Congo Crisis. After a coup, Lumumba attempted to escape but was captured en route by state authorities, sent to the State of Katanga and, with the help of Belgian partisans, was executed by the separatist Katangan authorities. He was seen as a martyr for the Pan-African movement. In 2002, Belgium formally apologised for its role in the execution of Lumumba.

In politics, promises are the solemn vows that politicians make to their constituents; pledges that reverberate through crowded campaign rallies and permeate social media. Yet, far too often at that, these promises go unfulfilled, dissipating into the void of broken expectations once the ballots are cast and the seats of power occupied.

Lumumba articulated the frustration felt by many of us. His words resonate not only across Africa but across many continents, striking a chord with those who have witnessed the erosion of accountability in the corridors of power. His analogy, drawing a parallel between the humility of Jesus of Nazareth and the pretentious modern politicians, is both piercing and incisive. It paints a vivid picture of leaders who, in their pursuit of power, don the cloak of humility, kissing babies, drinking from humble cups, and walking among the common folk. Yet for all that, once they are in positions of authority, they shed their humility, revealing their true character. Politicians evading accountability is not unique to any particular political landscape. In any part of this planet, the buzzwords are the same: promises made, promises broken! It is a tale as old as politics itself. Parliamentarians, once the darlings of the electorate, metamorphose into distant figures, withdrawing behind the walls of privilege and impunity. Their promises become mere bargaining chips in the game of political expediency. The plight of the voters who voted them into power falls on deaf ears as their elected representatives bask in the trappings of office. Phone calls go unanswered, messages go unheeded, and grievances go unaddressed!

Leaders who walk among the people, who listen to their concerns, and who remain steadfast in their commitment to serve, are the true custodians of democracy. However, they are an extremely rare breed. Even those honest ones who have survived the nasty travails of politics, are facing extinction. Others amongst that cadre, the real majority fitting into the label of being unscrupulous, should be made to realise even forcefully that the mandate to govern is a sacred trust that must be honoured, and certainly not betrayed at every turn. The true measure of a politician’s worth lies not in the promises he or she makes, but in the promises that the person manages to keep if and when that person gets the power to do so.

The onus is not solely and entirely on politicians to uphold their promises. It is also on the citizens to hold them to be accountable for all their deeds, before and after coming into power. Democracy requires the active engagement of all members of society. The people who vote politicians into power must demand transparency, accountability, and integrity, while refusing to settle for anything less than the fulfilment of their promises and obligations.

This rather discerning author sincerely hopes that Sri Lankan politicians of all hues and all the voters in our beautiful country will have the presence of mind and the courage, to read, digest and conscientiously as well as meticulously act on the things that are highlighted in this article. It is absolutely vital at this juncture as 2024 and 2025 are designated by statute as ‘Election Years’. As to whether these elections will take place, your guess is as good as mine.

Urban Connoisseur