Our country is hurtling down a dangerous crossroads, not because of any major external threat, but because some of our politicians appear hellbent on exploiting ethnic divisions for shortsighted and short-term gain.
With the next general election still about a year away, we are already subjected to reckless rhetoric, inflammatory accusations, and the shameless profiling of political opponents along ethnic or regional lines.
Equally troubling are recurring reports of politicians hiring goons to intimidate, disrupt meetings and assault rivals, reducing democratic competition to intimidation and violence.
Such brainless behaviour undermines the rule of law and sends a grave message that power must be sought at the expense of all else.
History has repeatedly demonstrated that ethnic mobilisation may win headlines or even an electoral post, but it leaves lasting scars on national cohesion. Investors, both local and foreign, seek stability, predictability, and confidence in public institutions.
A nation at war with itself and enthralled by political bloodshed, violence and tribal antagonism can never be an attractive destination for investment, job creation or economic growth.
Our reckless politicians must recall that elections are temporary, but the damage visited on national unity can endure for generations.
Political competition must revolve around ideas, policies and solutions to the challenges of a nation – not incitement, intimidation and animosity. Our future depends on visionary leaders who unite rather than divide, and who place the national interest above fleeting personal dreams.
Quote of the day: “Life as we know it, with all its ups and downs, will soon be over. We all will give an accounting to God of how we have lived.” —William Wilberforce, British politician, philanthropist and leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade, died on July 29, 1833
