“A vote for a piece of soap”, Katushemererwe Brenda

OPINION – You can vote me into power if I can trade you with a piece of Soap…. The sad Realties of our Times.

It would be funny if it was not sad that in this century majority of our people will trade their future for something that will not last a day.

I grew up in a little village of kabaare in kakanju subcounty and since I was 8 years old, I attended church services and village rallies for aspiring leaders. The picture still stuck in my head is the Saviour complex that all of the aspirants presented and almost became small gods on earth.

For some reasons a person that came promising to improve our lives always excuded an aura of accomplishment and as they say… a person that has made it in life commanding worship and honour.

At the heart of every interaction , was a constant quest by the communities to recieve a shilling , line up at a local leader’s house to recieve a piece of soap or a matchbox only in the time of campaigns. I vividly recall the talk in the corridors of familiy neighbourhoods where women and men cherished moments like those.

Approximately 25 years down the road, I get the nolstagia passing through the same villages around nyakatooma, muzira, walugo and katerera seeing how much our communities are still the same with many school dropouts, and the same lines of youths seeking a “ piece of soap” from the aspiring leaders not to mention from the same leaders that promised better those many years ago.

As I stand to Interact with strong enegetic boys in my village I realise how privilleged I have been to even have the understanding of our state of affairs.

And while opposition parties and the civil societies have alot of criticism to make, no one is talking about our responsibility as a collective to educate our citizens on the role in the kind of leaders they get.

Oh Cry Africa, the Once great Civilisation now reduced to petty beggers fighting for crumbs when we have everything needed to rule the World.

I stand in awe wondering how my Son will think of me 20 years from now If I do nothing about the situation. Raising a morally decayed generation that can not ask for the right things must be a curse that needs lifting off.

So even as I traverse these villages with clearly corrupt and corrupted individuals I am praying to God to finally show his light on his people to work together and eradicate the bad vices while braving the arrows of hungry and greedy youths that believe they just got another prey to suckle.

We happen to come from a highly spiritual origin and today religions have taken over all our villages. It must be interesting to know that churches are at the forefront of milking politicians dry in fundraising drives that usually increase during campaign seasons often posturing as opinion leaders that have largely impacted what leaders get selected.

The biblical teaching of true worship being the compassion for the needy , orphans and widows is not being lived as poor church goers may not have a chance to choose a leader that truly cares for them.

As I recall the dreams and hopes of an 8years old girl walking to school on barefoot on cold monday morning hoping to achieve her dreams shuttered, I meet on my way another 8years old girl walking to my former school via same road I walked and I realise she is going to listen to the same person that gave me false hope and the cycle may repeat.

A Vibrant Generation that will task leaders to provide services and not a bar of soap is all but what we need to save Mother Africa.

Ask your leaders for the right things. They depend on you.

The Writer is a Pan Afrikanist,Former Media Administrator, Health Promoter, Technology Activist, Social Worker and Politician
@Katushemererwe Brenda (aspirant MP Igara West).

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