LUNGA DOES NOT DESERVE A MONOMANIA

Our politicians should not avoid answering questions from their constituents about the kind of development we expect them to deliver. 

We have observed this from the way they are avoiding availing themselves for public debate to tell the people what they are planning to do when elected. They would rather talk to the old and vulnerable village woman whose major concerns are short-term and easy to solve; her day’s bread.

 No. Lunga is not a family kitchen where you can plan the menu and recipe alone. It is for all of us. We are all stakeholders and as such, we deserve to know what our leaders are planning to do for us. No one person has the monopoly of wisdom. 

 We must remind them that more and more of their constituents are getting enlightened as they graduate from schools and colleges. That is the essence of sending people to school. We are angry because we are hungry for development. 

We want to inform our Politicians in Lunga that they will never again continue to operate the same way as before when the majority were enticed to vote for mere names or thirty pieces of silver. We need your developmental message loud and clear.

 It seems most of the aspiring candidates are not comfortable dealing with those who would want to interrogate how genuine their offer to serve the people is. As LDA, and as concerned constituents on whose behalf they aspire to hold office, we are promising them that we will not accept anything short of accountability to the electorate this time around.

 We do not need job seekers. Neither do we need bosses. We want community servants. If you need employment from the government, please check government newspapers' advertisements. Leave that position for people who genuinely want to serve us, the Unga community.

 We deserve dignity. There is no dignity in poverty. We have been chased and embarrassed enough for fishing during fish bans without being given alternative solutions to feed our families. Our people have been exploited within the fish value chain for centuries. How will you unshackle them from the slavery of working for others, so they can benefit from their sweat?

 We want leaders who, together with the community-led developmental organizations like LDA, will organize fishermen into cooperatives where they can receive loans for the right fishing equipment, get fair market conditions, and feel proud of their God-given vocation. Farmers receive fertilizer every year. Why can’t we receive government support as well? What is your take on this? 

 We deserve good nutrition. Eating game meat in an area surrounded by thousands of animals is a criminal offense. Meanwhile, no one can quantify any meaningful benefits citizens derive from the game they are supposed to conserve. What do you propose to do? 

 Climate change has turned us into perpetual disaster management division’s sure customer. How do you intend to wean the people from alms? Where are you going to start from in ensuring the communities are safe?

 We need long-term channel clearing solutions. This is and has been a source of employment to the local people before. What have you got about this?

 Hundreds of Lunga school leavers make a huge reservoir of flexible human resources. How are you going to use them to benefit the communities that sent them to school?

 We do not want a leader who will be seeing Lunga through a fragmented mirror. Look at it and its constituents as a whole. We refuse segregated development. We need all-inclusive projects. 

 When we ask these simple and straightforward questions, we are not backing or de-campaigning any particular individual or political party. This is what we want you to explain to us as concerned citizens.

 We know what type of Lunga we want. We are not blank about what to expect from you. We want a Lunga we can be proud of. We need leaders who will lead us to prosperity. Genuine leaders who will work with everyone. 

We do not need a monomania. We cannot trust a know-it-all politician anymore. We are simply advocating for a change of approach to community development. Capwa!

Lunga Women Pounding Cassava. Picture credit: LDA

We are not interested in the supremacy of any political party. We want the interests of Lunga to reign supreme. We want that Lunga. Bushe pali icafishe apa?