By Joshua Niwaha
The national election season is in full swing, and we find ourselves repeating the same vicious cycle where political leaders are running to churches, hobnobbing with ordinary citizens, and presenting themselves as modest servants of the people. From north to south, and west to east, it is a common sight to have political figures walk down dusty streets, take fluids from the same cups as villagers, and promise great change. They carry babies, eat from plastic plates, and sit at the front of the church, holding up the Bible as they make vows to serve us. History often repeats itself in various ways, and shows us that upon gaining the power they sought, most of these leaders disappear behind the walls of privilege and forget the very people they had promised to uplift.
This trend is also evident at the community level: the people have been subjected to the same empty rhetoric from their leaders. Even in some institutions of higher learning like Uganda Christian University, aspirants join worship services to play the humble ushers in the worship places. But upon getting elected, they change numbers, block their supporters on social media, and insist on formal appointments even for simple conversations.
True leadership is never about being served, but serving. Imagine how a great deal more solid and more trustworthy our institutions would be if leaders modeled themselves after Christ’s example of humility, empathy, and sacrifice. Christ, who served with humility and compassion preached to the lowly of this world, even going to the extent of washing his disciples’ feet to show a true spirit of service. Instead, our leaders do everything possible to surround themselves with opulence and become unreachable to the very people they said they represented. Far from being “honourable,” they are more “horrible” because they’re unreachable and uncaring.
As we go into another election cycle, let us remember these patterns and hold our leaders to account. We should expect more than window dressing; we deserve true service and commitment to development.
