WHAT IS YOUR “ELECTION TERM” MANDATE

My country is currently preoccupied with the announcement of election results following the voting and subsequent counting of ballots. The opposition party is headed for victory as the incumbent is holding on to power though the writing is clearly on the wall as the people have spoken through the ballot.

I couldn’t help but think of the 1^st thing which the opposition leader should do once he assumes office. I also kept looking back at how the incumbent and his party after 10 years (2 terms) in government can’t really point to much in terms of the concrete things they have done since ascending to power.

It is very clear that a political party needs to have a well-defined goals and plan on how it will improve the standard of living of its citizens for that 5 year tenure of office through its manifesto. Once presented with the opportunity to lead, the party needs to follow through on its promises and deliver development to its citizenry. By so doing, they will put themselves in a better position to be re-elected once the next elections are held after 5 years. They will be able to point to the things they had delivered to the people based on the promises in their manifesto 5 years before.

Rather than thinking about what a certain political party didn’t do which another one should do, I thought to myself  what I can bring home and learn from this event with regards to my own life. The principles which apply at national level (macro) also apply at an individual level (micro). 

As we look at what the political parties should do for us, we also need to ask ourselves that which we can do for ourselves which will make a difference on the micro level (individual). We need to ask ourselves questions such as what is my 5-year plan? What do I hope to accomplish or undertake between now and the next “election” cycle? What is my vision, mission statement as well as short- and long-term goals?

As we make these plans, it is helpful to have someone hold us accountable in much the same way that the electorates hold the politicians accountable on the promises made to them during campaigns. Accountability is important because it will drive us to take actions which are in harmony to what we had promised. 

Develop a feedback system by getting yourself a mentor, trusted friend, or partner (marriage, business, etc) with whom you commit your goals to. More importantly it requires holding yourself accountable to the goals which you have set and doing the best to implement them on a consistent basis knowing that at the end of your mandate, you will have to answer to your higher self on how you performed during that period.

Ultimately, what will have the greatest impact on your life is not the individual or party that you elect to government. The party can create a viable environment for you to work in and the onus is on each person to do their part. As former United States president John F Kennedy once said, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country”. 

What will make the greatest contribution to your life is your individual manifesto (vision and goals) and whether you take the necessary actions which subsequently leads you to victory from one tenure of your life to the next.