Tuesday, March 19, 2024
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Maseru

The face of impunity and entitlement

Business

There is regent that with democracy came laxness in everything particularly on the front of service delivery, respect for state resources and a raise in the realm of self-importance.

Back in the days of the so-called pre-democracy governance system, round about the era of Dr Leabua Jonathan, state agents and the powers-that-be, used to have a sense of reverence and respect for state resources.

However, the era is popular for the oppression and all the anti-human rights exploits as touted by the democracy-age politicians.

This is the time when, although peddled as undemocratic, the rulers fully understood the principle of the government being governed by the subjects. In other words, the rulers understood that their every move was under the radar of public scrutiny because they were fully accountable to the public.

It was a time when the rules were clear that state resources are meant to serve their owners, the public with whose taxes they have been bought. In fact, there was a time whereby if one were to find themselves stranded and in the middle of nowhere with no transport means, the appearance of a vehicle bearing red number plates was basically the appearance of hope because then they could catch a ride from same without any feeling of remorse or shame.

During that time, ministers and parliamentarians were sold to empowering and bettering the lives of their people not personal aggrandisement at the expense of their masters. It was a time when it made more sense for a private citizen to pull up in a car more prestigious car than that of a Prime-Minister let alone a Minister.

Then in the turn of events, the era changed and in came a new set of persons, most of whom were far more read than those in the previous administration, hence came with an air and sense of entitlement. They put on a demeanour of one owed by the system and by the people they were supposed to serve. They inflated their salaries exponentially, raised the standard and value of their motorcades, started demanding a host of benefits previously unheard of in the past, like having the public feed them instead of them feeding the hangry impoverished masses.

It was at the advent of this new era that it suddenly became normal for someone earning five maybe even 10 times more than the ordinary working class, to have their every incidental financed at their expense. It was during this time that occupying public office suddenly became a sense of ascending into prestige than becoming a public servant. Slowly the term public servant lost its meaning up to a point where the public are the ones who are servants of the rulers.

Over the past two decades, things have gotten worse with each administration becoming worse than the one before it. Public servants are so entitled that they feel no remorse for looting the public purse because it basically means still stealing from self.

Today politicians have no shame of parading around in government vehicles in the middle of town in broad daylight wearing political party regalia with utter impunity unprovoked. That is why Motlatsi Maqelepo could have the audacity to say that he worked hard to earn a ministerial appointment, because being minister is more about prestige than serving the masses.

What a shame!

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