Many a time, in the heat of the moment, it is easy to forget that power, and all the other things, including life itself, is fleeting.
Particularly for new honchos on the block, who will always show up with bravado, stomping and dismissing those who came before them, without caring on whose toes they step. After all, it is their time in the sun. Everyone else has to dim their lights for theirs to shine.
Yet, these newbies conveniently forget that they will not be new in office forever; neither will they last in office until kingdom come. It will not be long before their terms elapse and their own time of reckoning arrives. When they too will need to give an account of their time in power and what they were able to do. When their legacy will be pulled apart and scathingly interrogated. When a successor coming into office will be looking for an opportunity to rubbish the record as they make a fresh set of promises. When they will be on the chopping board.
Even more painful is the choice of platform for the performance of humiliation. Not in private chats, but very public spaces - for more effect. Neither will it be served as gossip, but in hearing shot, directly addressed to the target. It will be at the handover ceremony, with the whole world's eyes following in real-time, thanks to live broadcasts and other marvels of digital technology that relay the proceedings to the furthest corners of the world.
In front of the predecessor and his people and an audience with heads of state, other dignitaries and the rest of us, as well as local and international media who will not just beam it to those who may have missed it when it happened, but also chronicle it into posterity. How painful can it get!
It is here that, high on delirious excitement from a closely fought but successful bid, the words will be uttered, some very hurtful, and attitude served in generous portions by the incoming regime. It is here that the economy will be dismissed as in a low-growth trap, blaming it on the work (or lack of it) of the outgoing regime.
In the past, there have even been instances when disrespect and mockery has hit dizzying heights, with mud being hurled at the outgoing leaders and derisive songs chorused at their expense. Of course, some of these actions get regretted very soon after.
It is at these regime changeovers where the new broom arrives declaring its 'ability', and dismissing the predecessor. The newbies will make it look like they have discovered and are armed with the secret sauce of service delivery.
They will be presenting a whole menu of mouth-watering promises - more liberties for the citizens, lower cost of living, fast service delivery, and the list goes on.
Whether or not they go ahead to match the tough talk with action, such utterances in the early days are plain alienating and go against efforts towards national cohesion. It is not just the subject of the attacks - those exiting office - that could get wounded but also their cronies and supporters and kinsmen. Ultimately, all this is unnecessary poison to a nation.
It is always worth getting placidly into office without antagonising those you found. And also, to be charitable with others, doing unto them as we would have them do to you, as the Good Book counsels. Imagine, after serving an entire term, having whatever else you did get trashed completely, as if you did not score a single hit. Of course, no one would like this done to them, and no one should do it to others.
Even if the predecessor is aligned to an opposing camp, focus of the incoming honchos should be more on how to make things better than just criticism. How the predecessor actually fared is to be left to history to judge the legacies. It does not hurt acknowledging progress, however little.
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