Mandate of the People

Author: Margaret Ogola

Its election time. And to the seasoned politicians in the outlying constituency of Migodi, it is a question of who can buy more votes, tell more creative and convincing lies and use all means necessary to get to the honourable house. No wonder then they take little notice of industrialist Leo Adam Agade. A reluctant politician, in the running at the behest of his foresighted wife who believes her husband can bring change, Adam is campaigning on a platform of honesty, self-driven development and uplifting of peoples plight – a hitherto unknown breed of politicians in the region.

Suddenly, people used to the same politician over the years realise they have a better alternative. And too late, Gervase Kitambo Gwalla also known as GK, running on a platform of clanship, bribery and intimation is faced with the possibility of losing to a novice politician with nothing to offer except to lend an ear to the peoples real problems and advise them on homegrown solutions. And this is something GK will not take lying down. His policy is simple – if the opposition cannot be bought, defeated or compromised, then it has to be eliminated. That is an option that Adam and his progressive supporters had not taken into account…