We need meritocracy, not kakistocracy

Did you know that the word NALA is an acronym? It is derived from a combination of NAha e taLA. Well, if you don’t believe me or have a counter argument, you are more than welcome to pen an opinion piece and send it to the editor. But I must say, this country is beautiful now that it’s lush (Nala) after the heavy rainfall. Haai! Jealous down! Feela e fuoe batho ba senang thuso maan! This beautiful country has been given to the most careless people you could ever find on planet earth. I mean, they failed to manage a state half the population size of Tshwane Metropolitan Municipality. I’m not even going to go into the size of the economy. Possibly the size of Mangaung Metro Municipality. I mean, the case of Lesotho is of one where a Rolls-Royce could be gifted to a 4+1 driver. Imagine what would happen to that Rolls-Royce after a week in the hands of a 4+1 driver? Lesotho is also a case of a lady that is given a very rare form of beauty but without brains. You already know how that story usually ends. Ke lesale la khauta, nkong ea kolobe. The drivers of this Rolls Royce named Lesotho are indeed the most under-qualified and inexperienced drivers you can ever find and allow me to demonstrate how. Let’s say you have to undergo an emergency operation at Queen ’Mamohato Memorial Hospital and before the operation starts, you are told by the nurses that the doctor didn’t show up for work and now, they have asked one of the security guards to conduct the operation. Would you agree? Or let’s say, the Central Bank of Lesotho needs to recruit a new governor to start a new five-year term. Then the recruitment process is conducted through a democratic process where the cleaning staff and security guards are allowed to enter the race. Would you trust the process if a security guard is elected/appointed governor of the Central Bank? Thirdly, let’s say, you need to fly to London on a business trip to attend a workshop on sustainable development. Then after boarding the plane, one of the flight attendants (cabin crew) makes an announcement that the captain has diarrhoea and had to make an emergency trip to the doctor. The plane will now be flown by one of the security guards from the airport. Would you still continue with the trip? Of course not! What about a scenario where you need to take a trip to Qacha’s Nek and on the way there you are told that the bridge across Senqu River has been designed by a nurse that has a passion for civil engineering. Would you gamble with your life and continue with the trip? Of course not. There is a reason why certain positions have to be filled by experts and professionals. They must be carefully selected on merit based on capability and experience. This is where the term meritocracy stems from. Meritocracy is a system whereby people are elected into power or position according to their proven capabilities, expertise, experience or qualifications (merit). Let me put it this way. Democracy has been deliberately intended to fail in order to elect incompetent and unqualified individuals into positions. In short, we could say, democracy is a popularity contest of incompetent and inexperienced people. That’s why I painted a scenario where a Central Bank Governor has to be elected into office. This would just be a mere popularity contest that would negate all the necessary qualities for one to qualify and perform in the position. Democracy has demonstrated critical flaws more especially in Africa, whereby leaders have resorted to abusing positions by appointing loyal cadres and comrades, girlfriends and boyfriends and more commonly, family members. This is what we refer to as nepotism. I remember an era in our lives where almost any position in government or government tender was dished out to people from Qacha (H). When this state of affairs continued for a prolonged period of time, where people were appointed according to party colours that compromised democracy to a system we now know as kakistocracy. By the way, I gave our readers some homework two weeks ago, to Google search what the word kakistocracy means. Some people think it means a democracy that kaak! Yes, in a way, it is correct. However, Google says, Kakistocracy is a government run by the least suitable or competent citizens of a state. But there is yet another meaning of which is my favourite: A Kakistocracy is a system where government is run by the worst, least qualified, or most unscrupulous citizens in a country. Please highlight the words worst, least qualified and unscrupulous citizens and tell me if it doesn’t resonate with an “independent” state in the middle of South Africa? It surely does hence the numerous problems, which that tiny state has. Let’s be honest, democracy has failed to do what it was meant to achieve since its re-introduction in the year 1993. The voters are largely to blame for failing to elect and appoint the most competent people in the right positions. They have been voting for clowns and expecting them to deliver. A job of a clown is to be a clown, nothing else. Some people might then argue that democracy has been deliberately led to fail in order to weaken institutions that guard against corruption such as the judiciary. But let’s then look at the current situation in Lesotho. Where does one even start? The truth of the matter is that Lesotho is not functioning well due to the fact that just about everyone and anyone is appointed due to their political affiliations, whether competent or not. The other problem with democracy is that political parties need some sort of financial support from the constituents, supporters and would-be ministers before elections. At a time when a political party finally gains power, it must first fulfil promises made to constituents during the electioneering period. This then negates the process of appointing people based on merit and this is how a kakistocracy is born. This is a trap that the ANC and ABC fell into. The ABC just attracted thugs (All Basotho Criminals). After a government is formed, one cannot help but laugh at the calibre of people appointed Ministers and PS’s. Ka nnete we joke around with pertinent issues of national importance. Very sensitive matters! But why do we appoint ministers and PS’s that have no leadership qualities, experience, qualifications or capabilities? But why do we do such things? Look at the situation at health. Why aren’t the Minister of Health and his PS doctors in a sensitive time of Covid-19? What about the crazy bunch from Mokhotlong (the Mokhotlong squad)? All of them. All! Including the one that was once running this country by default. But let’s be frank, what does a person from Mokhotlong know about analysing a national budget when it is presented in Parliament? Can an MP from Mokhotlong even differentiate between a budget surplus and deficient? Let’s be honest for a change. These are the same people we elect and expect to work out miracles. Aikh’ona guys! This is not magic. But on the contrary, I understand that Minister Qoo is way overqualified for his ministerial position. I understand that the man is a licenced pilot and can fly commercial jets. Bo li-Jumbo Jet, Bo li-Airbus A380. Whether true or not, the question is, what is a pilot doing in mining? In conclusion, there’s just no way Lesotho can advance without appointing the right people in the right positions. Appoint a mechanic to fix cars. Appoint a nurse to care for the sick and don’t appoint a carpenter to fix an electrical fault. If we don’t and continue playing silly politics by appointing incompetent people in critical positions, this country will one day become yet another failed African state and that reality is unfortunately very close, if not here. ‘Mako Bohloa