DEVELOP ME: TAPIWA GOMO SEVERAL leaders regret having to lead in a season when the world is grappling with the worst pandemic in a century. Most politicians seek office promising to do one thing when their intention is to do something else. In the absence of real challenges, the majority of current leaders do neither what they said nor what they intended and spend their terms looking for opportunities to line their pockets. The COVID-19 pandemic is a game-changer. It demands real leadership, responsibility and statesmanship and not just mere opportunistic politicians. This entails high level of integrity and ability to stand up for what is right, even when it is against the grain. It is small things like reprimanding your friends for breaking national lockdown laws by holding super spreader gatherings risking their own lives and those of others that matter. Human life, including leadership’s families and friends is now at risk than ever before. Any slackening or dropping of guard spells trouble, doom and death. On January 26, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson apologised to his people after his country passed the 100 000 coronavirus deaths mark. He is aware that his primary constitutional responsibility is to protect citizens from harm. He regretted, “the years of life lost, the family gatherings not attended and for so many relatives the missed chance to even say goodbye,” and apologised for every life lost. That is leadership, may be a characteristic not inherent in ours. Despite the United States having recorded more than 26 million cases and 437 000 deaths, former President Donald Trump did not see it necessary to do what Mr Johnson did. He instead shifted blame to those he disagreed with. He blamed China for the virus and how that has tainted his legacy. He was not ready to take responsibility. There are so many Trumps among us. Some of them have lost those closest to them and they are yet to admit that as failure. This brings us to the most pertinent question; what is leadership? Peter Drucker, an Austrian management expert, defines leadership as the ability of an elected individual to lead, inspire and guide to transform the nation for a good cause. A good political leader is a public servant who works for the betterment of society and protect it from harm. While management is doing things the right way, leadership takes it further to ensure the right things are done. The COVID-19 carnage thus far is an indicator of whether leadership is capable of prioritising time and national resources to protect its people. The dark events of the past weeks have been tormenting and revealing. The lingering and yet torturous question in many people’s minds is if those in leadership or close to it are not safe from the virus, given the resources around them, what then is the fate of ordinary citizens who live in a State where all essential services are neglected? Perhaps, this is why our people now live on hope and prayer. But then when leadership fails, people tend to turn to the alternative leadership in opposition for b
