Show me a democratic and thriving citizenry and in return I will introduce you to positive functionalities of politics.
Like all other well-intentioned practices, among them economics, politics suffers invasion by self-seekers whose singular constituency is to satisfy their insatiable hunger for power and dominance.
Such antagonism towards opponents fuels the misconception that politics is dirty.
Although the prevailing political culture is distinctly noisome, it is my fervent prayer that it dawns on the rulership to realise that politics thrives on persuation, not by coercion.
One need not look any further than Zimbabwe for an example of a country destituted by a militarised political culture of intolerance.