Hi!
     As it is nearing election time back home and seeing the beginning of the campaign period marred with violence, I would like to discuss the people most likely to be the ones caught up in the midst of the violence yet they are the ones to benefit the least from the fruits of electoral office - the "badola" or poor people. The "badola" have been taken for granted in all election campaigns as a source that is going to be there to volunteer everything to bring about victory for politicians. Then they are forgotten for five years and courted again when election time comes. I'll try to look into the "badola"-politician relationship.
            First, it is the "badola" who send their children to arrange the meeting avenues and ensure that everything is in order before the politicians arrive. Now I ask: where are the politicians' children? They are probably home studying with the help of a private tutor to ensure that they are prepared to take over when their time comes.

            Second, most of the "badola" are so poor that getting the correct nutrition is a problem. When the "yaayi compin" gives out "ashobis", these same "badola" are the first to forget about their and their families' stomachs and other commitments to borrow or otherwise scratch out from somewhere the necessary money to buy the "ashobis". 

            Third, while the "badola" wives and mothers are busy drumming, dancing and chanting slogans, the politicians' wives and mothers are at home resting or selling in their shops or taking care of other business engagements. This is a sure way of continuing the status quo.

            Fourth, who are the ones who get pushed about, beaten, injured and even killed? The"badola". Because of the fact that many politicians leave their families back home, they are not in the midst of violence. The "badola" however are right there in the "chumbohlo" getting beaten etc. The politicians in many instances would not even visit them when they are hurt or help them with medical bills. 

            Opposition supporters are harassed and arrested many a time especially in Africa. If the politician were arrested, maybe even the "badola" would ensure that his/her family would not go hungry. When the "badola" is arrested during a campaign rally, who cares? It is the "badola"'s family that suffers.

            Marriages even break sometimes when the women ignore their family responsibilities due to the time invested in these campaigns. Sometimes the children are not properly taken care of or the cooking was done hurriedly etc. The politician probably had taken his family to a restaurant somewhere just before coming to the meeting.

            Now, what happens when the politician wins? Apart from the few like Sidia Jatta who takes part of his salary and gives it to the "badola", the "badola" are a forgotten quantity till the next elections. The politician moans and groans when they visit his/her office complaining about how they spit here or there, how they are so loud and uncouth, how they are so "getaynay" when they ask for a few dalasis etc. They however didn't notice all these negative things when these "badola" were neglecting themselves and their families to sacrifice everything for them. I therefore urge my fellow "badola" to revisit the terms of our relationship with the politicians. As it stands now, most of the politicians, apart from lacking vision and ability to do anything constructive for our country, are only there for themselves and their families. We as "badola" also need to look out for our families and ourselves. Thanks.

                                                                                                                                        Buharry.

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