JAMILA’S MEMO: Election promises – Mind the gap!

Over the past few weeks, I have noticed posters have begun to appear, faces of aspirants eyeing various seats ahead of the 2027 General Election. The polls, for the record, will be held on the second Tuesday of August 2027, still some distance away yet the campaign mood is already frantic.

Some of these posters proudly carry party colors. Others don’t; perhaps because the battle for party tickets is a contest of its own, one yet to be decided. We’ve heard clear declarations: those seeking to retain their seats, newcomers testing the waters, and those aiming for higher office than the one they currently hold. It is this last group that raises important questions.

To those seeking a step up: Have you truly done what you promised? Are your pledges fulfilled, your goals met, your constituents satisfied; done and dusted; such that you now feel ready to move forward? Or are you leaving behind a trail of unfinished business and broken promises? Is this ambition driven by service or by greed?

Then there is another category altogether; those seeking seats that can be termed “lower” than the ones they currently hold, sometimes because the Constitution bars them from running again for their present office. What, then, is the intention here? Is there truly a shortage of leaders in this country? Or have our elective seats become musical chairs, rotated among a familiar few?

And then there is a phrase we hear often from those seeking re-election: “Give me five more years so I can complete the projects I started.” Which projects? The ones launched but never followed up because of corruption? The white elephants dotting our landscape?
Or the projects where the only visible construction is the plaque bearing your name?

Five years is a long time if used well. Roads can be built. Classrooms completed. Hospitals equipped. Even cattle dips restored. Development is not a mystery it is a matter of commitment. And if indeed you have projects worth completing, there is no need to shout from the rooftops. The people you serve see the work you do. They will re-elect you if they believe in your record and want you to continue. But if the only thing that appears near election season is handouts and promises, then perhaps the message is already clear. If you are this type of politician, your days may be numbered because the voter is far more discerning than some leaders assume.

In Islam, leadership is described as Amanah; a trust. It is also Mas’uuliyyah; a responsibility. Do these words still matter to those seeking office today? Are they in leadership for the right reasons, or are they amassing wealth in the capital while the people who elected them continue to struggle back home? As voters, these are the questions we must ask loudly and honestly. Are these the leaders we want in the next election cycle? What real choices do we have? And perhaps the most important question of all: Does our vote still matter?

And that is my memo.