The first principle of unalienable rights recognises that everyone is naturally endowed by their creator with certain rights that cannot be infringed or given away. 
Amongst these rights are life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.

According to Thomas Jefferson, “in order to secure or safeguard these vital rights, government are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”. 

Constitutions are also made for the purpose of securing, protecting, promoting good governance, accountability and welfare of all citizens – the governed. The government instituted among men are the elected representatives who are also known as the politicians. These politicians are required to implement social reforms and policy measures that contribute to the general welfare of the populace.

In this view, I regard politicians as persons that are engaged or interested in politics and politics as the science and art of government; political affairs or life or principles. Politics consists of social relations involving authority and power 

A politician is defined as one who is actively involved in politics or one who holds or seeks a political office. A politician is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision-making in government. 
They are the concentrated voices of the people that make all efforts to improve their constituencies and people’s welfare. Good and dependable politicians are delighted to serve the people and consider themselves as servants and people their paymasters. They represent the hopes, aspirations and the interests of every citizen in the state. 

As Namibians will witness yet another democratic exercise, I will encourage the youths and those first time-takers in the process to realise their future in accordance with the following analysis.
A politician’s qualities are their characters that are natural, while some qualities are a result of external influences. Promising politicians are backed by skills, experiences, intelligence, integrity, with instincts, all combined together to achieve their goals. 

First and foremost, the best quality of a politician is honesty, God-fearing and loving. A faithful and effective politician is trustworthy and reliable. He or she must capture the essence of truth, display sincerity, and practices what he or she preaches. He or she makes decisions and accepts responsibilities for his actions and his words. 

The same is true in dealing with his or her people. He makes promises and keeps those promises. Somebody that people may be relied upon. 

Loving people with all his heart, might, mind, soul striving to help them is a true mark of a responsible politician. Political parties and its manifestos should put to the test and see if what they craft and engineer are met. 

Excuses should not be made as a billboard seeking another vote while failing to deliver what was preached. Twenty-nine years of independence having access to state resources and treasury, what excuse can one still need to give to the electorates? 

In contrary with what we have in stock now is an opposed. Today’s politicians, after taking the oath of the office with the holy book and the lousy thanks-giving services, use their power as an end in itself, rather than for public good, making them indifferent to the progress of their citizens. 

My advice to the electorate is that political patronage and loyalty should be analysed and assessed accordingly. The future belongs to the youth. Therefore, youths should be responsible for their own future. Youth across the country should look at politicians that are transparent, and near to their people and always meeting them to understand their problems, instead of those politicians that are only seen by voters during burials and when elections are near. 

Namibia will witness yet another democratic principle of voting for their preferred governing party in November 2019 and equally regional and local authority elections next year. It is high time for the youth to think, reason, analyse, assess and evaluate the future now. Time is of essence in political sphere nowadays. The notion of saying the youths are the leaders of tomorrow, should be put before their decisions as they enter the voting booth to determine their future. 

Finally, it’s now or never. I would like to urge the youth all over the country, irrespective of where their loyalty lies, to use their majority numbers in elections to shape their own future.

As they are determining their future, it will be of good use to focus on the following aspects of leaders to be voted into power for the period of five good years; honesty, ability, communication, sense of humour, confidence, commitment, positive attitude, creativity, intuition, ability to inspire.

It will be good next year November, when most of the regional and local authority positions will be occupied by the youths. Youths are good leaders. 

They have been patient enough to think through before making decisions of challenging those who have been in positions of leadership for so long as it is the only means of survival. Youths are good thinkers, they think analytically by reviewing the whole situation before making any conclusion. 
Register to vote and vote for the right candidates. Your vote is your voice.

* Sibuku Malumbano writes from Sibbinda Constituency in Zambezi Region.