There is a distinct line between governance and political party activities, even for the one in power. Sometimes the line may be blurred but it has to be there and always kept in view.
If that is not done, then the ruling party may find it difficult to attain the required means of development. When the government allows the influence of the ruling party to seek to extend its tentacles into the civil service then it risks failing in its efforts of development.
This will result in some civil servants being labelled as opposition sympathisers and as a result they lose the support they need to implement projects and plans to fulfill their obligations. This will lead to the frustration of the plans to fulfill the vision and mission of their institutions.
One often hears supporters of the ruling party proclaim that the leader of so and so institution is a sympathiser of the opposition and that is why this and that is happening at his or her place of work. When these people, whoever they are, wish to safeguard their jobs, they are compelled to toe the party line, as it were.
However, when those who are motivated and persuaded by their love of the country and their duty to serve face such challenges, they resist and may end up losing their jobs or be ostracised. Every government should keep this in mind and work hard to ensure that loyalists of the ruling party do not undermine the work of civil servants.
The president, as head of both government and the ruling party, must be able to differentiate between national interest and the narrow or limited interest of the party. The interest of a party must never be put before the interest of the nation.
As a leader, there will always be people who are willing and ready to tell you only those things which you want to hear. They are more dangerous that those who criticise you harshly. When you tend to listen to only the pleasers, you lose sight of what is best for the nation.
A Leader must be able to sieve through information that is covered in layers of self-interest and those that are of the national interest. It is only then that the leader will be able to protect himself or herself from the numerous pits dug by selfish individuals in the country.
