BORUTOV'S MONEY JAIL( PART ONE)

Yeserathi

Mashriq is a country located in the eastern part of the great continent of Africa. In the colonial periods, it was one the many overseas territories administered by the United Kingdom, as part of the massive entity referred by then as the British empire.

The east African nation is blessed with abundant natural resources and a bigger chunk of its territory is arable. The country is  geographically endowed with a coastline which enables it to connect with the rest of the world. The coastline is adjacent to one of the busiest oceans in terms of international trade. It boasts of a seaport which has been at the center of international trade for many years. This notable advantage was brought about by its port city being strategically positioned within the ancient silk road, which was an interconnected system of trade routes that stretched all the way from ancient China, the economic giant of those times .The port city's future as an important trade center is set to be maintained, and its reputation as a strategic port guaranteed as far as trade affairs are concerned. The city's important role is adequately recognized and factored in the face of changing dynamics in the modern world. It is set to be incorporated in many of the global projects underway in this multipolar world. With China rapidly rising and reclaiming her global spot, as a dominant economic power, the nation through its port city finds itself again in modern times being at the center of yet another mega project. The city is positioned to be connected to another giant trade system, widely believed by many as the modern remaking and revival of the ancient silk road, which is an ambitious project spearheaded by modern China. The Chinese government has massively injected resources and efforts into this project commonly referred to as the road and belt initiative .If this new development progresses as scheduled, the nation is therefore guaranteed of  retaining its international spot, which is vital in the global commerce.

The  coastal city also plays a significant role in facilitating trade needs of the neighboring landlocked countries. The port helps bridge this natural gap by connecting this geographically disadvantaged countries to the global market. The conducive climatic conditions in the country favours the practice of agriculture in many parts of the country. Many people therefore do engage in subsistence and commercial farming. For this reason, agricultural outputs form the bulk of the nation's exports.

The citizens in the country are very hardworking and amazingly enterprising. In the spirit of nation building, people take part in different economic activities, some in the formal employment secured in either the public or private enterprises. Others contribute to the economy through their creative works generated in the informal sector.They also tend to display a great sense of patriotism in different occasions especially in the world of sports. A keen observer can note this in their great sense of pride which is evident in the immense support and the exemplary  show of solidarity they extend to their athletes who represent their country in the global sports events. The Online arena is among the many frontiers the people do occasionally project their incredible patriotism. It is not therefore advisable to pick the country as an opponent in the trolling wars popular in the social media.The nation's online community boasts of one of the most formidable twitter battalions in the online space, which is always on standby ready to confront any emerging external threats. Their remarkable offensive operations in this arena makes many of their opponents regret the decision of waging an online war on them.The precision and accuracy they display in the delivery of blows and jabs packaged in memes and funny responses is on another level.

The country has enjoyed long periods of relative peace since its independence.The political stability within its borders is quite impressive when compared to the the situation in some of the neighboring nations. The country borders some of the nations in the continent worst affected by civil wars and disastrous power struggles. Many of this countries have spent decades battling the monster of insecurity, which is mostly fueled by ethnic strifes.The prevailing atmosphere of calm and peace in the nation offers a conducive environment, for many refugees and asylum seekers who flock the country to seek refuge.

Despite of the nation's great potential of becoming an economic powerhouse in the continent, it has dismally performed in the economic fronts. It has for many years experienced a slow economic growth. This greatly diminishes its stand on the table of nations. The country hasn't fully translated its existing privileges to meaningful gains to build a vibrant economy. It has not fully maximized the use of readily available natural and human resources. They still remain untapped and underutilized. The pace of development therefore has been progressing like that of a snail with Parkinson.

Various factors are believed to be the catalysts behind this stalled and retarded growth. Some of the economic challenges are homegrown as they are self-inflicted through miscalculations, which are deeply rooted in the country's political environment. Others are said to be externally influenced with some linked to colonial past, which has led to a chain of events that can explain this state of affairs.

One of this challenges linked to the historical past is the continued use and reliance of economic policies inherited from the colonial periods. Some of this practices still remain in place despite most of them being rendered obsolete by the changing trends in today's world economy, which demands adoption of new mechanisms to address the ever emerging trends. Again some of these colonial economic methods were crafted to benefit the imperialists at the expense of the native populations. The continued use of this means does not adequately address the economic needs of the now independent people and this has continued to widen the gap of inequality. 

The neocolonialism factor  also has its share in the country's external problems. Former colonial masters and their allies continue to use their power to exert pressure aimed at influencing and effecting decisions and policies likely to favour them economically. Many years after granting African countries independence, they still maintain a tight grip on their former subjects. They use their strong political and economic muscles to meddle in the internal affairs of this countries. They use their positions to safeguard their commercial interests by cutting unequal trade deals with terms favorable to them. In most cases this trade agreements create a win-lose situation with the so called third world countries being at the receiving end of the raw deal.

This powerful countries also have their hands on the control switches of the major global financial institutions and international monetary bodies. They use their influence in this international systems to impose their will, as their power in this avenues can determine the level of reforms they would wish to take place in the so called developing parts of the world.They tactfully maneuver and manipulate this systems to act as conduits for further economic exploitation. The technically disadvantaged but resource-rich countries in reaction to this institutionalized and systematically created economic imbalances, are left with few options on the table. Many are the times the circumstances force them in bending to fit as they seek to benefit. 

However not everyone in the country buys the notion that the external factors are entirely to blame for this prevailing economic instabilities.A bigger portion of the population believes that substantial economic challenges facing the country lies within the borders. Majority of these internal problems stem from policies influenced by the nation’s  political landscape.The country's economy policies are majorly drafted and implemented based on archaic set of rules greatly dependent on a politicised structure. This internal system has been integrated in the economic fabric and is a pattern that has remained in place and featured in successive administrations since independence.

The political environment has for years resulted in unfathomable lapse of professionalism and efficiency which has negatively impacted on the country's economy .The key decisions critical in steering the economy are in most cases at the mercy of political bureaucrats who aim at using their positions to make gains. This political goals on their part creates a conflict of interests which negatively impacts on the nation's economy. Another spillover effect generated by the political atmosphere is the collision of roles in the management of the economy especially in the public service. This has resulted into a disorganized public system where many of the public servants step over one another's toes. This sometimes amount to duplication or dropping of administrative roles.

This effects of this internal setbacks have permeated in almost all levels of the economy. Majority of the people therefore conclude that the biggest economic threat likely to make the nation dysfunctional, stems from internal economic environment rather than the challenges associated with the other extreme, the external forces. 

Many political aspirants thanks to the existing democratic space in the country makes good use of the economic situation. During the electioneering periods they campaign and ride on this economic wave when hunting for votes. The economic hardships have over the years created an anxiety and high levels of uncertainty among the general public. The  political class moves first and exploits this emotional effects generated by this economic turmoil to their advantage. Manifestos are usually designed and loaded with attractive and catching phrases intended to achieving the goals and objectives at hand:winning the election. Whether this manifestos will be implemented once they are elected is not of much importance.

During the campaign periods they use the podiums and various platforms to stir the emotions of the demoralized citizens. This is through the sugar coated speeches they deliver to the electorate, on how they will effect lasting changes that will empower them economically once in power.They usually auto tune and effectively make use of this challenges as campaign gimmicks, intentionally designed to hoodwink the citizens in voting them. 

This pattern has remained constant in the political environment for many years, resurfacing  in every general elections. The concerned parties therefore do conform to the pattern in line with how their interests are better served. The electorates on the other side do not pay much attention to the many promises given, as with time they have come to be accustomed to them as usual campaign formalities. To them this is just a repetitive and boring melody played with a never changing rhythm, specifically devised to suit their ears.They instead focus their efforts and attention on laying their hands  on the anomalous cash flows which usually pop up during this periods. The funds are extended to them in forms of handouts, as the spirit of sharing and generosity among the politicians is seemingly high in this particular moments. The voters consider this as the only tangible and realistic benefits their votes can earn them. They regard this as the only special moments where they uniquely matter. 

Money plays a bigger role in influencing the outcome of the polls. Competence and integrity as virtues are not a guarantee of securing a win. They mostly add value in the paper works, while on the ground money moves mountains. Financial muscles are flexed as competitors aim at outdoing each other in securing services from PR firms to boost their campaigns. Huge amounts of money is also spent on influencing opinion polls on one's favour to dilute the confidence of the opponents and alter perception in the ground. The media space is also a hot cake during this period. Many aspirants use every means at their disposal to obtain coverage, as they aim to boost their image and also reach out to many people as possible. Financial might can therefore play crucial role  in securing a favorable spot in the media waves.

The most important attributes like honesty and ability on the part of the candidates are usually downplayed or ignored. They are in most cases blanketed and overwhelmed by the turbulent money wave which tends to sail high in the political sea. The candidates with shallow pockets sometimes find themselves sandwiched between a rock and a hard place in the politically charged arena. Their chances of winning in most cases appear to oscillate between narrow and slim. Any likelihood for this chances to realistically beget success depends much on the conduct of slim in this crucial hour when trust is of utmost importance. The aspirants affected by the cash-deficiency syndrome tie their hopes on slim remaining faithful to his partner narrow. The unpredictable nature of slim sometimes may warrant extended sessions of fasting and prayer. 

This strange symbiotic relationship between the voters and the political class has over the years created a labyrinth of problems. One of the direct consequences of this relationship is  poor governance and misappropriation of public funds which impacts on service delivery. Many politicians once elected tend to focus on other matters which are necessarily not related in discharging of the duties they were elected for. They tend to dishonor and betray the oaths of the offices they solemnly swore to defend .The direct cause of this change in plans which negatively impacts on service delivery, is greatly connected to the campaign periods in which enormous sums of cash are spent by those running for various political positions. The candidates usually spend a huge chunk of their fortune to mobilise voters and in paid adverts all in attempts of clinching the seats. Once victorious, a big majority of this officials channel their efforts and energy in other aspects.They focus on closing the financial deficits created by this sprees of overspending, which greatly tilts their accounts in their missions of vote hunting .

Another reason that can explain this turn of events is the new desires and needs which develop immediately after the honorable members ascend to power. This new climate which creates new wants makes them to adjust their objectives. The new goals are mostly motivated by their futuristic endeavors particularly focused on early preparations for the future general elections. Their behavior closely follows the common pattern in the country where campaigns immediately commence with the conclusion of elections.This atmosphere creates uncertainties and insecurity among the political class, and in reaction many tend to make use of their positions  to raise their stakes and odds so as to be in a strong position in the next contest. This involves amassing funds and any resources that can boost and strengthen their cause and have them gain a qualitative edge over their real and imagined future opponents likely to compete them in the next electoral exercise. 

This scenarios result in misuse and embezzlement of funds meant for development. The administration which ascends to power also tends to reward some of their allies and privileged losers with parastatal jobs in a show of loyalty and commitment. This is in most cases is purely done on appeasement grounds rather than on merit. This exercise joins the long list of many of the arenas used in sharing political spoils.This new developments forms part of the harvest seasons in which the voters reap what they sowed. The ghost of misguided decisions comes to haunt them. 

This instituonalised political challenges coupled with rampant corruption prevalent in the public sector has over the years created many patches in the country's economic fabric. The political class has cemented the culture in which they continually deceive and blind the public through creating illusion for reforms in their political talks followed by unenforceable rules. The illusion for reforms projected over the years has resulted to the very worst. The intended goals fail to be attained as most of the ideas behind this reforms are not wrapped in quality.

In recent years the mega scandals have increased to levels that threaten to make the state dysfunctional. Most of the crises have remained unsolved. This is because the powerful figures suspected to be behind this dirty deals have figured out on ways to drag court battles. Again the cycle of the news touching on this scandals are kept short as they hit the headlines for a short time and quickly disappear to pave way for other trendy issues. Business resumes  normally  and the cases which are now accorded little attention continue to lie low in the archives of justice.

This shortcomings coupled with the high debt levels has made the cost of living to astronomically rise. A big chunk of the nation's income is used to service this loans while the other portion is majorly spent on the the recurrent expenditure. The taxpayers again are forced to dig deep in their pockets to meet this high tax demands as dictated by the situation. The taxman does not stop at this point as he eyes extra revenues from consumer goods. The public is again forced to grapple with high prices of basic commodities which keeps on skyrocketing showing no signs of dropping soon . 

The deplorable nature of Mashriq's economic conditions has escalated over the years. The hard times have forced people to pursue any means deemed vital for survival. The condition has been worsened by large number of cartels that collude with dishonest and corrupt government officials and this greatly impacts on the public service delivery. In the face of this changing circumstances, some of the citizens have adjusted through engaging in unorthodox means of survival in their struggle to make ends meet. Crimes and various social ills have piled at alarming rates with the urban centers being the most hit. Money has over the years gained almost a deity status and currently unites diverse factions in its pursuit. The popular saying that the end justifies the means finds a deeper meaning among many of the urban dwellers. The virtue of honesty which is crucial in income generation is in most cases ignored as the majority, gear towards accommodating the urgency of the matter in hands. 

Many economic experts in the country have come to admit that the crisis has grown to levels that can no longer be ignored. Economic stability being about facts and accuracy,majority agree that the facts are not right and the economy is standing on a weak foundation. They agree that for the economic situation to be salvaged, there is need for real and tangible reforms. The current condition makes it hard for those in charge to lie that everything is right. They can no longer keep with indicators of lies as the consequences are too dire to hide. 

This economic crisis formed the basis of various discussions in the recently concluded general elections in the country. Many aspirants who eyed for the top seat faced panelists who raised the topic in many of the forums and public debates. They addressed the demoralized citizens and gave promises to  aggressively reverse the situation and bring the economy back to its feet. The race to the top office in the land attracted many contestants and each tried  to come up with the most decorated manifesto, aimed at convincing the electorate.

However as it is the norm in the country's politics, the race for the top seat ultimately narrowed down to a contest between two prolific aspirants. The statistics showed that the two candidates commanded almost equal support across the country. The contest was therefore projected to be a two-horse race. One of this top contenders was a man regarded by many to be a visionary who had shown the abilities to translate vision into reality. This was greatly reflected by his gradual but accelerated rate reflected in his rapid rise in the political sphere. He was regarded by many as shrewd and charismatic. He declared his interest and the will to run for the top seat. It would be his first stab for the presidency, where he was set to battle it out with another veteran politician regarded by many as the enigma of the nation's politics. 

The name of this candidate was Borutov a man who had fought his way up and served in various influential roles in different administrations. He considered the time to be ripe for him to cast the die, and try his luck in seeking the mandate for the top office in the land.

Borutov in his campaigns tried new strategies which slightly drifted  from the traditional methods commonly employed by many aspirants in the political space. His new methodologies made him  uniquely stand out among the contestants. In the past elections, many politicians had primarily focused on building alliances based on ethnic patterns. Many regarded this means as more effective and realistic in a country which was greatly divided along tribal lines. Influential leaders popularly known as the kingpins in regards to the massive support and power they command in their tribal backgrounds, usually come together and form alliances .The coalition which manages to bring on board kingpins representing the larger ethnic groups has high chances of forming the government. This is because this camp is likely to have an added advantage of benefitting from the 'tyranny of numbers' which moves ballots. 

Borutov on the contrary, envisioned new political strategies aimed at altering the existing equilibrium. He abandoned the old methods and aligned his political goals with his new ideas that he believed would change the way the political business was conducted in the country. He dismissed those alliances with tribal affiliations and dependent on the so called kingpins, as obsolete methods which had been overtaken by events and had no space in the rapidly changing world. His political vehicle was open to anyone since passengers could board based on constructive engagement. Issues and reasons was  much appreciated rather than ethnicity . His formation would be ideologically inspired and focused on establishing a new foundation. He drummed support for his coalition stating that it was better placed than that of his competitors in bringing the meaningful changes the country was in dire need for.

The  old conservative voters among the population who had voted along tribal lines for many years, found themselves marginalized and alienated by the rapidly changing trends especially in the space of information technology. The changing situation had inspired new social formations which were mostly guided by interests and reasons. This new social groups mostly attracted the youths who now composed a bigger percentage of the population. The new generation in this era found common grounds not necessarily inspired by ethnicity.

Borutov in his campaigns targeted this new generation of voters and aimed experimenting his new political ideas on them. He believed that cooperation based on issues could be of much significance and powerfully productive in shaping the competition. He focused his gospel to this young voters and channelled his efforts and strengths, in attempts to win them and bring them to his side. Borutov understood that it was easier to alter the contents of the head than automatically changing the world. He staked that he was in possession of specific data points and them somewhat different set of data points, the combined effect of this remix would bring about a larger sample space capable of changing the trend. 

His strategies were regarded as overambitious by many analysts and pundits. They dismissed them and questioned their effectiveness in building a substantial force that could challenge a ground, where ethnicity was still thought as relevant and a major determinant in deciding the course of politics in the country. Borutov held to his ground and remained unmoved by the views of his many critics.He fiercely stood and defended his ideals regardless of the political expedience and associated Costs.

Borutov in a show of practicality of his new policies, faulted the existing top - down command system and control structure. He suggested that the system had proven vulnerable to decapitation and was behind many of the woos that the country faced. Adopting this system in the first place was a big error, in which he promised to make amends if elected. This model had governed the country for years after being inherited from the oppressive colonial regime. Borutov campaigned hard against it suggesting that it was ineffective in addressing the country's challenges as it had been specifically designed to to serve the interests of the imperialists. As a consequence of integrating it in the subsequent administrations after independence, a new crop of African imperialists had been created and filled the void left by the departed colonialists. 

He promised that if elected, his administration once in power would usher in a new progressive system that would be indigenous and well suited in prioritizing the needs of the citizens. This would be homebuilt structure modeled to be effected from the grassroots on the way top, a reverse for the former. Borutov believed that he could set up a new foundation and change history. He did not embrace passivity by believing in historical determinism.

His new gospel gained momentum and attracted audiences from diverse segments in the country. He capitalized in this new methods which had never been tried before in the country's history. He formed a formidable alliance which took on the major opponent camp whose members were drawn mostly from the old conservative old guard. They did not initiate a lot of changes in their mode of campaign operations, they were stuck in the old methods believing that this already tested means, especially with a level of state backing and some input from the local boardroom whose members included some of the wealthiest and influential figures in the country, would be a sure way to deliver the win with much ease.

Whether they had miscalculated or overconfidence had made them not to adequately read the rapidly changing mood among the electorate and adjust accordingly , was left to be decided  by the final outcome.They greatly underestimated Borutov's abilities to make inroads in some of their strongholds. They treated his new ventures with contempt and as just futile efforts likely to have no meaningful impact on the political arena. 

The outcome of the general elections however proved otherwise, Borutov's new strategies introduced in the political circus were validated as impactful. His ideological based politics must have settled well with the silent majority among the voters .He proved his many detractors and critics wrong by emerging victorious by a narrow margin over his major rival. Having met the threshold as laid down by the law, Borutov was declared as the winner and was set to become the new leader of Mashriq.

His win landed like a bombshell to many people who had not anticipated his win. The highly esteemed and overrated political analysts, media fraternity and many of the opinion poll firms operating in the country had not foreseen this victory. The actual results greatly contradicted the opinion polls they had previously released to the general public. The error was so big and this raised many questions on the credibility of this firms in their methods of data collection and forecasts. Prior to actual voting exercise, they had constantly disseminated poll results with figures that projected his key opponent as the most favorite in carrying the day. 

His win drew mixed reactions from different factions particularly in the opponent camp. The establishment was unprepared for this new development, as their preferred candidate had lost to a newcomer whom they had greatly underrated. Borutov had mastered fluency in the language of politics while his rivals had fallen victims to the tales and cliches of what was historically insignificant. The old guard had been unable to read the writing on the wall, especially Borutov's handwriting.

Their defeat was an indicator of a new dawn in the nation’s politics as the old means and strategies appeared to have been dumped in the dustbin of history. A new page was set to be opened, and this would mark a transition from one era to another. They were left with few options as the new circumstances forced them to bear with the reality which had unfolded on the ground, a ground they had until  this turn of events believed to be on their grip and control. Their false confidence and hopes were dashed, as the unpredictable Borutov had moved in for the kill, dislodging them and having them scattered in different directions. They had been faced with a different political arena in which the old strategies previously employed and constantly recycled as means of ascending to power, had now been rendered irrelevant and no longer convenient in the modern game of thrones. 

The election had finally come to conclusion and the new administration was set to be inaugurated and officially begin its term. That year's political contest would be archived in the records of the country, a contest in which Borutov had left decent odds that he had been there as a very serious contender. 

Borutov in his many speeches during the vote hunting spree had made promises on how he would revive the ailing economy. His addresses especially  on how he would directly confront the monster of corruption and impunity, appealed to the youthful population that had formed the bulk of of his many supporters.

He  stated that he had a whole package and strategies in place that would help clean the filth that had piled to toxic levels and impeded economic growth as well as negatively affecting service delivery . If elected, he had promised that he would initiate reforms that would streamline the public sector with much attention focused on integrity issues. His government would prioritize quality service delivery to the public and in the process win back the public trust in their government. 

Borutov had emerged as the winner, and titles automatically changed from a presidential candidate to the legitimate leader mandated to steer the country forward. The ball was now in his court for him to walk the talk and assert his credibility.The journey to breath new life to the country had officially started with Borutov at the helm. 

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