Baskadia

Election exercise was peacefully concluded in the African nation of Mashriq, situated in the eastern part of the vast continent. Everything moved pretty fast as far as the transition process was concerned. The moment had finally arrived, in which the immediate former regime would had to quit the stage, and pave the way for those who had emerged victorious, who were now destined to take over the reins of the country's leadership.The outgoing president handed over the instruments of power to the newly elected president Borutov during the inauguration ceremony. The occasion went on smoothly in full accordance with the legal procedures outlined in the nation’s supreme law. The success of the event reflected the gains the country had made in the space of democracy over the years. The constitution reigning supreme and having the laws being respected and strongly adhered to was a great progress. The outgoing president now had to quit after serving the full terms as specified under the sections in the constitution that dealt with the areas pertaining to the executive arm of the government.

The top office in the land now had a new tenant who was now officially mandated to steer the nation forward. Borutov carried hopes and expectations for those who had overwhelmingly voted for him. In his maiden speech he reiterated that his administration would work for the common good of all, for those who had voted for or against him. He repeated his promises he had had made during the campaign periods, that he was committed to effect the reforms and changes necessary for streamlining the public sector and reviving the nation’s ailing economy. This would be a long journey and in which he asked the citizens to join him, and for everyone to perfectly play own part to make the great vision he had for the country translate to reality.

Borutov commenced work immediately, which was in line with keeping with now his popular image of someone who had no time to waste. In the time frame set for transition , in which the former ministry officials would vacate their respective dockets and give way to the new team that would be established by the newly elected government, Borutov convened a special session which was attended by many of his handlers and advisors. The special sitting concluded with the formation of a task force which was tasked with assessing the situation in some of the top ministries, especially those which were widely believed to have been greatly affected by cases of graft and impunity. The report from this group would present the new administration with a clear understanding and view of what awaited it in the journey of governance.

This short reconnaissance targeted some of the most sensitive dockets that directly impacted on the lives of the citizens.The departments of health, education and justice were picked first. Borutov and his team reasoned that the situation in the departments would likely reflect the general conditions that faced majority of the government agencies. The group tasked with this short work effectively presented their report within the set period, making it available for reviewing before the assembling of the new cabinet. The findings were to be deeply analyzed by Borutov and his team of strategists.The report was crucial as it would help in offering insights and guidelines in formulating the best course of action the new administration would immediately undertake.

In the education department, the report painted a gruesome picture on its current state.Things were really in bad shape in this docket. The previous gains made in the sector had been reversed as a result of rampant embezzlement of funds meant to strengthen and equip the public education system. The budget set aside for free education was only present in the records as the finances meant for the program kept on trickling down , while on the ground things went on the opposite direction.The conditions had deteriorated for worse in what was now a cash strapped public education system. The officials kept lining their pockets with the funds supposed to improve the quality of education in the country. Ironically the report also established that many of the officials enrolled their children in most of the expensive private institutions spread across the country. This affirmed that they had little or no faith at all in the public system they were supposed to run and oversee.

In the justice system the situation was not any different. Money reigned Supreme and was a key determinant in influencing the outcomes in the course of justice delivery. The rich could sway the decisions in the court systems and have the rulings made in their favor. Any evidence no matter how crystalline clear it appeared like, would be tampered with ease and in the long run rendered useless by the power of the currency .The super rich could delay the graft cases levelled on them as they had the financial muscle that could enlist the legal services of some of the top lawyers in the country. The poor were left at the mercy of the government hired attorneys whose services were more of a formality when compared to the efforts put forth by their private counterparts. In most cases they ended being sentenced in droves.They would also spend years remanded as they awaited verdicts as their cases kept on being constantly adjourned due to changes in the schedules of the presiding judges. This greatly contrasted the scenarios which involved the cases that touched on the rich and the powerful, in terms of the priority and speed in which their cases were run to secure crucial bonds.

The health docket had its own parade of horrors. It was marred with inefficiency as corruption cases soared high, in what is regarded by many as one of the most sensitive departments. Shortage of drugs was a very common problem in this sector. The citizens in a sarcastic tone even made fun of the situation, jokingly suggesting that government run facilities in most cases prescribed similar drugs for almost all ailments. Private health facilities and pharmacies reaped big from drugs sales and their exorbitantly charged health care services. They cashed in from this deficiency brought about by the likely lapse of order in the public health system, as the citizens flocked them to get their prescriptions and seek treatment. Public health centers services were degraded to the levels in which they seemed to offer consultancy services, and writing prescriptions in health related matters. Whether the private facilities had a higher purchasing power that made them have access to drugs, than the government that licensed them to operate, remained a puzzle to many. The shortage was said to be artificially created through collusion between corrupt officials and pharmaceutical cartels that ran various drug stores in the country.

Borutov and his group of loyalists drawn from his many advisors, deeply analysed and internalized this report. They now had a clear glimpse and understanding of the magnitude of the underlying issue in place. It allowed them to have time to brainstorm on the best action plan to pursue. They finally made an observation that a whole heap of problems that faced the government resulted from greed manifested by individuals who wanted to gain riches easily. In pursuit of this quick wealth, they descended on schemes that involved misappropriation of public funds and other shoddy deals of amassing fortune. The disastrous norm appeared to be normalized as a very usual thing as it cut across all levels, with players perpetrating it in both senior and junior levels in the public sector. As long as the menace remained in place, chances of making any meaningful progress would forever remain an illusion to be chased after. A permanent solution had to be found to confront this scourge that had made many citizens lose faith in their government.

"Because of faith, we are where we are today. Faith in our abilities and actions, that we cannot afford to let go at this point," Borutov addressed his inner circle in this manner after receiving the short report on the current situation. The mess demanded a real action on the contentious matter that had a very heavy toll on the country's economy.

The deplorable economic conditions had made some of the citizens to question the importance of gaining independence. The discussion in some street corners suggested that the country would have been better off had it been granted independence at some later stages, or even do much better if it was still in the hands of former colonial power. Borutov stressed to his group the importance of acting in a way they would perform better and erase this ill-informed notions and make those who thought along this line change their mindset. His administration would have to deliver to prove that there was no alternative of being an independent nation. It would have to prove that the blood that was spilled in the quest of independence was not shed in vain. Tangible and realistic results were the only thing that would make the citizens feel and see the fruits of independence.