A darkened yellow card to the Governor of Gaza province

In a country where the people are systematically forced to survive on their own, it is unacceptable for its leaders to behave like medieval courtiers who bow to the often despotic and corrupt king (in fact, there are signs of similarities in this regard). The recent attitude of the Governor of the Province of Gaza, during the visit of the President of the Republic, is not only regrettable, it is an outrage to public ethics and a slap in the face of all citizens who still believe in a State committed to social justice, and equally an immeasurable insult to the poor who abound in that province, especially further north, who often sleep without putting anything in their mouths because of the cyclical drought, as we will highlight later.

The governor, in an ostentatious and publicly theatrical manner, gave the President local agricultural and animal products of high material value, a true treasure if we consider the country's poverty levels. At first glance, this may seem like a simple gesture of courtesy. But when analyzed in depth, it is a clear expression of a practice of institutionalized political flattery that takes us back to the centuries-old past, to the times of the reigns. From now on, this act reveals the type of leadership that has taken hold in certain sectors of our government, a leadership shaped by party loyalty, fueled by the cult of personality, and profoundly disconnected from the real needs of the population.

It is important to emphasize that the Gaza Province is not a land of plenty, as the media has tried to portray it as. On the contrary, it is one of the most affected by natural disasters and the negligence of the central government. Droughts, especially in the north of the province, have devastated crops, disrupted family economies and caused hunger for decades. Entire families survive on donations from NGOs and solidarity campaigns. And it is in this scenario that the governor appears, not to distribute food to the people, but to present gifts to the President, someone who, due to his position, already lives comfortably off public resources.

This gesture reveals the disconnect between the leaders and the population. While mothers bury malnourished children and farmers lose crops due to lack of technical support, the governor chooses to feed the ego of a political leader who should be in the province to listen, support and serve, not to be pampered with gifts that symbolize political subservience.

The most worrying thing, however, is that this attitude is not isolated. This governor reflects a fossilized political culture, rooted in the logic of blind obedience and the cult of the presidential figure. This is a feudal mentality, incompatible with the demands of a modern democracy. In true democracies, the ruler is not flattered, but monitored. He is not served, but serves. He is not honored with symbolic offerings, but is held accountable for concrete results.

By acting as she did, the governor showed that she had neither the moral stature nor the social conscience to hold public office, and she missed a sublime opportunity to show her commitment to development, and she will go down in history for the worst possible reason. She demonstrated that her priority is not the people she governs, but rather the party that appointed her. Her actions are clear proof that merit was not the main criterion for her rise to the position, and it is increasingly clear that what elevated her to that position was, most likely, her willingness to please those in power, even if that means betraying the interests of the population she is supposed to represent. It is clear what she was capable of doing to get that coveted position. Her petty wars with the famous Agostinho Vuma in the fight for the position clearly show the type of dirty games they are willing to play for power.

However, the ceremony, broadcast with pomp and circumstance by the media, was yet another episode of political staging, where the suffering of the people is made invisible so that the spectacle of obedience and praise for the leader can be perpetuated. The governor not only failed her people, she insulted their intelligence.

The people of Gaza do not need flattering ceremonies. They need effective public policies. They need investment in irrigation, technical support for family farming, access to drinking water, functioning schools and hospitals with medicines. They need leaders who listen, who walk in the villages, who feel the pain of the population, not who exploit it politically.

This symbolic gesture by the governor clearly shows that there has been a complete reversal of priorities. The President does not need agricultural products; those who do need them are the orphans of the drought, the abandoned farmers, the widows of hunger. Therefore, the gesture, in addition to being ethically reprehensible, is politically disastrous.

In modern times, such practices should be subject to censure. But in Mozambique, they have become normalized routines, as if they were part of a palace ritual inherited from a time when politics was conducted in the salons, not on the streets. We need to break with this logic. We need leaders who see the people as their bosses, not as pawns.

Gaza province will continue to be condemned to underdevelopment as long as it is governed by figures who are more concerned with pleasing the President and the party and making a personal fortune than with serving the people. The culture of flattery needs to be confronted with courage and firmness. It is urgent that the people wake up to the fact that leaders who kneel before power rarely stand up to defend the interests of the people.

The governor owes the people an explanation. What's more, she must deeply review her stance as a public leader. Because her recent actions were not only unfortunate, they were immoral, unfair and uncommitted to the values ​​of a democratic state.

I symbolically raise here a darkened yellow card. Because this is more than a warning, it is a public denunciation. And may it serve as an example to all others who, instead of leading with dignity, prefer to grovel for favors and prestige.

History is relentless with flatterers. And the people, even if silenced today, will be able to speak louder and demand more tomorrow.