Saying Yes to the PDP wasn’t as easy as many would have assumed. To make the ultimate decision, I considered a number of issues and took my time. I was well aware that if I joined the PDP, I would have to forfeit many other career prospects and business opportunities. My family and friends didn’t make it easier either. They warned me about the PDP not being popular in my constituency or the region I come from in the east. They told me that politics was a different ball game altogether, and, that I was not cut out for it.
As I look back today, I thank my family, friends and colleagues for their honest feedback and suggestions. After all, opinions and suggestions mean nothing if they are not backed with honesty.
Coming to why I decided to be part of a party that is steadfast in its ideals because of my desire to participate in the democratic process. As clichéd as it may sound, I feel I can and must contribute to nation-building. And what better party to do it with than the PDP? The party has dynamic and wise leaders and a pool of brilliant and experienced candidates. More than me benefitting the party, I feel I will benefit more from their expertise, wisdom and knowledge.
As a journalist, I have always played a central role in the democratic process. Over the years, my profession has allowed me to work and interact with people from the grassroots to the highest echelons of power. As such, I understand the roles and responsibilities of the government; I have seen firsthand the problems our people face and how cut off they are from their representatives. I also know it takes a lot of political will and resolve to bring about change. It is a long shot I know, and I have been told so, but it is worth a try.
- Kuenga Tashi, Secretary General
