This book could not have been written without the silence of many mayors — and the voices of their citizens.
I am indebted to:
• Journalists who kept reporting on potholes when the nation was watching power games.
• RTI activists who uncovered budgets lost in translation.
• Former mayors and ward officers who spoke off the record — with honesty, regret, and fire in their voice.
• Residents’ groups, sanitation workers, slum leaders, and community builders who reminded me that real governance happens in gallis, not government guesthouses.
To those who still believe a city can be run with dignity, this book is yours.
And to every reader who questions, “What does my mayor even do?” — may this book give you the tools, the anger, and the vision to demand better.