(JollofNews) – While listening to my friend Pa Nderry M’bai of Freedom Newspaper’s rather hysterical “Election Night Analysis” on the 6th of April 2017, I sent him an e-mail to dampen his “I am soooo happy tonight” hysteria. I told him that “my information is UDP has won 32 seats”. That did it! Pa calmed down!
The problem with Pa is that he has lived in Yankee-Land too long. There the press think they decide the elections, not the voters. New York Times was the most hysterical of the “liberal media” in the last US Elections – and they are still trying to have Trump impeached!
More than a month before the Elections, on the 4th of March 2017 precisely, I stated that UDP and allied NRP/GMC/PPP would get 30 seats. See here.
The subsequent virulent, mainly online, attacks on the UDP leader Lawyer Ousainou Darboe stiffened the back of his supporters and the UDP has by itself ended up gaining 31 seats – that is 58% of the elected Members of Parliament (NAMs). UDP’s long-term ally Hamat Bah’s NRP has taken 5 seats – that is 9% of the elected NAMs. These two firm allies have 67% of the directly elected NAMs needed for fundamental constitutional changes. Mai Fatty’s GMC got no seats, but that does not matter really since GMC leader and Interior Minister Mai Fatty’s powerful Interior Minister position is in the gift of the UDP leadership of Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and President Adama Barrow: Mai Fatty’s position is secure for the next five years (barring a serious mishap).
Mama Kandeh’s GDC received only 5 seats, but I am not surprised at that because Mama Kandeh’s impressive Presidential Elections performance was due to his former position as an APRC MP (there were unfounded rumours at the time that Mama Kandeh may infact have been a plant by Yahya Jammeh to divide the opposition votes – but Mama Kandeh’s presence ended up taking more votes from Yahya Jammeh himself!). GDC/Mama Kandeh’s best bet is probably to join the UDP – with Mama Kandeh being offered a cabinet post once he agrees not to oppose the UDP’s next Presidential candidate (likely to be the sitting President Adama Barrow). Rather poetically, the GDC and the former dictator’s party the APRC have tied at 5 seats each – and the Minority Leader of the Opposition would come from them.
Read the full article here.
At 32 seats, UDP is 2/3 short of a two-thirds majority, but with the NRP likely to side with them, the reform process would be entirely under their control.
Only bills they agree with will pass, due the sheer number of their voting power in the NA.
So let’s see whether the political will to dismantle the instruments of the dictatorship is there, or would these be maintained and utilised to strengthen their grip on power.
One example of these instruments is the powers of the president to appoint and dismiss magistrates and judges; service chiefs; district chiefs and alkalolu; IEC officials, etc..
NAMS are also subjected to this instrument by making them lose their seats if sacked by the party under whose ticket they won.
The bad media laws and appointments and dismissal of heads of public corporations and public institutions, like GRTS, GRA, GCAA, GPA, GAMTEL, etc, are all instruments that could be abused to establish a situation that is not conducive to good governance.
Let’s all watch and follow developments with keen interest. Unfortunately, GRTS operation hasn’t changed much, but I hope it will play its role to inform, educate and present a balanced reporting of the news.
Exciting times ahead for our dear country.
My in-law, I think the UDP/NRP lliance WILL make the above necessary changes to make the political environment more democratic.
LIST OF NAMS ELECTED YESTERDAY:-
1. Muhammed Ndow- Banjul Central – PPP
2. Fatoumatta Njie-Banjul South – PPP
3. Ousman Sillah-Banjul North – PDOIS
4. Kajali Fofana – Jarra West – UDP
5. Kebba Jallow – Jarra Central – GDC
6. Sainey Touray – Jarra East – UDP
7. Yaya Gassama – Kiang East – UDP
8. BaKary Camara – Kiang Central – UDP
9. Fakebba NL Colley – Kiang West – UDP
10. Assan Touray – Bakau – UDP
11. Alhagie Drammeh – Jeshwang – UDP
12. Halifa Sallah – Serrekunda – PDOIS
13. Madi MK Ceesay – SK West – UDP
14. Fatou K Jawara – Tallinding – UDP
15. Bakary Njie – Bundung – UDP
16. Saikou Marong – Latrikunda – UDP
17. Matarr Jeng – Lower Niumi – UDP
18. Omar Darboe – Upper Niumi – UDP
19. Salifu Jawo-Jokadu-GDC
20. Alhagie Jawara – Lower Baddibu – UDP
21. Sulayman Saho – Central Baddibu – UDP
22. Dembo KM Camara – Illiassa – UDP
23. Ousman Touray – Sabach Sanjal – NRP
24. Momodou Ceesay – Janjanbureh – UDP
25. Demba Sowe – Niamina West – GDC
26. Omar Ceesay – Niamina East – GDC
27. Samba Jallow – Niamina Dankunku – NRP
28. Alhagie Darboe – Lower Fulladu West – UDP
29. Dawda Kawsu Jawara-Upper Fulladu West-UDP
30. Sainey Jawara – Lower Saloum – NRP
31. Alhagie Mbow – Upper Saloum – NRP
32. Alhagie FB Sillah – Niani – UDP
33. Amadou Camara – Nianija – NRP
34. Alfusani Y Ceesay – Sami – UDP
35. Suwaidou Touray – Wulli East – PDOIS
36. Sidia S Jatta – Wulli West – PDOIS
37. Billay G Tunkara – Kantora – UDP
38. Foday NM Drammeh – Tumana – UDP
39. Muhammed Magassy – Basse – Independent
40. Alhagie H Sowe – Jimara – GDC
41. Kaddy Camara – Foni Bondali – APRC
42. Musa Amui Nyassi – Foni Kansala – APRC
43. Momodou Camara – Foni-Bintang – APRC
44. Lamin FM Conta – Kombo East – UDP
45. Baba Galleh Jallow – Sanimentereng – UDP
46. Alhagie S Jammeh – Foni Jarrol – APRC
47. Abdoulie Ceesay – Old Yundum – UDP
48. A aikouba Jarju – Busumbala – UDP
49. Kebba K Barrow – Kombo South – UDP
50. Lamin J Sanneh – Brikama South – UDP
51. Alagie S Darboe – Brikama North – UDP
52. Muhammed Mahanera – Sandu – UDP
53. Sunkary Badjie – Foni Brefet – APRC
BREAKING: Mama Kandeh who got 5 seats “rejecting results” because President Barrow tour made Kandeh supporters change their minds”! Seems rather churlish to me.
As you rightly outlined, Nderry and his “learned” online warriors do not understand the dynamics of politics in Gambia. UDP today is more authoritative and trusthy to the decisive voter groups than freedom radio and it’s most Banjul & surrounding listeners. This trust was earned because they were by far the party that challenged Jammeh tyranny most rigorously and beared the brunt of his crackdown beside the institutional military. The wider Gambia doesn’t even know that Nderry exist. This wider groups are in the rural areas and Kombo’s st Mary’s. UDP is very much aware of this advantage in their favour thus didn’t see it necessary to engage Nderry. It is even seen as helpful when he continue to rant and broadcast personal slander aimed at President Barrow and Darboe. The UDP WhatsApp groups are well adept at disseminating such verbal attacks to their core bases- timing and context in their own choosing. Mbai cannot control the art and manner of this dissemination just as Jammeh was not able to control the spread of the audio message in which threatened ethnic cleansing. Hence the core determined voters of udp have access to these tapes. This core base, is more reliable to udp than are the “learned” online accessors to Mbai. In that, Pa Nderry is a blessing in disguise as was both Jammeh’s ethnic eradication threat as well as Kandeh’s entrance into the political scene- as a loner to cling the presidential ticket.
My advice to ppp and pdois is for them to refrain from Mbai and work with President Barrow to achieve the reforms important to them. It is my observation, that UDP will not bow down to Pa Nderry because he doesn’t have the clout to influence people who strategise for udp and those on the ground who ultimately vote.
“My advice to ppp and pdois is for them to refrain from Mbai and work with President Barrow to achieve the reforms important to them.”
Shouldn’t the reforms be about what’s important to Gambia than individual parties ? If we support the idea that reforms should be guided by what’s important to parties, rather than what strengthens our democracy, then we are in trouble.
Also Kinteh, let’s not try to fool ourselves. We know the dynamics of Gambian politics and we know what influence Gambians voters most. That’s what the UDP was aware of, and actually made sure that voters took notice.
I watched a 2 minute You Tube clip of Lawyer Darboe where he likened Adama Barrow to a wrestler representing a village in a wrestling contest. He said when the wrestler has defeated the challenger and the contest was over, what does he do ? Then he answered that the wrestler goes home.
Then the analogy came: that Adama Barrow only left his home (UDP) to help get rid of Jammeh but now that Jammeh is gone and that contest is finished, he has come back home, which is the UDP .
I guess you have no criticism against this approach to politics, which is not so straightforward, to put it kindly. Because we all know that Adama Barrow was NOT to go “home” for at least, THREE years.
What I want to underscore is that O.J and Halifa have contributed immensely towards Barrow becoming president. In that light, their first of call should be directly to Barrow if they have something to complain about or initiatives they wish to materialise in this legislature. Barrow has clout as president and also within the UDP to influence the new NAMS. I just fear that by going public or to freedom radio with grievances, as OJ infamously did, they risk estrangement from Barrow and thus complicate the influencing possibilities they may have on him. The landslide of udp in KMC is a clear indication -among many factors -that people do not condone O.J’s unacceptable personal attacks on Darboe. He is in the cabinet and there are ample avenues where he could sanction Darboe and then move on. Clearly instead of concentrating on ppp candidates, his attacks, in hindsight, might have disillusioned ppp supporters but mobilised udp supporters.
True Barrow is an independent candidate but it would be naive to assume that he is totally separated from his former party of more 20 years or that he is oblivious to the obvious decisive political force in the country.
PA Nderry’s only wish is to see chaos in Gambia. PA has not been been in Gambia for more than 22 years and has no intention of ever going back to Gambia, so PA should just shut up. We want peace in Gambia and as Gambians tribe has no place in Gambia. I am a Msndinka and my wife is Sererr so to say or promote tribalism is a no go area in Gambia. It’s time to love each other than promotinf hatred
It is very good that they have opinion pieces on Jollof News; But an opinion piece is just that//
I leave the unconvinced to make their own judgement on the noble careers of The Gambia’s highly respected and long suffering politicians.
I also hope those mentioned are not offended. My own opinion is that this opinion piece falls well short of the standards that Jollof News have strived so diligently to promote. But who am I to judge///
I am not a Gambian journalist.
Fair and Balanced with the right of reply always works for me. I hope Mr Mai Fatty, Mamah Kandeh and Halifa Sallah and OJ come here to put their views anytime that’s convenient. But sometimes to ignore is the better part of a Man’s hard earned and highly valued integrity. My congratulations to all the winners and losers/ We are proud of you all. Never give up.
Mr. Scales asks: “But who am I to judge”?
Mr. Scales, I understand and sympathise with your difficulty, but I cannot help you. I refer you to a distinguished Englishman named Richard Dowden, Director of the Royal African Society here in London.
More travelled around Africa than any living man I know, Mr. Dowden tells this story of his time in Ethiopia:
Dowden: “Gondar, incredible. The civilisation explains why Ethiopians think they are the equal of any whiteman”.
Roger (English Ethiopia Expert): “No they don’t think they are equal. They think they are superior.”
Haile (the Ethiopian Guide): “We don’t ‘think’; we know”.
Come to think of it, Mr. Scales, you and I have had this discussion before and, rather amusingly, you called me a “racist” – which brought a twinkle to my eye.
But I am sure that you will find my Gambian in-laws, such as Bax and Andrew (lol!) far more accommodating.
Here’s some food for thought! https://youtu.be/bDkqkcZEPns
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Good Luck.
Dida said let’s work.
Education:
It is a known fact that 22 years of neglect destroyed the educational system in The Gambia. The future of a nation is intimately connected to the uplifting of her children. Perhaps the first and most important task of Barrow administration is rebuilding the education system. It is not an easy task but can be done quickly. The Barrow administration must engage educators, students, parents and other stakeholders in a conversation to determine our best immediate course of action, our mid range education goals and long term objectives. The administration must develop a document that will serve as an education road map and begging the implementation of these objectives. We must commit resources to schools and give educators and students the support needed to learn and thrive.
Healthcare:
An unhealthy population cannot thrive. The most important aspect of the healthcare plan should focus on. 1. Access 2. Affordability 3. Impactful.
A robust system of community based centers should be developed to deliver Primary preventive care, nutrition and wellness programs. Community health centers and a regional referral hospital that will train medical students and residents locally must be developed with help from friendly nations, institutions and foundations through a collaborative education agreement. The Gambia with its tourism industry must consider development of capital based medical tourism.
Education and Healthcare are a now and must do issues.
God Bless The Gambia
Indeed DR. I am now, in my own small way, on CASSAVA to share with my neighbours and on a second Library (the last one was the big Kotu Senior School Library serving 1,000 pupils). I am 61 now, in poor health, and looking for a quiet retirement in 4 years time on a small teachers pension, so the building of the New Gambia must be up to the younger and stronger ones like Madi Jobarteh. On Cassava see my letter to OJ at SambaGate.Com here: Dear OJ, “Give Us This Day Our Daily CASSAVA Bread”
https://sambagate.com/2017/04/08/dear-oj-give-us-this-day-our-daily-cassava-bread/
God Bless you all on this lovely Sunday.
Dr Sarr/ You sound like Tony Blair.
Education Education Education.
We know to our cost how he paid for it ?
Can you tell us how you intend to pay for it ?
Mike, I am not an educator nor an expert in running and financing education systems or programs. My hope here is to remind us that education and healthcare are sine qua non for development and democratization. If the goal is to make Gambia peaceful, loving, self sustaining and free, the citizens, starting with the new generation must be educated, healthy and open to accepted norms in community of nations. In Britain huge portions of the GDP is spent on education, we can debate if you received desired returns on your investment, their are many reasons for such, but we can all agree that a common denominator in advance and advancing society is the premium on education, information and freedom.
As for Dida, he is more valuable an unhealthy 61 yr old as his contributions, agree or disagree with them are invaluable to our country as we move forward. He in my opinion like youself want what is best for our nation. Much love and respect.
God Bless The Gambia
My good doctor; Your diplomacy is magical;
God bless all including my long time friend Dida Halake. xxx
Uk now in full swing with deportations/ Where is Gambia’s Foreign Secretary/ Is he on the job or what?
He was on the campaign trail. Hopefully, he will settle down and get cracking. He was in very good moods (who can blame him) singing with the crowd that “Lawyer Darboe has taken over the country”.
Are you saying Darboe is Barrow’s ventriloquist?
It will all end in tears mark my words/
Was this part time coalition was just a marriage of convenience,,,then ?