Opinion, Politics

Gambia: UDP Is Ruling Party And Darboe de facto President

Murtala Touray

((JollofNews) – It is now official, Gambians have been short-changed! The People voted for a Coalition government only to be offered in the end a government of the United Democratic Party (UDP) with almost two-third majority in parliament. Yet, President Adama Barrow and UDP leaders want Gambians to continue to blindly believe that the country is still under a Coalition government.

Let’s face it, the political transition is over and The Gambia is now under a UDP government.
Lest we forget, Barrow is a UDP stalwart dressed in Coalition’s clothing. Barrow was the tentative leader of UDP when Ousainou Darboe was put behind bars by former President Jammeh in April 2016. Barrow later resigned from UDP to be the presidential candidate of the Coalition, which eventually ended President Jammh’s 22-year reign of terror.

Once Darboe left prison, he automatically regained his position as the leader of the UDP party, which Barrow is still loyal to by his own admission. The Coalition, which was built in Darboe’s absence, crumbled in his presence with the creation of his tactical alliance. Thus, building a coalition within a coalition!
So, it is in Barrow’s interest to keep proclaiming the existence of the Coalition; if he says anything to the contrary, he will lose his legitimacy.

On the other hand, it should be the duty of informed Gambians to tell it as it is and try at all cost to prevent the nation from sleepwalking into another long era of one-party’s domination of the state.

The outcome of the parliamentary elections showed that Gambians have a huge task at hand to build a multi-party democracy. The parliamentary results confirmed that there is currently no match for UPD. Not a single party in the country is likely to wrestle power away from them in the years ahead. In short, UPD is almost certain to dominate the Gambian political landscape for at least the next two decades.

At present, Darboe is the most powerful man in the country. He is the “holy trinity”: the head of UDP, the kingmaker in the Barrow administration and above all the “father” of President Barrow. Well, Barrow in his own words said that Darboe is a father-figure to him. In many traditions, including The Gambia, the child has to acquiesce to the dictates of his father or risks being ostracised.

With UDP now the ruling party, Darboe is effectively the de facto president of The Gambia. Darboe has the power to make or break the current government. As the head of UDP, Darboe can influence which policies and laws should be passed or stalled in parliament. More attention should now be given to Darboe’s utterances and actions more than Barrow’s. Darboe’s statements carry weight and could signal a policy stance of the Barrow administration.

Ousainou Darboe

Darboe has already placed the appointment of the Vice President in the back-burner until he makes up his mind whether he should take it for himself or give it to a loyalist instead of confirming Fatoumata Tambajang.
Nonetheless, in the event Barrow falls out with his father-like figure Darboe, there is the danger of a government paralysis as it is the case currently in Guinea Bissau.

The government of Guinea Bissau is almost at a standstill without a national budget for almost two years. This is due to an ongoing conflict between President Jose Mario Vaz and his former party, PAIGC, which is the ruling party. The conflict started when President Vaz dismissed Domingos Pereira as his Prime Minister in 2015.

Pereira as the leader of PAIGC has been working with the PAIGC-dominated National Assembly to undermine President Vaz’s government. Vaz has appointed his fifth prime minister in less than two years, and each time PAIGC will reject his appointment. Nothing is working as the country is embroiled in a political crisis. PAIGC has turned Vaz to a lame duck president who is unable to govern until he meets their core demand, which is to return the prime minister position back to the ruling party.

It is still early days in The Gambia and all is well within UDP as the party celebrates its legislative victory at the expense of the Coalition. The Guinea Bissau lesson is that the government can be thrown into a turmoil if conflict arises between Barrow and Darboe further down the line.

For now, the people’s struggle should focus on preventing the country from sliding back into a de facto one-party state as it obtained under Jammeh. This is to prevent our good-intentioned UDP leaders from not being corrupt absolutely by absolute powers.

By  Murtala Touray  

The author, a Gambian based in the UK advising government and corporate entities on commercially-relevant political and security risks

19 Comments

  1. I like this man/ spot on my friend,,, spot on !!!

  2. Murtala Touray, so what? Deal with OR go to Gambia and develop your own political party. Too much garbage talk from self-entitled specialists.

  3. Murtala, i think you are just trying to create a problem where there’s none. “For now, the people’s struggle should focus on preventing the country from sliding back into a de facto one-party state as it obtained under Jammeh. This is to prevent our good-intentioned UDP leaders from not being corrupt absolutely by absolute powers”. If you really believe that the UDP leadership are good-intentioned so where is the issue or what is your issue with them winning more seats than the others. Instead of prophesying doom and gloom i think we should put politics behind us now and guide the government the best possible way we could to improve things on the ground for Gambians. We have novices in parliament who needs all our support so that they can be strong and courageous to stand up for Gambia and Gambians even in face of extreme pressure from their parties. The relentless attack on Darboe or UDP or any other party or leader will only make them run to their parties more. For people who are intellectuals it seems most commentators are blind to this simple fact. It has been tried before the national assembly elections and it backfired terribly badly. So why trying it again?? Let’s wait for the national assembly to start sessions and see what bills are proposed, by whom and the outcome. Let us challenge our politicians on the merits and demerits of their policies not the persons. Our political structure is quite different from Guinea Bissau so your comparison between the two is a bit illogical.

    • Buba Sanyang, why is it Illogical? Is it because it doesn’t fit your Narrow Ethnic Group Based Narative? Or because you are truly blessed with the gene of “Fassaya” no matter the prevailing Circumstances and State of Affairs? These are Vigilantism, Criminality, Selective Arrrests, Detentions and Wholesale Ethnic CLEANSING in the Civil Service is the Norm in the”New Old Gambia”. I would agree with one thing you said. That is, the NAM ELECTIONS are over. The rest of your propositions are Hallow and Devoid of Sustenance and Meaning to the 55 Plus Percent who Voted Not To Vote, who Decided Not To Decide. We should now as a Collective, invest our time and energy to ensuring that UDP Regime Led By Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty with the “Make Believe” President Adama Barrow in tow, Divest from their UDP’S Ethnic Group Based Party Politics and graduate to a Broad Based Governance and Less Ethnic Group “Fassaya” Governance and Politics. UDP Party, Ousainou Darbo, Mai Fatty and UDP Militants have Achieved through Betrayal and Political Subterfuge, their long harboured Dreams of Ruling Gambia. Let’s pray that it would Not Be a Nightmare for the Other (55%+) Gambians. I don’t think the 55% or more who did Not Vote would Consent to or Subscribe to #The Gambia Has Decided, that has been Hijacked by UDP’S LEADERSHIP of Ousainou Darbo, Adama Barrow AND SUPPORTERS Plus One Mai Fatty. Remember the Betrayal of Trust and Ethics of the MOU. Ousainou Darbo in particular should endeavor to prove Wrong, the Assessment or Profile of him by the American Embassy in the Gambia. Mai Fatty too needs to shed the Common view that he is Not a Trustworthy or Reliable Character. The Trio Need to be Humbled by the Enormity and Responsibility they Now Undertake in the Name of Every Gambian, Not Just for those of UDP Party or Mandinka Ethnic Group. When They put that into Action, the Gambians as a Whole would follow with Due Diligence. The Whole Gambia and the World is Watching. Gambia is more than the Sum Total of One Individual, One Ethnic Group and Region. One Gambia, One People, One Destiny.

  4. Dormu Rewwum Gambia (aka Luntango Suun Gann Gi)

    “Garbage talk” indeed Mensa, but that is the beauty of a free press!

  5. Glove puppet;
    Puppet on a string:

    English sayings; For you to consider Mr Touray;

  6. Let see if “Lawyer” Darboe will swell his head with the availability of absolute power, to step in the stench of a dictator’s shoe. I am convinced that the electorates’ consciences will get enlightened from strength to strength that, it’ll become impossible to stock their brains on Udp shelves, to stock-check them in monthly stock-takings.
    The country’s political debates of the very recent past should serve them(NA majority) a “food for thought” or wrath shall loom over their heads.
    I very much optimistic Gambia couldn’t be a joke three times.

  7. Excuse me for not mentioning Barrow. I think Ousainou is being given a lot of attention than necessary.

  8. Your insight and maturity is a revelation my good friend; Lets us pray that “they” don’t outlive us and stay for the next 40 years. I am sure we want to see if your predictions are right . Mr Bourne.

    Maybe we have to await the Moo cows ? or the chicken’s coming home to roost?

    • Mike Scales, don’t leave the chicken coop door (s) open. These chickens are not coming home to roost soon. If they do, they would be coming only when a fox is fast after them. I am not optimistic about the state of affairs in the Gambia. The gloating, the Vigilantism, the reckless Selective Arrrests, Detentions and Ethnic CLEANSING instead of Ethnic Co-exitence and Representation in the Cabinet and NATIONAL ASSEMBLY KEY POSITIONS, does Not bode well for a Democratic Dispensation Dividend for All Gambians of All Ethnic Groups. The rising in Crime rate, Vigilantism, Regionalism, and the increasing Significance of Ethnic Group Based “Fassaya”, Mandinka meaning, Taking Sides, that has been Subliminally​ unleashed in the “Smiling Coast”, Now the “Crying Coast”, Should be Placed at the Feet and Heads of All Gambians, but mostly UDP Leadership, Militant SUPPORTERS who take the Silence and Mixed Messages from their Trio of Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty Plus One Adama Barrow, as a Greenlight of Complicity in the Conspiracy of Vigilantism, Criminality, Ethnic Group Based Violence in the furtherance of a One Ethnic Group Based Party. No, Scales, these chickens are not coming home to roost. If they do, they would only do so when a fox is after them. Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that for the sake of Gambia and Gambians. Gloating and Back-slapping Not withstanding, there is a lot that needs to be done in the Gambia that will not be resolved with Congratulatory Praise singing for oneself. Nor, will it be resolved by Platitudes and Bluster from the Interior Ministry either. The NAM Elections is over and with less than 45 percent of the registered Gambians, we have a UDP REGIME with One Adama Barrow in tow. Hopefully, the More than 55% who did not buy into the “New Gambia” would be listened to and responded to with Respect and Consideration they Deserve. Instead of Contempt and Suspicion they do not Deserve. Gambia is more than the Sum Total of One Individual, One Ethnic Group and Region. One Gambia, One People, One Destiny.

    • Mike, a hotel 2 miles out of Banjul is rehabilitated. It is named Strong Pen 5*. It is splendidly a ready roost and roast for all chickens home bound. Please excuse my patois.

  9. Sidi, go and lick your wounds.

  10. Sidi; You exchange much food for thought…I can not see over the hill, but my horizon is on full alert.

    God Bless you.

  11. Bourne; You must show me this chicken shack soon;

    • The later I show you this shack the greater the loss many many.
      Why should ‘wanted moo cows to home’ and ‘chickens come home to roost’, grow their own corn and vegetables to put on weight. Strong Pen 5* and it’s shack annex is hell of a comfort compared to rainforests!

  12. I adore the way Gambians do spicy chicken,,,,with chips of course,,, am English .

    Everything with chips>>>>lol

    • I too like spicey Gambian chicken but with rice. Those ones that come home to roost are not edible. They have the bird flu so they roast not to eat.

  13. Bourne ; That’s very interesting;

    So I see why you incinerate “bird flu”

    I am partial to Jollof Rice;

  14. My girlfriend from Zambia has learned to cook it for me the way I like it; Its Delicious with anything. Plus its better for my ailing heart; Than chips/ Low fat and rich in the “right stuff”

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