(JollofNews) – Ousainu Darboe, the leader of the UDP and vice president of The Gambia, has called on UDP members and supporters in both the cabinet and the National Assembly to support government’s development projects.
Addressing a rally in Baddibu India on Saturday, Mr Darboe said: “UDP sees only The Gambia and we want this country to be an example in Africa. But to achieve this, we have to tighten our belts and make sure that anything that is brought by the government is supported by the cabinet and the National Assembly. Let us join hands and work for the success of any initiative that is in the interest of the country.
“If the UDP has no good intentions for The Gambia I would have taken a position in the Jammeh government in 2001. I don’t think anyone will leave the UDP on the excuse that the party does not have good intentions for this country. I believe if anyone is leaving, it has to be for another reason. This is the party that will take The Gambia forward and make the country a role model in Africa. So let us continue to support our party,” he exhorted.
Writing by Omar Bah
I will challenge the UDP leadership and stalwart supporters to list on this medium philanthropic, charitable, development and/or game changing work that the UDP and other political parties have undertaken over the years. We are talking here about work that has borne tangible results that one can pin point on the ground.
My take is that all the resources that the UDP, PPP, NRP and GDP have been collecting from supporters and sympathizers have all gone down the throats of the party apparatchiks and freeloaders!!
I also stand to be corrected in the statements above.
No rants and raves. Just a list of accomplishments will do!
Y’all remember that Manjak Kello Buka Bang Deh! Smile.
Andrew,
In the first place parties are not here to sponsor philanthropic projects or coordinate welfare activities. That would be the areas of charities or if we want to go political, domain of movements a la Muslim Brotherhood or our own emerging BYM.
Primarily, political parties suppose to function as state supportive entities that steers the affairs of the country through law making and executive management of her resources.
If the party controls the state’s coffers and dictates development planning, then your questioning can be legitimate. For example, you could ask: what has Mayor Lowe and KMC Bensouda have accomplished in the name of UDP on behalf of the people?
The functions of political parties in The Gambia is spelt out in the constitution, i.e to disseminate party policies, agenda, programs, visions and ideologies that will enhance the livelihood and wellbeing of the people of The Gambia. This is a very broad statement that is usual of such documents needing legal interpretation and legislative codification.
The problem that’s urgently crying for a solution is how political parties and campaigns are financed. We have seen how incumbency is immorally abused by the corrupt, lazy and disillusioned regime of Dawda Jawara, the thieving and murderous regime of Yaya the buffoon and of recent, the clueless, inept and sleepy regime of Adama Barrow.
Andy, bear with me if you will, I will answer your question from my point of view.
So, the above is the first that our parliamentarians should regulate by enacting a law to strictly control wastage, corruption and criminality by lobbyists.
Our “leaders” become reach overnight due to political power peddling in the country and outside. None of them has inherited wealth or were entrepreneurial geniuses to own what they are in possession of. Not Dawda, not Yaya and not Adama. They are all thieves. Period!
____________________________________________________
The rule of thumb is that political parties do not, cannot and should not engage in developmental projects that are the purview of central, regional or local authorities. This is meant to limit the amount of leverage political parties could have over the electorate.
Having said that, political parties could affiliate themselves with charitable organizations, trust funds and individuals with whom they share common objectives, ideals, ideologies and philosophies. Or even set up trust funds independent of political parties to achieve a certain target. That’s how Nyakoi Nursery School came to be.
___________________________________________________
I am a supporter of the People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism but I won’t like to go into numerating what my party has so far implemented or achieved. That speaks for itself.
For the United Democratic Party, please allow me to say this: to develop a nation, one needs three basic elements that combine to be a starting point.
1) Knowledge
2) Intention
3) Plan (Know-how)
The UDP is not a party that has these three elements in sufficient combination to move The Gambia from it’s third world country status to a democratic path of prosperity and high living standards.
Ousainou is only interested in furthering the status quo so as remain relevant. He has no innovative ideas to steer our country to liberty and development. Perhaps Kinteh (Kemo) would like to counter argue. He can be my guest.
_________________________________________________
Yours in the service of The Gambia and Afrikka, I remain.
Mwalimu,
I respect PDOIS as an institutionalised Party and long a haven for People disillusioned with the conventional parties. However, that does not make the Party a congregation of Saints. The recent campaigning of Sidia for Barrow in the Wulis and the dramatic abstinence of Halifa on the supplementary Budget vote in NA, are vivid testimonies to the fallibility of the captains of the PDOIS’s ship. They are known avoiders of responsibility so we do not know what Kind of captains they will be once they take on the mantle of leadership. Theory and practice are 2 different things.
When you say “conventional parties”, I assume you mean political parties that were born during the struggle for independence or immediately thereafter. Or, parties that rely on ethnocentric, dogmatic or populist rhetoric to come to power. I am also assuming you mean parties like the UDP, NCP, PPP, GMC, GDC and the rest on the spectrum.
If (un)-institutional(ization) is what makes these parties unconventional, then Gambia is doomed to say the least. But I guess you know I won’t put the cart before the horse , so I’ll like to ask you this: What do you mean with “conventional parties”?
PDOIS as a party has long since realized it’s not a grouping of perfect human beings that’s why it’s constantly engaging the citizenry in all manner of exchanges to better refine it’s policies and positions on issues of national interest and importance.
Remember both Ousman Sillah and Halifa Sallah traveled to Europe purely for the purpose I mentioned above. On the home front here, the people’s centre in Churchills Town is known to be a place where the most down trodden in society seek consolidation when their rights are violated. Where students, the infirm, mothers, fathers and all manner of Gambians turn to for help in its various forms.
Does that make the “captains” saints? No, it shows their humility and humanity. That’s what the land is yearning for.
Halifa has adequately answered his alleged abstinence from voting in that unconstitutional process. The word abstain is wrong in this context. He just did not take part because he was of the view that the process was illegal. Mark the difference between the two words.
Sidia campaigning for Adama? Lol. He attended a ceremony that was taking place in his constituency, with Ousainou et al. Do you want to tell me Ousainou too was campaigning for Adama? Common Kemo (Kinteh), you are too good for that. Honestly!
Furthermore, PDOIS is not about theory, but practice, and also realizes that if practice is accompanied by a sound and a relevant theory, it reduces the chances of missteps and mistakes.
As I said, I am but just a supporter of DOI, just like you are a supporter of UDP. Those are not antagonistic positions. In fact, it’s healthy for what we are all aiming to build. Nevertheless, honesty and foresight should underpin the dialogue and the whole discourse as a matter of fact.
For example, you can’t accuse a party that put three million dalasi on the table to give the coalition a financial cushion to operate on, of abdicating responsibility. That’s mean spirited. The UDP at that material time could only come up with thirty thousand dalasi. And still dare to claim to be the party that liberated The Gambia from the clutches of tyranny. You can’t falsify history through wishful thinking.
My wish is to debate Ousainou on the inviability of the UDP to deliver Gambia from poverty, ignorance, underdevelopment, hunger and massive youth migration to the western world. I promise you, he will at least get a letter from me inviting him to show up on any platform of his choice.
Now you go and answer Andy before he gets irritated.
I think I already answered Andrew – without ranting and raving! like without being the “provincial angry and irrational man”.
My explanation was neither a rant nor a rave. If anything, it was very detailed (as the space will allow) and does not smirk of any iota of anger.
All the same, I’ll let the topic be, until there is need to come back to it.
Cheers Kemo (Kinteh), grins.
Mwalimu , actually the joke is at own expense! The aside is a cunning joke about how the educated folks see UDP: “provincial cultureless folks” as Andrew’s “no rants and raves” seems to imply.
Thank you Kemo (Kinteh) for the clarification.
I truly missed the joke. Blame it on the limitations of the written word.
I apologize for that.
Just for the sake of nothing, I hail from up country, to be specific, Badibu (a very proud Badibunka indeed lol) and I love to be labeled with all the stereotypes that come with it.
“If the UDP has no good intentions for The Gambia I would have taken a position in the Jammeh government in 2001.”
Clear evident that the UDP is a “one-man” directed party
I don’t interprete the quote alike. The cardinal truth is that if the leader of a political party join a tyrant’s cabinet, then inevitably he or she greatly diminishes his party.
NCP was doomed that way by Babili and NCP never recovered since. If you are following news, NCP is now divided into 2 camps both claiming to be the true representation of the core beliefs.
So you need to set the quote into context!
Mwalimu and Kemo, you’ll note that I didn’t include PDOIS on the list of tawdry political groupings in The Gambia. For good reason too.
The point that I’m trying to make here is that there’s nothing stopping the UDP, NRP, PPP, GDC..from undertaking programs and/or partnerships with nonprofit agencies and agents of goodwill to make things better. Set bright examples. How about a simple “Kambeng Kaffo” growing rice on the north bank of CRR, to stock a food kitchen for the needy for starters. Oh no! That’s for central government and charities! Do something meaningful for love of country. Look to PDOIS for inspiration and ideas.
What’s become clear over the years is that Gambian political groupings are adept at fundraisers (KAA KUNUNG DORONG) and donning big Boubous but devoid of novel ideas that’ll lift folks out of the dependency syndrome that only engenders deficiency of thought!