Mr. Adama Barrow was clearly the democratic choice of the majority of Gambian voters in the December 2016 Presidential elections.
The electorate chose President Barrow over former President Yaya Jammeh thanks to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) reached by seven opposition parties.
The 3-year term limit that the opposition Partners offered was appealing to the electorate because the electorate finally wanted to do away with self-perpetuating rule.
We are all fully aware that the constitutional term of an elected President in The Gambia is five years, yet no one queried the unconstitutionality of the three-year transition period agreed by the Coalition Partners for what they promised is permissible under our constitution.
Given the way our politics had been evolving prior to the defeat of Yaya Jammeh, we cannot afford much time focusing too narrowly on the argument about the five-year term. I think we must be accommodating enough to see beyond the five-year factor.
Clearly, in healthy democracies across the globe, political leaders are elected based on specific manifestos sold to the electorate during the campaign season. Unless we claim to have forgotten, Mr. Barrow and his Coalition Partners sold to the voters a manifesto, which stated that if he (Barrow) won, he would hand back power to his successor in three years – there were no ifs and no buts to that promise.
Although the constitutional term in different democracies may be four, five or six years, there is no hard and fast rule that the winning candidate must serve a full term, since no constitution would force any elected official to stay in office upon death, retirement or resignation.
Indeed, having agreed to the terms of the Coalition MOU, there is absolutely no tragedy in our constitution for President Barrow to serve for a three-year term and during that transitional period, make preparations – as agreed- for fresh elections, which was artfully designed to help nurture our fledgling democracy.
Regrettably, all signs show that President Barrow is determined to renege on the Coalition agreement.
In my view, any objective observer will reach the conclusion that such a dishonest act may lead to ugly clashes between President Barrow’s supporters and honest Gambians who would like to ensure, at any cost, that the promise made to them is honoured; the people’s will is respected and restored; that there is an end to self-perpetuating rule and that our baby democracy is given a chance to thrive.
Some readers may be aware that in the UK, Mrs Theresa May of the Conservative party was mandated to form a government and deliver Brexit after the 2017 general elections. Interestingly, about two years into her term period of 5 years, Mrs May had to step down because she could not deliver Brexit.
One may wish to advance the very weak and lousy argument that we cannot compare apples and oranges as the UK does not have a written Constitution and the Gambia does.
Indeed the UK does not have a written constitution, yet the state functions; perhaps we should also seek to have an unwritten constitution so that our country functions too. Would we say that morality, dependability, and honesty (meaning and doing what you say) are not important hallmarks a Gambian leader must uphold or which we must never aspire in our leaders? We will succeed as a country if we abhor dishonesty, and do away with mediocrity.
In the run up to the December 2016 elections in The Gambia, the Coalition Party ran an extraordinary campaign, whose manifesto was defined by the Coalition MOU and the broader Coalition Manifesto. Unless we choose to forget, we know that the key elements of the Coalition MOU which were sold to the voters were among others 1) the three-year transition period and 2) the electoral and institutional reforms of the executive, legislature, judiciary, civil service and other oversight institutions.
The electoral reforms, something that Solo Sandeng courageously campaigned and died for, were designed to create among other things a level playing field, in that 1) the Coalition Partners agreed that the Flag bearer will not seek re-election; 2) Flag bearer is not expected to support any Party during the three-year transition period.
Essentially, without caveats/qualifications, the Flag bearer (President Barrow) is expected to act as a referee in the next elections, the ground work for which should have started a while back.
However, what is extraordinary now is that President Barrow does not only want to renege on heading the transitional government for 3 years, he wants to serve for 5 years and also contest in the elections in 2021.
Does this not cut across the grain of the self-perpetuating rule the Coalition Partners wanted to dismantle which was endearing enough to the electorate to vote for the Coalition; the democracy we fought and some died for which we would wish to protect and nurture; and the fundamentals of morality, integrity, and honesty we must need in a leader at all times?
We have constitutions, but election manifestos, elected representatives and the electorate have always influenced the term of elected leaders in democracies, without violating the constitution of the country. In 2016, the Coalition stakeholders, well-wishers, and supporters campaigned throughout the country and outside with one voice, a voice was underpinned by a solid promise to hand power back to the people in three years.
To say that the three-year transitional period was imposed on the Coalition Flag bearer (President Barrow) as stated by Mr. Omar Jallow of the PPP is completely untrue and it does not make any sense. I hope we will soon learn to stop listening and changing the way we walk to Mr Jallow’s jazz.
If democracy is about choice, then President Barrow was chosen based on the reforms he and the Coalition Partners promised and a key appealing part of that promise, to the electorate, was the three-year plan they aggressively sold to us as part of their manifesto.
We must be honest with ourselves and look at our democracy beyond the five-year factor, for sticking with the five-year factor would be old school! Most objectively-minded and informed individuals would be of the view that elections are more about manifestos and mandates than the narrow argument about the constitutional term and rights of an individual, elected to the highest office in the country, to renege on a promise.
This is scandalous! Furthermore, delivering on manifestos must be central in our politics if we want to develop into a vibrant democracy. Unfortunately, President Barrow and his team have yet to demonstrate to us that they can deliver on the Coalition Manifesto.
Notwithstanding, I think President Barrow may go down in history as a good leader, provided he is able to respect the key elements of the MOU, in particular remain true to the three-year plan that he and his Partners agreed and presented to the honest Gambian voters in the run up to the December 2016 elections which saw him beat Yaya Jammeh at the polls.
We cannot fail to notice that either President Barrow chooses to honour the three-year transitional period or he risks destroying what political legacy of his he may wish to protect. Worse, if President Barrow chooses to forget about the fight we fought to remove a brutal dictator- and all signs are that he has forgotten-, he risks a political confrontation with honest Gambian voters, in particular the three years jotna-movement.
I hope that cool heads would prevail so that we would avoid the slippery slope towards a potential fireball which could destabilise the country.
At least 3 participants in the coalition agreement have now publicly said they have withdrawn from the agreement and are in full support of 5 year term for Barrow. We all know the reasons for their decision, is mostly personal and calculated to improve their leverage and profit.
For example no one is surprised about all the side deals done at Tourism, sanctioned by the State and encouraged by the Executive for political capital. Not that it is unexpected. Nothing surprises me about the capacity of opportunist pretending to be Statesmen. They are all crooks.
@kawsu. Where have you been. What is happening is predictable and some of us said so 2 years ago. I personally would have been shocked if Barrow left office voluntarily after 3 years. Most Africans don’t walk away from power. We are genetically conditioned to DIE in office, or drag out of it screaming and yelling.
Gambians disappointment in Barrow is well deserved.
1. He is not competent for the position he holds.
2. He is not honest.
3. He has not made a lasting positive change in our lives by policy.
4. He does not have a plan for the average Gambian in key areas of employment, education, infrastructure and economy.
So forget 3 years and what it may or may not mean for Barrow.
What Gambians need to do is take our civic responsibility seriously. Ask if Barrow deserves our vote again. If he does fine retain him, if he doesn’t, vote him out. My sense is that he is a ONE term president.
In my opinion WHO we need are those who are capable, reliable and responsive.
@Sarr, to be fair the author has also been quite vocal on other social media platforms, e.g., Facebook- he’s a friend of a friend.
I think if Barrow can be yanked out of office without bloodshed after the 3 years, that would be better. I think it will be helpful to the young democracy for all aspiring leaders to know that Gambians will not set a precedent with Barrow – what is promised must be honoured; that’s no rabble rousing. It seems to me that the 3 l-year Jotna Movement is unstoppable- highly organised and determined and judging by the press releases I am seeing, Barrow is worried and he should be worried, for it looks like, in the words of the author, honest Gambians may join forces and remove him- if he yells, that’s his problem. Sadly the country does not need it, but the citizens may use it as the NAM will never ever do the right thing.
I agree that Barrow should honor the MOU. The reality is that he will not.
As a citizen, I want Barrow to resign NOW, not in December. This is why.
1. Gambians have a right to competence. He is not.
2. We have a right to honesty. He is not.
3. We have a right to a bright future. He cannot deliver.
At this point most Gambians can agree that we need new leadership. The real question is how and when. What is in our best interest.
Forcing Barrow to resign WILL NEVER happen. The only way forward is for Gambians to go to the POLLS. That can only happen in 5 years. All those who truly care about the future of our country must now begin the difficult task of finding and grooming capable leaders of the future.
For me, it is not when, it is who and how. The when we know is 5 years. The Who we don’t know, but we are hopeful it will be a “true leader”. The how is our children’s future. The success of our republic.
But one thing is certain, we as a people have suffered greatly under Yahya Jammeh, to those who still can’t see, it is absolutely true that our smiling coast was turned into a killing field. We don’t need such again. No way no how. It is NOT worth it. Two more years of Barrow is not worth a single drop of Gambian blood. Easy Easy Easy does it. Focus on the election.
God Bless The Gambia.
Dr Sarr, Gambians already have a true leader if we are serious about creating a genuine democracy, experiencing humble and selfless leadership and building a stable, self reliant economic foundation for the prosperity of our people, and we know who he is.
There is no single person, as far as I can see, actively and publicly involved in the political life of our country today, who is better suited to the job of leading our country than Honourable Halifa Sallah. Members who disagree can share their choice with us.
Honourable Sallah has the sincerity, the personality, the knowledge, the inspiration, the commitment, the humility and the clarity of vision to provide the type of leadership, I believe, that will be exemplary in the whole continent. He has the personality and is articulate enough to command the respect of his peers (even presidents) on the global stage and the intelligence and awareness to hold his own against any opponents on any forum.
Mr “amen, amen” (I mean), Lawyer Darboe, though the most popular politician (due to our Gambian “Kutunkanna yaa”) lacks the charisma, is not articulate enough, does not inspire, lacks clarity of vision and will most likely be a total disaster for our country, if he becomes the next leader.
Currently, there are reports circulating on social media that President Barrow’s State House consumes over $50,000 per month (D2million plus) on groceries. (and this is probably a more modest sum than the Jammeh State House used to consume).
The question is: Does anyone think any of the other political leaders, except Honourable Halifa Sallah, will end this parasitic practice?
You’ re wrong, if you think so, because except Honourable Sallah, all of them subscribe to the idea of a privileged First Family and ruling class, living off the back of the poor people. So, come 2021, the choice is ours:
A Gambia set on the path of unity and prosperity with Honourable Halifa Sallah heading a PDOIS Government or a Gambia set on the path to more of the same stagnation and potential upheaval with Lawyer Ousainou Darboe heading a UDP Government. Make no mistake, a UDP Government spells big problems for our country.
I respect HS. As I do some of our other public figures.
My problem with HS is.
1. Reluctance to consistently and publicly expose the excesses of Barrow and his Enablers, his age and over exposure in Gambia politics. I believe he would have made a better leader and our nation will be on solid fiscal foundation if he was the coalition choice. But that was not meant to be.
Regarding our future leader.
On qualification we need:
1. Generational shift. Young preferably below 42 and above 32.
2. Unsoiled by local politics.
3. Well traveled and quite comfortable with different world cultures.
4. Multi Lingual.
5. Well educated.
6. Psychologically stable and matured.
7. Has more money than our nation. By all measure already made his/her own millions. Stealing Dalasi will be an insult to such a person. Quite unnecessary.( ok forget #7 ) some don’t like it.
8. Apolitical. Only has the best interest of Gambia.
9. Clear vision.
10. Love of God and Country.
These is just a list and not “all or non”
That’s just the way I see it.
Good luck, Dr Sarr, even with 7 discounted.
As far as I am concerned, I think age has recently been an issue by many who just want to glamorise politics. (I don’t include you). It’s like the celebrity culture that has perverted so many societies today. We saw that in 1996, when the song, “We don’t need old pa” was used as a slogan. Age, unless it affects an individual’s output, should not be an issue in our choice of leader. In fact, it should be an attractive factor because with age comes maturity, experience, wisdom and patience, as well as the fear of the hereafter, as the rendezvous with the ultimate Dispatcher gets ever more closer.
Babu had all along been reiterating the same arguments. That, leaders must honour their promises to their electorate, whom they “begged” to put them in office.
After securing the electorates’ OK, they cannot renege on their promises, threaten the electorate with brutal police, military and financial power to forcefully stay in power. As Barrow said at his Brikama gathering: ” they like it or not I’ll stay for five years”.
What an insult to the Gambian people.
However, in December, he’ll learn a better language. In Shaa Allah.
Y’all listen to the wise counsel of Dr. Isatou Sarr.
I couldn’t put the narrative in more succinct terms!
Ya Heard!! That includes our pal Kawsu Ceesay!
This Haadama must go!!
Dr. Sarr doesn’t sound like a Barrow Must Go at all. Gave very good points why she thinks Barrow should go but she doesn’t think Barrow will/can go. If one really advocates for a Must Go at the end of three years, then one at least should be able to demonstrate the proportionate amount of optimism that, a Must Go is a Must Go and the high velocity train is swooshing its way close on him/them.
Why can’t Gambians go to polls at the end of the transition?
If the constitution of the Gambia was the one that wrote us and put the brains in us, for us to be sticking around and worshipping each and every bit of tyrannical decree enclaved it, or cuddling reformable laws in it as if even attempts to call for a necessary reform of a cruel blocker in the constitution, is a crime – then we have no chance of going to polls after the three years.
But, if it was Gambians who wrote the constitution and put the sense it, as the overall legal document to guide the livelihood of our society, then we should be able to go to polls soon.
In my view, the ‘when’ is the most important fact for time waits for one. It won’t wait for our future generations either!
… important factor ..
@Jack, I have to agree with you.
The bloodshed that’s feared may be caused by supporters of Barrow as it’s his people, his government to be precise, that’s threatening the use of brute force, the instruments of intimidation and or torture that they have ordered speak for their intentions. What the honest Gambians want to do is to peacefully ask Barrow to step aside as per the agreement.
The so-called Constitutionalists have all been silent on the 3-year agreement when the Coalition partners came to us with it in November. The nauseating hypocrisy needs to stop if we are to put some sanity into our democracy. In this short term of Barrow’s leadership, much too much blood has been spilled. Another 2 years of the same – in the name of maslaha or nauseating religiosity must never be tolerated. We must find our moral compass and do the needful. Power belongs to the people; and where there is failure of leadership and the political class, the people will use democratic means -under the supreme laws of the land- to get what they deserve. In my view, the NAMs could have done the needful, but in general, they are political prostitutes. I trust that PDOIS members may be interested to do the right thing, but they their influence is hopelessly low- out-numbered and always outmanoeuvred by their corrupted counterparts. They have no interested in changing the music or the DJ and they have never realised that no one, absolutely none is changing the way they walk to their music
Good contribution from Mr Kawsu Ceesay. Perhaps the most important issue raised yet again, as many have done before, is the rational behind the 3 Year Term of the flag bearer. The idea being to attempt to end self perpetuation by showing to the country, and perhaps the entire continent, that a president does not have to die in office.
The question therefore, has to be asked whether those coalition partners who met at whatever hotel to extend the transition term to 5 Years (from 3) and individuals (beginning with Lawyer Darboe) who challenged the idea of a 3 Year term of office based on the flimsy excuse of upholding the constitution, are really serious about ending self perpetuation. This should be a concern to anyone who wants to see an end to self perpetuating rule.
Another thing that caught my attention is the writer’s dismissal, as utterly false, of OJ’s alleged claims that the 3 Year term was imposed on President Barrow. I think one other person that needed to be included in that dismissal is Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, who seems to be saying the same thing, at least initially.
I was perplexed by the same Lawyer Ousainou Darboe when he admitted to Sheriff Bojang Jnr (Chronicle) that President Barrow will not be going against the constitution, if he resigns after 3 Years. Wasn’t the whole idea of the 3 Year term predicated on the VOLUNTARY (repeat: VOLUNTARY) resignation of the flag bearer? How could Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, after creating so much confusion and chaos, now admit that the MOU’s 3 Year Term, based on the voluntary resignation of the coalition flag bearer (President Barrow) did not contradict the constitution and was not unconstitutional? I do not know why any sane voters would wish this man to be the president of our country.
Bax, seemer down a Bit. Darboe always maintained that the president can -like in any profession or capacity- resign on his own accord. What he said at the time, was that barrow cannot be forced to resign. That he would ( on his own individual capacity) contest the legality of forcing barrow to leave the presidency as per coalition MOU.
Now we have discussed this many times and people have blamed Darboe for this utterance even within the UDP. Darboe continue to maintain that he made those remarks on his own capacity not as a leader of the party.
For me what Darboe said or not said about the 3Y jotna is irrelevant. He is no more in govt nor can he enforce the coalition MOU.
Today the ball lies with barrow to honor his agreement with the coalition partners on one hand and honor the election promise on the other hand. That is up to him.
UDP is best advised to concentrate on the constitutional sanctioned electoral circle. Gambia belong to all of us.
All the more reason that other pressure groups like 3y jotna are allowed to manifest themselves and hold barrow to his word.
Putting blame on Darboe for barrow‘s and by extension present gov‘t woes, won’t take us any where.
Kinteh (Kemo), ok bro, I will have a glass of cold water. I think that will do the trick.
Quote: “What he said at the time, was that barrow cannot be forced to resign.”
Listen, this line of argument is flawed. You know why? Because there was no issue with the 3 Year term at the time. No one had queried it. Even President Barrow had committed himself to the MOU and gave assurances that he will leave after 3 Years, claiming that he was a businessman; not a politician.
The MOU, you cited, was not about forcing Barrow to step down. On the contrary, every contestant at the Convention had committed themselves to a voluntary resignation after 3 Years.
The truth of the matter is that Mr Darboe misjudged Barrow, erroneously thinking that he could turn the coalition government into a UDP Government that will serve for 5 years and go into next elections, as the party in government. There is evidence to support this view point.
During his celebrations of success at the NA Elections, he was very clear when he equated Barrow with a village wrestler, who had represented his village to defeat a contestant. He said the wrestler naturally goes back to his home, after the contest. He then said President Barrow’s home was UDP, and having defeated Jammeh, he was coming home. This is on record.
There is also a video by Youtubber Serign Chapacholly, where Mr Darboe could clearly be heard, telling his audience, that they intend to transform the Cabinet into 100% UDP after Ramadan. He was in government at the time. So clearly, his rejection of the 3 Years was meant to consolidate the UDP in government before the next elections. Nothing to do with the constitution, as he very well knows that resignation does not violate the constitution.
Obviously, today it is President Barrow’s call, but the damage has already been done by Mr Darboe. I hope Mr Barrow sees sense, speeds up the constitutional reform process and steps down in December.
@Sandi, I’ve also indeed agreed with you in your earlier post. I think this is the most important moment of the country’s newfound political dispensation.
Wonders are: how Barrow may dare use force to suppress voices to perpetuate himself in power in the near future. A number of people have died in the hands of security forces since he took office anyway! However, he shouldn’t wait for public uprisings or the sort if he wishes to go back to living a graceful ordinary citizen’s life. You know .., if he creates a crisis, that means hindering the TRRC process or thrashing their results/reports all together. Then that would mean that, the country have still not gone anywhere and so even the chief tyrants would be let to walk free in the country like licensed villains. Then, that would mean, having us still stuck in the 22yrs’ square one: despotism, state atrocities, more daylight state sanctioned shootings and killings of perceived enemies, incarcerations, rape, sending of the countries human resources into exile etc. and most probably even giving a chance back to the same council of killers to stick their cankerous noses in the country’s public affairs again. Then @Sandi, that would be the doom none of us wants to be a sayer of. Looking at the size of the country, Gambia could have done it now once for all for the best interest of future generations but no, we will rather persist wallowing in self- denial, superstition, praise singing, ethnocentrism, myth, unsophisticated cultural and traditional beliefs before we’ll ourselves step on that red button. God forbid but then when that happens, it shouldn’t be called an accident or something like; Where Were You When It Was All Going Down!
All this drama unfolding is clearly an agenda of the crooked remorseless Jammeh and his evil elements. I think we may all agree that Yaya though apparently without the slightest indication of an iq, was however able to master hypocrisy and sycophancy enough to be able to set the closely knitted fabrics of our society against one and another thanks to the naivety of the average Gambian psyche.
After thinking we’ve ousted that monster and his cohorts for good, it was quite frightening seeing some of those cohorts again having parted their way with their boss to come back to the Gambia not to apologize to Gambians, but in deed with a plot hatched to penetrate and access the realms of the very new administration soon as it was sworn in.
In the light of all these transpired, what would prove harder than bringing a coalition together whose members all have readily clinched to irrelevant or hideous issues in their thoughts and soon as the MOU was agreed upon?
Kinteh Kemo,
“Darboe always maintained that the president can -like in any profession or capacity- resign on his own accord. What he said at the time, was that barrow cannot be forced to resign. That he would ( on his own individual capacity) contest the legality of forcing barrow to leave the presidency as per coalition MOU”.
Show us the evidence that this has been Darboe’s stance all along. Ousainou Darboe is a master at uttering statements of convenience that have turned out to be nothing but self inflicted wounds.
At the end of the day, Ousainou Darboe, like Haadama Barrow, MUST GO!
This fellow has outlived his usefulness in Gambian politics! No new ideas form the “Manding Prince”. He simply doesn’t have a PLAN and if he ever did, the plan has become STALE!!
WUSAINOU YEH FILLY NYAAMO MAA LEH DEH!!
Withholding prerequisite #7 because some don’t like it is called >censorship.
Remember that we are not about a private citizen and his private life but about a government! Come on be transparent Dr. and tell us about #7 please.
Jack, censorship? No.
I simply shared the list with a few Gambians, some thought that #7 could be viewed as. 1. A major obstacle for most Gambians. 2. That because we are so thinned skin some will view it as classist. Not that I care.
I simply said, to remove it to avoid distractions from the objective. That is, who is best suited to lead us now.
Let’s be practical and honest with ourselves. All over Africa, poor desperate and idealistic young men and women who have been in power have repeatedly shown that all they care about is emptying The treasury, Gambia is no different. Look at:
1. Poor ignorant murdering buffoon called Yahya Jammeh.
2. Look at Barrow, well history will judge.
Let’s go to the big league.
1. Look at Babangida
2. Look at Abacha
3. Look at Bia
Human nature is global. Sending a hungry fox to guard your chickens is foolish. Putting a poor ignorant village boy ( who constantly proclaim his service to Gambia) in charge can only result in one thing. CORRUPTION. That actually is a low blow. Apologies.
Now don’t make a leap, does not me the rich boy won’t steal. It might be short of highway robbery. If you understand.
@Jack. Consider other qualities in my wish list. Tell us who can lead us.
Bax thinks HS can lead us. I don’t think so, he is soiled by association, but he truly is a Statesman. He will serve country best by helping mold a future leader.
Dr Sarr, I remember been told, at a teacher training workshop, a Chinese Proverb that goes like this: ” I learn, I forget”; “I see, I remember”; “I do, I understand.” HS can best mould the future leader(s) by occupying the OP and doing the job for the future leader(s) to learn. I urge you to reconsider and give him your vote in 2021.
HS steered the nation through the most difficult and potentially, most dangerous period of our existence during the impasse, and trust me, it’s not an exaggeration to claim that 2021 will present a similar challenge to our nation. How we vote and who we put at the helm will determine what nation we usher into the third republic, but the choices are clear, for the keen observers:
1. A united nation, placed on a sound self reliant economic path, led by an exemplary government that shuns opulence, extravagance, endless unwarranted privileges in public office and has a clear vision for the country (PDOIS) or
2. A deeply divided nation, trudging on the same tired old path of neoliberal economics, with their private sector led nonsense, led by a clueless leadership that does not understand the fundamentals of neoliberalism and doesn’t shun extravagance, opulence and costly unwarranted privileges because it’s just part of government for them. (the rest)
Dr., I absolutely agree with you that Gambia is no different from others but, I would adamantly believe too Gambia has her rights to be able to make a difference or in other words, make a good role model for others. I think this is at least a dream of most of her citizens who profoundly care about it.
HS, I like his persona(leadership qualities) though I may not totally agree with some of his political ideas and his kind of democratic approaches towards national issues at times. Perhaps I have expected a lot from him than he can give and that may sound like; Where Are Yourself Right Now When It’s Needed To Be Done though! But that’s the way it is. Most citizen want a good leader but cannot run a small store themselves. So that’s why i think you have us the masses as the electorate.
I think HS could be that guy who may not embezzle the public funds, silence journalists or try to own and make the central bank and public security aparatuses “his kind and likeliness”. I am of the belief that he has the required integrities to make the kind of leader that Gambia needs. I would agree with you futher, when you mentioned the need for him to start giving a way for his younger brands who may as
well have all the prerequisites you outlined or those qualities in HS himself plus internatinal work experiences. I think there are a lot of those younger Pdois’s who can even do better. Actually, i mean that all other parties should apply the same. With all those Gambians with experience and knowledge of Africa and a properly guided worldview aabundant, I’m hopeful our dream will be realised in the very near future. Who knows you are one of those …
I’m apolitical too, so I am not actually affected by what party the peoples desired leader comes from except AFprc. I also supported those who said they shouldn’t be banned but they probably won’t have such support from me today. PPP was banned, they should have been too and all those of their members who might have insisted or protested be helped psychologically or spiritually to be exorcised of demonic spell. Haven’t you seen them refuse to politically and morally integrate? Anyway, I despise dictatorships of all styles, state atrocities and inhumane brutalities in the Gambia across nations in Africa and across the world over.
I think anyone one of you should be good Pres candidate; could be yourself, Andrew Pjalo, Bax, Janneh, Ceesay, Jobarteh, Sandi, Kinteh Kemo(if OD will not be an adviser). Mwalimu? (I know he’s pretty simmered down now so he would be able to maintain a good bilateral relation with even a Trumpfet), Babu Soli? He should learn boxing rules! You know, I sense there are a lot of Gambians with that required education and global working experiences, with good connection to the grassroot Gambia and who have the required leadership integrities/qualities. I think these would be people capable of calling for a pres. term-limit’s reform of 5 to 4yrs once elected in office.
@Jack.
Can’t disagree with anything you’ve said.
I believe there are those on the ground and perhaps in diaspora that are more qualified than our online, behind the screen Monday morning quarterback and analysts.
I do know that we all may disagree but we LOVE Gambia.
One way or the other we must recognize this:
To govern is a privilege and a great responsibility. Those whom you lead more than anything else need to HEAR/UNDERSTAND you. To hear you, they need a full BELLY.
Our most important project is STOMACH INFRASTRUCTURE.
Then POLICY. No rice, no peace. If you cannot talk to the FARMER and relate to him/her, you have no value in our national discuss. I hope they are listening. PDOIS talk less and listen more.
God Bless The Gambia.
Bax may well drink cold water and Andrew need to do more than identifying who is best suited to be president of our country.
The handicap that Andrew and Halifa Sallah, albeit the later being a seasoned respected politician, have in common is that both remain in their comfort zones.
So for Mr. Sallah, his base is limited to the urbanites (the socialist educated few) and the rural folks mainly settlements along the northern border to Senegal and Kandeh is surging in on here. The rest do not either understand him or he hasn’t been able to break the communication barriers. Pundits like Bax may argue that the UDP art of politicking is so toxic that Halifa cannot put his message through to the Badibu, jarras and kombos.
So Andrew‘s initiative to recruit new young leaders across the spectrum is not gaining traction. Based on the line he writes, it is easy to understand why. My speculation is that he doesn’t want to engage or seen to engaging folks , who to him, are just not trustworthy to co-hold a snake.
So what we have is a reciprocal antipathy that is derailing Halifa‘s goals and that of Andrew‘s dreams.
But as we seem to be made to believe , there is a reason for not reaching the folks. UDP/Darboe. Which is very simplistic!
Kinteh (Kemo), you’re entitled to your views about Halifa Sallah (PDOIS) and “pundits” like Bax, but they are in not reflective of the facts. For a start, I don’t know what you mean by stating that Halifa remains in his comfort zone. What’s his “comfort zone”?
The often repeated claim that the people don’t understand Halifa (PDOIS) is not true, because the message is simple and delivered in their own national languages. That is why supporters and opponents all agree on one thing about PDOIS: it is a party that speaks the truth. How could you tell someone speaks the truth, if you don’t understand what they say? So, that claim is not true. Here are a few questions for you:
1. Do you think farmers don’t understand when PDOIS says they will establish a cooperative bank and use it finance their farming activities?
2. Do you think women gardeners don’t understand when PDOIS says that they will be provided with the facilities they need to be highly productive and a market outlet for their farm produce?
3. Do you think the workers don’t understand when PDOIS says they will establish public corporations and sign performance contracts with them for wealth creation?
4. Do you think workers don’t understand when PDOIS says they will invest in the fisheries sector by establishing fishing companies and equipping them with trawlers to fish our waters?
5. Do you think the nation don’t understand when PDOIS says they will establish cottage industries to add value to our produce and create jobs and wealth, rather than always export raw?
6. Do you think the voters don’t understand when PDOIS says they will map out the available natural resources, extract where viable and deposit proceeds in the national coffers?
7. Do you think communities don’t understand when PDOIS says they will establish community treasuries, where all funds from their community (not individual) economic activities, royalties and government subventions will be paid into for their community development aspirations?
Kinteh (Kemo), the idea that the UDP and Darboe are perceived as the reason their political opponents (often PDOIS) are not succeeding, though utterly baseless, is quite common within the UDP and I am not surprised that you have repeated it here. I challenge you to produce a statement from PDOIS (or “pundit” Bax) that directly blames UDP and Darboe for PDOIS’ electoral performances. I listened to Ousainou Darboe’s interview with Sheriff Bojang Jnr (Chronicle) and he repeated the same thing on several occasions, when asked about difficult questions on his role in the current crisis: that it is prejudices against him and the UDP that is responsible for these views. Why can’t it be differences of opinion and perception, rather than prejudices? Why is a political leader allowed to use language that closes debate and encourages enmity between opponents? Does anyone remember a certain Yaya Jammeh and how he viewed his opponents as being prejudiced against him because of his tribe? We all know where that led us to, and here again, it is surfacing within a possible future government and people aren’t even taking notice.
You are right about one thing, though: that PDOIS has not been able to break barriers, but you got the nature of the barrier wrong. It is not the communication barrier that PDOIS has not broken.
It is the POLITICAL CULTURE and PRACTICES that PDOIS has not been able to break across the whole country, but even they knew at the onset, that breaking that entrenched barrier is not an easy task, especially when everyone else religiously practiced it, such that it is seen as an oddity not to practice it. The good news is that there is hope, as more and more people become aware and shun politics of bribery and loyalties of different forms and categories.
Jack,Bax,Dr Sarr & Co,
I agree with the Halifa argument that he could be a good leader; incorruptible,selfless, devoid of telling LIES,hardworking, conscientious….
I’m looking for such leaders. Leaders who are running with the current tide of development and progressive foresights
Not leaders whose Fatoumata Bah would take buddies to Mecca, unnecessarily construct a police station in Mankamang Kunda on the poor taxpayers’ money and lie about the 3year agreement.
Bax your right! A lot of statesmanship was demonstrated by people like:
Mr. Sandeng, who in the exercise of his constitutionally given rights, protesting for electoral reforms, was abducted with many of the fellow protesters, all of them brutally tortured with him extremely cold-bloodedly murdered.
Ousainou, the late Femi Peters (r.i.p), late Marong (r.i.p) and more than 15 others protested for the release of the abducted and the remains of the murdered, Mr. Sandeng, they were also abducted and put in hell holes. Ousainou & co. deserve our respect I’d say. I think it was all about bringing and end to lives being perpetually threatened and endangered. In that process, citizens barehandedly found it necessary to demonstrate there cause in the streets and some got killed. I didn’t have the guts to go their for fear of risks but I still will respect those who died, got raped or tortured in such cause. Civil rights should be exercised especially when a despotic ruler in the 21st century tries to suppress them. I respect the cause of Solo and his likes everywhere: from Khartoum to Buenos Aires to Melbourne. I think he deserves Gambians’ love and respect. Nonetheless, a lot has unfolded within the period of time during which the coalition was able to achieve a lot.
Came elections and the coalition won!!
But who would say what? The independence electoral commission chairman, Mr Njie have done what very few Gambians could do at that very point in time: announce the defeat of His Exlency Alhajj Doctor Professor Sheik Amir Nur Deen Yaya Jemes Abdul Azziz Jujou Jammeh. Mr. Njie in my view is also a one-in-a-million kind of citizen. I think he deserves the love and respect of citizens so far so good.
Thanks to Adama also for accepting such a difficult responsibility at a time when many Gambians’ lives including his very own, were literally hanging on a worn out thread; accepting to be an independent flagbearer for the coalition. Was evidently clear that it was necessary regional powers pull him out of the country to Dakar after Yaya made a U turn, a week after himself conceding defeat. Adama do not deserve nothing yet. He’ll has to prove it with his honesty.
Then HS, in a radio broadcast urged the terrible Jammeh to cede power or be recognized as a rebel. That was something too very few Gambians would be willing to do at a time when lives and property were vulnerable to destruction and sorrow. In my view, HS deserve our love and respect.
To be frank, I am appalled by Bax’s overflowing love for PDOIS HS and Kinteh Kemo’s inexhaustible UDP OD energy. C’est pas possible! Now I won’t ask why the coalition crumbled much less if a UDP/PDOIS coalition government will be feasible.
Appalled is such a strong word.. I suppose I swallow that with a grain of salt!
Good write up Bourne. Not sure about “overflowing love”, but taken in good faith.
Of course, respect is due to all who stood up against Yaya Jammeh or bravely fulfilled their duties, without fear. I agree with the list of names you identified and hereby show my respect to the many more unsong heroes of the struggle.
However Bourne, RESISTANCE is completely different from LEADERSHIP and whilst we are right to shower our heroes with all the praises we can think of, the task before us today is finding the right leader, from amongst the known aspirants so far, to lead our country into the next republic.
That means we must know the policies of the various aspirants designed to tackle the challenges that we face, as a nation, in order to make informed choices, but unfortunately, there aren’t many keen to make the contest about POLICIES and PROGRAMMES.
Only HS is consistently telling the nation, at every opportunity, what he wants to do and how he will fund it. We may disagree with his policies and programmes, but he’s got them and has put them before us.
I often read people saying that they don’t agree with some of his approaches, which is fair enough, but don’t provide the specifics. I think it will be fair, for the sake of fruitful discussions, to share these ideas to broaden people’s understanding of the various topics we discussed. May be, the likes of old Bax will be presented with a perspective they’ve overlooked before. No one is perfect and the best thing about this forum is the environment it creates for interaction and learning from each other.
By the way, I learnt of a group set up to make public debates of candidates at our elections a permanent fixture of our elections (campaign) calender, starting 2021. I am excited by this initiative and I give it all my blessings. I hope I am around to witness the maiden event.
It is an opportunist group set up to delay, undermine and tentatively crush the efforts of the 3-year Jotnah Movement.
They will not succeed. Their effort to bring presidential candidates at a round-table policy debate will be blessed after the corrupt, tribalist buffon is flushed out in December. Let them keep their mind-twisting and hypocritical effort till after December.
Barrow surrogates, well-wishes and 2021 advocates will be seriously disappointed with their efforts to maintain a THIEF, a LIAR surrounded by a batch a family and tribesmen CROOKS in high public office.
We’ll surely get incorruptible, competent, patriotic leaders who will NEVER sell our sovereignty to Senegal, the Arabs, China and the West. Leaders who are development oriented with schemes to make the Gambia an economically self-sustaining country totally free from tribal, ethnic, regional and family favours/inclinations.
December 2019 will surely set the pace!!!
OK, Kinteh Kemo. Then i would say, ‘stunned’ instead ‘appalled’. Sorry if you think ‘appalled’ was too strong here. I didn’t mean to sound that strong.
Bax, I don’t know HS in person apart from seeing him in what I would call PDOIS civic education tours. Though it was once a party with a small supporters’ base, I think it was great that majority of people who come around HS and SJ’s Landrover back then were mostly teens in high and secondary schools. Regardless of the low numbers of voters they attract, I think they have done a tremendous job with the younger generation. My scepticism about HS’s methods actually has to do with his apparent lack of touch with all cross section of what I would refer to as the ‘peasantry’. He could have always done better by building that unbreakable bond between him an poor farmers of the poor farming communities. I think HS has a problem bringing his/their sophisticated political views and ideas at par with those of the illiterate poor farmers, whose lack of sophistication has always been traditionally and culturally exploited by unscrupulous politicians, who buy their votes with a few kilos of rice. I wouldn’t doubt a bit SJ is well in touch but the PDOIS HS himself was never that much I think. Is it too late for redress in that area? Bax, you may not be able to make farming communities in the Gambia understand how stock markets work but you can help them understand that – one doesn’t have to be an intellectual to understand actually why one casts a vote. They could be helped to understand they (farmers) and rural communities deserve prosperity in their lives like those in the greater Banjul area. I also think politicking should not just be happening on platforms through microphones. Workshops, seminars, voluntary and charity work and sometimes even gathering for a bit coffee and snacks, are essential in running a modern day political party. When I say ‘coffee and snacks’, I don’t mean throwing off ‘meal parties’ where a ‘very hungry’ person would come to feast but rather to participate in discussions. I think HS should bring himself/themselves to the level of the predominantly unsophisticated Gambian psyche in order to be able to deliver pragmatic ideas.
So I think Bourne gets my point about Honourable Sallah. That is in effect the comfort zone theory. He is not comfortable with People living in the Badibus , the Jarras, the Kiangs. Well one could also argue that the peoples of the mentioned Areas are also narrow minded, traditional, tribally centred (like all other Areas).
But I think a politician should be able to transcend the mindsets of the peasants and the average man on the street. So on that front, I think all the noble programmes pdois is promising won’t be a game changer because the people need to feel and trust a politician before trusting him or her with a representative office.
Don’t also forget policies are one thing and implementation is something else. Barrow had promised a bridge over the Banjul-Barra crossing beginning January 2019 —we are in August! He too will blame the unruly UDP for disrupting his “noble” plans for the country.
Ok Bourne, I think we are getting somewhere. Let me ask you to elaborate a bit on what you called PDOIS’ sophisticated political views and ideas. Just give a few examples which the farmers would find difficult to understand, and show how the other parties transmit their messages differently from PDOIS. Kinteh (Kemo) may chip in and show how the UDP transmits its simplified message.
I know for a fact that PDOIS explains their ideas in the simplest, possible ways for the farmers to understand, and the farmers, you will be surprised, do understand the message very well. Here is example:
1. On the Public Treasury: PDOIS is the only party that explains to the voters (farmers included) how funds are generated for the Public Treasury and how they contribute towards it. PDOIS explains that every time they buy a candle, cup of rice, cup of sugar, kerosene, etc, they are putting money into the National Treasury; That every time they pay court fines or pay for services, they are putting money in the National Treasury, etc, etc.
I can give you examples of how simplified messages on job creation, town regeneration, resources identification and exploitation, wealth creation/generation and distribution, sustainable community development, etc are transmitted by PDOIS across the country.
I am baffled by Kinteh’s (Kemo) claim that Halifa, a Gambian who has travelled the length and breadth of the country and has met people in every community, is not comfortable with rural communities.
I can tell you that Halifa, unlike almost all political leaders, actually does take the time and make the effort, to meet people in their own homes when on the political campaign. I have prayed Maghrib (Timis/Fitiro) with Halifa in our little community mosque, whilst he was on campaign. Without taking any more space, I will wait for your reaction.
To chip in…UDP‘s message since inception is getting the country rid off dictatorship and all sorts of entrenchment of power in one hand. This agenda is relevant today as it was 22 years ago.
It is also the belief of UDP that meaningful development is only sustainable through a representative democracy. That decentralization of govt so that every region takes ownership of their own development needs. That is why the party is greatly happy with the work be Done by BCC / KMC/ mansakonko area councils.
We believe that any sustainable development ideas must be crafted and nurtured by people directly affected. We do not believe in highly untested -on -the-paper – noble- ideas that may not be practicable to different needs and circumstances of a diverse country like ours.
With respect, you haven’t said anything that others haven’t said too.
“Decentralision”, every body talks about it. “Sustainable development”, every body talks about it. Work done by BCC? I listened to Mayoress Rohey Malick Lowe, where she said she basically dipped into her own pocket to provide funds to women in Banjul and used her connection with certain Europeans to access EU Funds. You call this sustainable? May be, I need to check what “sustainable” really means.
“Untested ideas?” Fishing in our own waters, landing the fish on our soil and processing, even at the basic level, are not untested. NPE of Fisco Conateh, for example, is proof. Scan Gambia is another proof. Very successful businesses at one point, providing employment to lots of youths. They died because local industries are NEVER protected by pseudo “free market”, neoliberal idealists. They CANNOT because the foreign funds they rely on come with such conditionalities.
Family and community farms are not “Untested ideas” either. They are part of our farming culture, but have been left to fend for themselves. A serious development model must organise funding, production, processing and marketing outlets for this most important sector.
Babu, yes barrow is incompetent ..admittedly a failure of judgement on the part of UDP to put up someone his calibre.
But your line of arguement, as usual, is poor. Ask yourself why Jammeh, your ideal leader for Gambia & Africa, was not suited for nor sustainable as a leader?
Don’t go around blaming the west or the killed Lt. barrows (personifying the mandinka zealots) of the past. Just answer the question à la Ensa Faal!
Women’s vegatable gardening (horticulture) is not “Untested.” Those who live in the Kombos can see the enormous loss that these women suffer season after season, due to a variety of reasons, all related to the lack of facilities to preserve, means of transport, lack of markets, devaluation (due to over supply) and absence of strategic planning for the sector. Providing the strategic planning and the requisite funding and logistics the sector needs may never have been done before, but surely, you are not going to hold the view that this is unrealistic. I honestly hope not.
Horticulture is a very interesting sector and a useful one as a case study for this I am pleased that you brought it up.
I believe and in line with UDP decentralization drive for representation and taxation, area councils are best suited to provide the regional specific needs of both investing in garden infrastructure and also in building market stalls/ Lumos to enable successful exchange of the garden produce into cash or kind.
A direct central govt intervention have shown to be totally inadequate. The policies and goals are tailored to political loyalties and are ill prosecuted because the „declared“ beneficiaries have no power to contribute to the implementation of the projects.
Jammeh‘s tractors ended up in the homes of his own handpicked chiefs or governors.
And i dont see how the same won’t happen if we don’t ensure independence of elected local govt councils to have independence over how to utilize tax money and subsidies from central government.
A pdois govt wouldn’t fare better if Sallah instead of elected local officials, is the custodian of projects that aims to improve the lot our horticultural Farmers. The intent is not disputed but the actual implementation of the goals, noble they may be, is susceptible to misappropriation by pdois political stalwarts vying for political/economic profit.
That is why UDP stand for taxation and representation!
Quote: “A pdois govt wouldn’t fare better if Sallah instead of elected local officials, is the custodian of projects that aims to improve the lot our horticultural Farmers.”
1. Kinteh (Kemo), either you suffered a slip of the tongue here, or you are engaged in a deliberate misrepresentation and distortion of PDOIS Policy on supporting farmers. Where is the evidence that under a PDOIS Government, Halifa Sallah, rather than elected local officials will be the custodian of projects that aim to improve the lots of horticultural farmers? Please provide a statement (written or oral) from PDOIS/Halifa that even remotely alludes to this claim of yours.
On the contrary, there is ample evidence to show that PDOIS promotes the idea of a people oriented development model, by organising workers and producers into cooperatives that will be supported by government to fulfil their potentials and benefit from their efforts financially and materially.
The people own the development projects and government’s role, as far as I understand, is providing the resources and leadership necessary to pursue the development model that is in line with the party’s agenda, as contained in their Manifesto.
2. Identifying local councils as best suited to provide investment in the horticultural sector to maximise its wealth creation potential is an alternative development plan, but I will not be engaging you on which of the two is more suited to our country, until you can prove that you are not plucking policy for UDP from thin air, least I go on a wild goose chase.
In other words, I want to be certain that what you stated above is UDP Policy and not the figment of your own imagination. So point me to the relevant section of the UDP Manifesto where this policy pledge is made.
3. I don’t know why you’re bringing Yaya Jammeh and “his tractors” into this discussion as an example. Yaya Jammeh has no place where serious discussion on systems and models of development is taking place because he subscribes to nothing and provides no examples one should want to learn from or emulate.
Quote: “……is susceptible to misappropriation by pdois political stalwarts vying for political/economic profit.”
(Baari, Kinteh (Kemo), yaamiira imang fili nyaamo maa bang! ) Just substitute PDOIS with UDP in this quote and you will truly reflect the situation in the Barrow Administration. Do you want me to call names? They are truly inexhaustible, beginning with a certain Adama Barrow.
Kinteh(Kemo),
Barrow is not only incompetent, he’s also the greatest traitor to the Gambian electorate and his coalition partners, an Ali Baba(the Thief), a tribalist, nonentity….
Jammeh’s achievements are present, you like it or not. I don’t have to enumerate them.
The only ousted leader who has maintained popularity like the late President Mandela.
Give him access to the polls and he’ll defeat any contender.
Kinteh(Kemo),
You are deliberately bias. Where are the Jammeh tractors now?
They were all seized by the CORRUPT Barrow administration and sold/given away to their buddies.
Who did the worst, Jammeh or Barrow? The farmers in my district who benefitted from that benevolent agricultural programme just suffered under the STUPID vengeful reaction of the IDIOTIC Barrow administration.
Why can’t you say that? Why hide the truth?
Bax, I sampled PDOIS because I think the voice of the few who vote for them should be represented in any government in place even if that few counts for a tiny fraction of the total of all partys’ votes together. If every party were playing a role in the government to push forward their constitutionally legal agendas/development plans through parliament, this heavy load of extreme partisanship and party politics bias, fuelled by none but but our reps’ spooky obsession with cultural identity, traditional beliefs and myths.
Bax, can any of our elected memebers this Friday for instance, provide/present a cutting edge statistics of e.g., his/her constituency’s population, precise number of un/employed, how many are between 18-70, how many are female and male, how many are minors, how many are educated or are having one, how many are at legal work age, livestock owners and the total livestock population, how many are really engaged in fruitful farming, how many are hand to mounth farmers, a detailed and precise report of the state of infrastructure etc. etc., and also, present a logical and feasible development plan for his/her constituency??? How on earth as an elected member can I be able fight for a fair share of the cake for those i represent at the commons’ store if i am, as the elected, clueless of vital information about my constituency?? If indeed our political difference were influenced by nothing but just our development agendas and the methods of delivering materially, then it would be very likely that different parties be able to buy into each other’s agenda to form a coalition government at anytime a situation calls for it. I don’t know a lot about politics but I grab a bit of sense from it where it makes sense which Gambia’s lack. Why are we so afraid of coalition governments when that’s the most easy and affordable method to put the power of a president under check and also the easiest way to show him the exit??
I think if a party fails to secure the full 50% of votes in a ‘genuine election’, they should be ready to work with the various oppositions or face the consequence of a coalition of the the other more that 50%. Such in my opinion, is the politics that makes the president the servant and not the served. Such is the politics that should be able to put a chest beating and bragging leader in his place.
I think we are elected not because there is a special human perfection in us to be put to test, but because we took a reponsibity whereby we are very much likely to be vulnerable to criticism and mistake making among others. In the same line, if we don’t mess up with public funds, practice nepotistism or hold creepy and cankered agendas, then even the commonly point-at poisonous hypocrisy in politics won’t be able to set us up in scandals that gives bad reputation.
If we really represent a voice, no matter what a minority they are, we should be able to deliver something for them but we can’t deliver those things if if we don’t want to take responsibilities. A fire from cabinet should mean no degradation to someone who had the electorate and the nation in mind if not a source of inspiration and urge to fish for new political work partnerd whose ideas and principles you think won’t contravene yours. It is evident that it is a part of Gambia’s political culture when ruling party credits themselves with, and assume ownership of state funded development. The latter is a Gambian political attitude and I think it needs to be curbed. When we think coalitions are just necessary when we want to oust a dictator, it would be very much unlikely that people’s reps with their development blueprints of differnt walks, work together in a coalition government in the interest of all voters. But how can politicians come together to work in a coalition government when there is such a dearth of practical ideas? If you say the city major said, she spent her own money to sport women’s projects, I would say that is quite philanthropic but, using ‘her connections’ with “certain Europeans” to “access European funds” should warrant she face a special emergency NA probe. Well it should be clear to her that it doesn’t work like that in European countries. You cannot buy a house there without a very good proof of the source of money. In the Gambia, we are talking of a mayoress connected to private agents who are capable of making European funds accessible to her if I understand it correctly. That’s the mayor but minister Bah would think the remedy to the ‘back way’ is to organised young Gambians and send them as a package to wicked and grotesque Arabic slavers. He might have thought he had the best youth development plan. When some Gambian football talent faces questioning over alleged age fixing, some Gambia fan would; ‘who jah bless no man curse’. Such is the average Gambian’s state of mind. These type won’t see the need to level their criticisms at governments whose lack of ideas has resulted in the failure of institutions. He failed to realise that with functioning sports institutions, Gambia will never be able to produce talents bred in football schools as toddler but later developers who have no more than 5 years professional foot seasons in his aging muscle. Bax, I’m not being irrelevant but just trying to figure out how we as Gambians expect good and glory to come from Mnaa Mnaa things. That’s in fact what our very politics and governance are surrounded by >> Mnaa Mnaa
Bourne, you are not irrelevant and you have a way with words that is special. Its kind of entertaining to read you. One sort of feels the presence of a comedian/entertainer in your writings.
In an ideal situation, you want to have political parties that can work together in every level of government, but ours is not an ideal situation for one or two reasons:
1. We have a Presidential system, where the president is directly elected and has enormous, almost unchecked Executive Powers vested on him/her by the Constitution. This creates two problems:
(i) the president does not depend on parliament to occupy the Office of the President (ii) the president has total control and huge influence over government apparatus, through the power to punish (remove) or reward (appoint) without check. Let me explain (i) a little bit, as (ii) is self explanatory.
You see, in countries where coalitions are a feature of the political culture and do work, you often find Parliamentary Systems there, where the head of government (usually Prime Minister) is not directly elected by voters. He or she wins elections to form government by virtue of the number of seats his/her party won in Parliament.
In such systems, it does happen that sometimes the winning party does not have enough seats to form a majority government and has to enter into coalition, by making offers, with other parties to make up the short fall. Under such an arrangement, a government would most likely collapse, if coalition partners were to leave it.
So, sacking a coalition partner or reneging on a coalition deal is not a matter of choice for such heads of governments, even if they would like to, because that would lead to the collapse of their governments. The head of government would then have 3/4 choices: 1. Attempt to form new coalition 2. Decide to govern with a minority government (an impossibility) 3. Call fresh elections or 4. Resign and let someone else lead.
If President Barrow’s presidency was dependent on the seats that FTJ, Darboe, Mai Fatty, OJ, Lamin Dibba and Amadou Sanneh brought into his coalition, I bet he wouldn’t dare sack them, because that may spell the end of his coalition government. That’s the first difficulty we face.
The second (2) difficulty we face is the whole culture and practice(s) of our political system, from the absence of debate, mystifications of various types, character assassinations and the unquestioning notion that whatever comes from the government must be true. An example is Jawara’s demonization of PDOIS over 3 decades ago. You still find people believing that nonsense and regurgitating it today. So too, is the sacking of Darboe and the “bus driver” foolishness of Barrow. Watch how this will be used against Darboe in coming years. I’m not saying it will affect him, but it will definitely be used on political platforms.
So, if you are a political party with a different approach to governance to the president, it is most likely that you will be kicked out, and any stigma attached to that sacking may very well hold, even if it is nonsense. Moreover, asking political parties with different ideas on governance and the economy to work together in the same cabinet, is like asking different travellers, going to different places, to share a horse drawn carriage that has horses at both ends, ready to go different directions. That ain’t gonna work. something’s gotta give first.
Bax, I’ll take that as a compliment with very good faith and thanks for your beautiful write up. @Dida would say, ‘a bit of humour is not bad for health’.
By the way I think everyone will be convince now that our constitution – was not in fact cast on with some sort of colonial jinx. Indeed, it is our making.
Bourne,
Mindset is good a starting point. The Gambia Psyche is still held back in time. The cultural shift hasn’t happen yet. The national consciousness is yet to ripe. When I dwell on the narrow-mindedness of the politicians and general population, people tend to be embarrassed by it and try to deny them. Denial is a tested strategy to look away from the obvious.
Here is a mirror image of Gambia (Senegal as well) in terms of national-socio cultural consciousness.
Recently I attended (part of the organizers) my local Gambia association (apolitical, non-religious, for all) tobaski event. While mingling with every one, I realise that sensitive discussions (political, family, financial etc) are discussed mainly along ethno-linguistic lines although many of the participants are multi-lingual in the Gambian languages.
We continue to be more comfortable sharing sensitive views with people we perceive to speak or understand or share our cultural instincts. We have difficulty still to forge a lasting relationships with fellow Gambians across ethno-linguistic lines except marriage relationships or professional relationships. Our friendship circles are populated with people who we assume feel us and understand our cultural values and non-verbal indicators.
So how would a country evolve in which the majority of us share a uniform reference point? The till dato much acclaimed “all Gambia are brothers and sisters” has being unmasked as a total deception by the testimonies of abject cruelty at TRRC proceedings.
I think that is what is holding us back. And the abject brutality of jammeh has set us 22 years back. And the abject incompetence of Barrow, who by virtue of his background transcending the ethno-linguistic barrier, has turned out to be an outer failure on all expectations rested on him.
Kinteh Kemo, “We have difficulty still to forge a lasting relationship with fellow Gambians across ethnolinguistic lines except MARRIAGE relationship or professional relationship.” What a people with crooked tricky mind sets we are?
Hah absolutely, When I saw her, I got deaf, dumb and blind!!!
Some British historians think the Romans were able to easily invade and conquer Britain because the average British then puts more importance to tribal and clan lineage than what happens outside and around Britain. If that was more than 2 thousand years ago Britain, this is the Gambia in the 21 century.
What is this? This is the fourth age fixing scandals Gambian internationals have suffered in less that three years to my knowledge! And, a player goes to sign a contract in a transfer deal through mistaken identity … I might have thought that is something to happen in Brazil where there are more than half a million professionals and where literally football means food and future for many young people from the Favellas.
If you want to see how much Gambian governments are lazy and unmotivated in their thoughts in a fast moving world, just google Banjul right now. I bet there is no other capital city in the whole wide world like it. Kinteh Kemo .., APPALLING! right?
yes it is! but don’t blame me for highlighting the menace that many people prefer to preserve under the rug.
A Britain in the middle ages is actually the period Gambia is going through right now despite the digital leap (Smartphones).
Even the educated class is not immuned to the mindset! Bourne, what is your friendship circle – Gambia for that matter- made up of?
Bax, I am not just „plucking policy for UDP from thin air”. The empowerment of the local govt governance has always being a UDP policy heavyweight. This policy is in the manifesto and is manifested in the following concrete testimonies:
1. Selection of NAMs By local Party delegates. This is meant to ensure accountability of NAMs to their districts.
2. Actively participated in local gov’t elections. UDP is now actively formulating and implementing policies through its Mayors and area council Chairmans to deliver for their respective People regardless of Party affiliations.
Again, to develop farming, horticulture and indeed the wider agricultural diversification drive (anchored in the UDP manifesto), you need to give the People the political Control over locally generated tax and declutch from political consideration subsidies coming from the central govt. Think-tanks within the UDP are also working on a formula that would try to legislate into law the allocation of subsidies from the central to the local gov’t such that these subsidies are freed from political considerations or influence.
Getting people (party delegates) involved in the selection of NAMs or developing policies that help UDP reps to deliver to the people, regardless of party affiliations does not really prove your claim, does it? I don’t know what your Think-Tanks will come out with, so we’ll have to wait and see.
I am actually looking at UDP Manifesto 2016-2021 policy guidelines on agriculture at financing (sub-heading (iii)) and I will post it verbatim to prove that you’re plucking policy from thin air for UDP.
Quote @UDP Manifesto 2016-2021:
“iii) Improve Credit Service. Access to credit is an important determinant in increasing productivity. Today the credit needs of the farmers have not been addressed satisfactorily. We shall work with the commercial banks and other lending agencies to develop a differentiated and responsive credit system that addresses the various credit needs of the various categories of the farming community.”
There you have it. No mention of local government. Instead, it’s credit facilities from commercial banks and lending agencies (Loan sharks) that will be the source of funding for vulnerable, poor farmers.
Here’s a verbatim quotation from PDOIS Manifesto 2016
Quote@ PDOIS Manifesto 2016:
“3. ON WOMEN’s UPLIFTMENT FROM POVERTY
That women, making up half the population, are mostly engaged in farming, or horticulture, without access to inputs and reliable markets. To address the problem of the vast majority of women, a Cooperative Bank and Cooperative marketing establishments will be commissioned to provide all the inputs for gardening, aquaculture , animal husbandry, petty business and cottage industries to enable women to earn income sufficient for improved living and further purchase farm produce to promote value added production through processing to generate employment.”
Very clear and unambiguous. No mention of loan sharks (commercial banks and lending agencies) and abandoning our vulnerable farmers to their greed for profits at all cost. It’s all about using the funds that we generate to support our most productive citizens to be even more productive and generate more wealth. It’s called putting your money where your mouth is.
By the way, I noticed that UDP Government will also provide funds (subsidies) from central government to farmers (according to your imaginary policy), through the local councils, but I see a bias here: whilst you are convinced that PDOIS stalwarts will use political clout to benefit from funds to agriculture from central government under PDOIS, you have no such concerns for same funds, from same central Government, though this time UDP, to local councils. May I ask why?
Lastly, I dispute your claim that the UDP Government will provide subsidies to farmers because they CANNOT do it unless they change their ideological leaning. You want prove? Go to your Manifesto, under the heading, “ECONOMY” and read.
You will find that, not only did your party praise the disastrous 1980s ERP (Economic Recovery programme of PPP, which eradicated all forms of subsidies) as a success, you have committed yourselves to “fiscal, monetary and structural” policies. Well, structural policies are INCOMPATIBLE with subsidies for dependent, developing, Third World countries that receive advice and guidance from the Brett and Woods Institutions. It’s a TABOO.
You can’t just decipher the agriculture policy in UDP manifesto in isolation.
Let’s leave the word subsidies aside. I mean central govt money ( either through taxation or kind). This money belong to all regions of the country. How do you distribute these funds?
We in the UDP are saying creating a formula for sharing these funds and legislate that formula into law whereby the funds utilization at local level goes through the treasuries of the local govt area councils.
These councils must be democratically elected as a condition for receiving funds.
Then they are responsible for utilizing these funds from central government and the local tax money to craft and implement their own development needs. Under the credo representation before taxation.
Commercial banks are separate entity. Since we are talking about individual agricultural entities ( except pdois wish to nationalize the farmlands), individual innovations can be supported by enabling a favorable credit lending environment for both voluntary cooperative or individual owned farms.
Quote: “( except pdois wish to nationalize the farmlands),”
There is no longer any doubt in my mind that you did not suffer a slip of the tongue earlier when you made the claim that Halifa would be the custodian of projects under a PDOIS Government. I have viewed you, all along, as a genuine critic of PDOIS and Halifa, but how wrong I was.
Nevertheless, I will not tire to demand prove from you, if you do care, to substantiate your recent claim. Until then, I will discontinue this engagement for now.
OK Kinteh.., I wouldn’t point blames therefore.
Anyway, I’ve had traumatic a disappointment from trusted friendship circles there since Dec. 2016. I’m still to recover a lot from it. I thought all circles have long since nipped that canker within and between circles, well deep in its bud!!
Perhaps my new circles there in the future will be the fauna and flora. I’ll seek for support from like minds to turn the semi desert country green again and protect the wildlife. Those friends for some good reasons are more reliable. Hope you sympathize with my future Social Connections Plan there ..
So Bax, every lending institution is a “Loan Shark”?
What would the cooperatives do differently? Where would the novelty be?
Cooperatives, with a few exceptions, do not work well in Senegambia largely on account of what I’d call the frailties of the human nature for want of a better term.
Gambians in particular just don’t do well with monies destined for the common good! It’s either public officers tipping the kitty, citizens collude with officials to steal public funds or vultures of Gambian politicians come scrounging around like bottom feeders! With the exception of Hon. Sidia Jatta and Halifa Sallah! We know the good ones Bax!
Yes Andrew, commercial banks and lending agencies modelled after the Bretton Woods institutions are Loan Sharks, indeed. They are not in business for altruistic reasons. They are in it for the money and the easier the kill, the better. And you won’t find a much easier kill than the desperately needy vulnerable farmers.
What would the cooperatives do differently? I don’t have the specifics of what the cooperatives under PDOIS would do differently. As you know, I never pretend to be speaking for PDOIS or representing their position in any discussions. Rather, I am only expressing my agreement with their approach and sharing my understanding of what they would do, which may be wrong.
I am assuming that either PDOIS will create a sort of revolving fund, where the total value of funds received by individual members of cooperatives are quantified and an affordable payment plan, over a number of years, of the exact amount received (no interest) is devised and agreed upon or they (PDOIS) may decide to make one off FREE capital investments into the agriculture sector to kick start its agriculture sector revolution. I know many neoliberal fanatics would say no to this approach, but my question is, why not?
Look, President Trump is giving American Farmers $12 billion (public funds) free aid this year to offset the disastrous effects of his trade war with China and he has pledged to do the same next year, if necessary. Western Governments poured billions of Dollars (public funds) into the banking sector in 2008 to prevent its total collapse.
And don’t forget Andrew, these are the governments whose directives (of no direct public sector involvement in the economy) the Bretton Woods Institutions are ramming down the throats of Third World dependent economies, like The Gambia.
It is up to us to either wake up from this stupendous slumber and put our monies where our mouths are to turn our fortunes around or continue being led like unthinking sheep to the abattoir, thus the life of wretchedness and utter hopelessness for the majority of our people, until we depart this life for good. No one puts it more succinctly than Hon Halifa Sallah: “Judu chi chono, mageh chi chono, deh chi chono” (be born into abject poverty; grow up in abject poverty; die in the same abject poverty)
Corruption, Andrew, is a huge challenge for a country like The Gambia, not least because of our attitudes to public funds and towards public office holders. As Bourne would agree, when you have a culture that says, “a cow feeds (on the grass) where it is tethered”, then you know the cancer is deep rooted and would require a bold and robust approach over a period of time, to significantly curb and curtail, if not eradicate completely.
One thing is absolutely certain: those who feed off this corruption in public office or seek public office to partake in this corruption (seen as “Barako”/”Tekki dara” or “harrgewo/worsakk”) would only pay lip service to its eradication; never any serious attempts to tackle it.
I always ask our political elites one question.
1. What is the role of Agriculture in our NDP?
I can tell you that the answers are quite embarrassing and betrayed a complete lack of understanding that Agriculture is an investment in our future with huge ROI.
Think about agriculture as a joint venture between
The Government of The Gambia and
Farmers
The government contribute
Irrigation.
Fertilizer.
Infrastructure.
Technology and
Money.
Farmers contribute
Land and
Labor
Both are looking for this result
1. Poverty alleviation
2. Food security
The result is a strong union. The Republic of The Gambia.
The how is. Honesty, integrity and Leadership.
Bourne, like minds are getting together to form the Nyambai Forest Conservation Society to protect our national parks and peri -urban forests such as Nyambai, Salaji, Furuyar, “Monkey Park” and a host of other forests facing decimation at the hands of our own citizens.
Like minds are also coming together to drill sources of clean and potable water right there in communities that need it most without much fanfare and TV photo ops!
This is exactly what cuts out graft, incompetence and carrion eating middlemen while bringing earthly benefits to real Gambians!
I am not going to mince words going forward Bourne as we are turning out to be our own worst enemies in The Gambia! Think Haadama Barrow and Wusainou Darboe!
I’ll remind readers of the old Manding adage, TULU BUNDIRO BUKA KUNGO TEYE BARRI……..
Let’s start putting our monies where our mouths are to ensure that the Rag Tag Darboe, Kandeh, OJ and Barrow GO AWAY!!
Oh Bourne! And I suppose that “our” Dembo BB Darboe will also bring us “DEMBACRACY” along the way after the long hiatus.
It may be the case that his encounter with his JINNA MORO has served to not only embolden him but also bestow new charm, Duwaa and smarts that weren’t there in the hey days of the PPP!
So now we have two Manding Princes off of the same template. The de facto and the something something.
Will the real Manding Prince please stand up?
Or is this seeming conundrum a case of collusion out of the Donald Trump playbook?
Andrew Pjalo, I’ve never had a bit of doubt someone somehow most be doing something wonderful at the stormy coast. It is a wonderful thing you are doing with the parks. Don’t you think it is highly necessary to make a wider research on our tree species in order to find out possibilities of regenerating them.
Anyway, we should all be thankful to such a great activity especially the Agric department. That Kind of activity is another very good way to pray for rains. The parks are of course the priority now but the general landscape of the country is a concern before your own eyes I’m sure. So sad you got nothing from me but mouth. I wish my hands in such endeavor sooner or later.
Well .., on BB Darbo to Dembacracy to prince Something Something, I need to borrow a Rubik’s Cube!
Who is Prince Something Something?? and you said also: Prince Man .., Prince Mandinq … Andrew to be honest, I’m not sure if to call this one ‘spooky’ or ‘intriguing’. Albeit losing my smile myself in recent times, I’d plead with you to crack one right now.