Political patronage or the spoils system (indeed, any kind of patronage) employs a system that plays favorites. In party politics, the patron is usually the leader or Secretary General of a political party who has the power to hire his or her family and friends to political appointments and other attractive jobs that pay well. The Gambia since its independence has long been known as a nation where the patronage system has held sway despite the many attempts to destroy it.
Musician Ali Cham, Killa Ace known by his stage name eloquently and brilliantly described “Political Patronage or spoils system victory” meaning in one of his masterpiece songs in Wolof, “KU BOKA C GETA GEE NAN C MEOW MEE” literary and roughly means “ all those with cattle herd deserve milk”. Those without with cattle herd don’t deserve milk.
Once, government jobs were political rewards, with workers kicking back to the political parties to which they owed their jobs. This system of chaos and intimidation in government service has become a reality— exactly the system President Adama Barrow seems to want to return to. He is following his predecessor President Jammeh in the politicization of the civil service, encouraging or inheriting the politics of political patronage. At present, in both the diplomatic service and the civil service, no organization and no system is safe from that chaos; no test of integrity is safe from that partisanship; no test of qualification is safe from that intrigue.
In the Gambia, political patronage (also known as the patronage system) is a practice in which a political party, after winning an election, gives civil service jobs to its supporters, friends and relatives as a reward for working toward victory, and as an incentive to keep working for the party. The opposite is a merit system, where offices are awarded based on some measure of merit, independent of political activity.
Julius Bing, a renowned civil service reformer, has advocated for the professionalization and depoliticization of the civil service, a system that has served nations well for many years all around the world. That reform of the civil service matters today in the New Gambia, as President Barrow plans for disruption to appear, including the wholesale undoing of the civil service itself, like his predecessor destroying the foundation of Africa’s most capable civil servants.
President Barrow must start permanent employment in the civil service and end the politicization of the civil service by firing corrupt, incompetent, and dishonest workers and by using the powers of the presidency to remove and discipline government employees who have violated the public’s trust.
The civil service seems benign at best, boringly so. There are few advocates presently speaking up for it. But if we wait too long to pay attention or speak out, it might be too late. The Gambia depends on a competent, ethical civil service for the stable functioning of our government and economy—the very foundation of our greatness.
The Gambia has grown used to official and reliable statistics, forecasts, reports, and investigations to keep us informed, stable, and safe. But this stability and professionalism has been undone by Yahya Jammeh, now the government of Adama Barrow following the same path the with the stroke of a pen on a late Friday afternoon through an executive order to hire and fire civil servants.
The Gambia’s civil service system was based on the Westminster style and, after years of efforts, aimed to cure the ills of patronage and corruption that to that point had defined government employment. It aimed to professionalize and depoliticize government employees, allowing civil servants to serve the people and the country rather than petty politicians or ideologies.
Its unethical but a tradition: presidents and political parties treated government jobs as part of the patronage and spoils system. Political party loyalists were regularly rewarded with jobs, promotions, raises, or even paid leave for work on political campaigns.
Political machines depended on the system, for it provided an army of hacks and bosses to run the machine. As administrations came and went, so did most of the federal workforce. This led to constant flux in employment and workers who owed their jobs solely to political connections. Their morale was low, and they lived in constant fear and anxiety of losing their jobs.
Besides the obvious corruption, this created a massively inefficient workforce incapable of the important work required of the federal government, with few workers qualified for their jobs.
An array of political prostitutes and opportunists engaged in politics for selfish interests and benefits. They had access to the state treasury and control over issuing remunerative licenses and contracts. Most interestingly and surprisingly in the Gambia, participation in party politics does not mean automatic rewards, as most people who enjoy the dividends are latecomers.
Then, it is beyond speculation that the rewards after victory are usually based on political loyalty, commitment, and patronage! It goes without saying that those that made heavy sacrifices are left out.
The Gambia does not have monopoly on political patronage. As long as political systems are set up for winner takes all, there will be patronage. In matured societies there are usually 2 systems.
One. The majority. Based purely on merit. Those are the people in the system that work. They understand the system, they know the rules and they keep the system going.
Two. The minority. Based on “who you know” and your party. Those are usually placed in ministries, parastatals or entities under government ownership or control as pseudo heads. They know NOTHING. They understand NOTHING. They are there to occupy space and move cash.
Our problem in Gambia is all or none, # Two.
Our system is made up entirely of those who are there to occupy space and move cash. That is our danger. That is what has and will continue to damage the fabric of our society.
Our problem is the bunch of SELFISH and HYPOCRITE ‘book’ children especially in the diaspora who never told the truth about bad governance to the PPP administration.
Our problem and predicament is the same bunch of SELFISH and HYPOCRITE ‘book’ children who led a ferecious internal and external war on the most Pan-Africanist administration, the APRC administration.
Our problem and predicament is the same bunch of SELFISH and HYPOCRITE ‘book: children who believe the current CORRUPT, TRIBALIST, SELFISH, UN-GAMBIAN, INCOMPETENT and very STUPID and IDIOTIC administration with the profused-belly( filled with HARAM) British Argos Watchman Barrow should stay after three years.
These ‘book’ children are Gambia’s problem. They weigh on their personal ego to support or oppose an administration. With their bookish knowledge and utter lack of truthful vision, they contribute and continue to contribute to our backwardness.
Who in her/his sane mind would welcome Africa’s most illiterate, SELFISH, clueless, CRUEL person in presidential clothing to continue beyond the agreed three-year transitional period?
Aren’t we living witnesses to the difficulties, the waste, the nepotism and all the crude administrative ineptudes and blunder?
Or is our support for this IMP in presidential clothing, the price for our hatred for President Jammeh? When are we loyal, truthful and sincere to the poor and destitude Gambian people?
Look, Alagi Yorro, I don’t accept your bland, weak and comformist style of criticising the present administration. I read your writings during the Jammeh era which are no match to your present weak arguments.
Why the change in tone and style?
I see the same hypocrisy in Pa Nderry Mbai, Kibaro, Gainako, Madi Jobarteh and Njundu’s postings.
That’s why I say our problem and predicament lie on your shoulders. And of course, on those who subscribe to CORRRUPT, ILLITERATE and INCOMPETENT Barrow’s continuity here on line.
Neither Barrow nor Ousainou Darboe will preside over our affairs after December. They are both CORRUPT, SELFISH sellouts.
We have thousands of our up coming patriotic, incorruptible, well prepared fellows to change our people’s livelihood for the better.
Babu, where did you dig up the word, IMP? Interesting. I recall an old Catholic priest using the word on rowdy students!
By the way, my advice to the DR, Isatou Sarr is to embrace humility in dealing with the readership and subscribers to this medium.
Andrew never once asked that the Dr was black, white, red or Indian.
Never asked either that I was exchanging ideas with a socialite, academic, beautiful Badibumka or Kombonka bisexual or heterosexual?
All I cared about was what I could glean from the writing.
Words do speak for themselves Bax and Mwalimu? Don’t they??
Achtung! Verboten Toegang from Andrew!
“Cos I’m a Dutchman, Yeah I’m a Dutchman”!