(JollofNews)– Failure by President Adama Barrow’s administration to respect the sanctity of contract and follow due process will send out a wrong message to foreign investors that The Gambia remains a highly risky investment destination.
A government that is seen or perceived as not able to honour its contractual obligations will find it extremely challenging to attract long-term capital intensive investments. The new administration needs to demonstrate that The Gambia is open for business and ready to attract investments for job creation. But, it seems as if the president’s focus is more to attract foreign aid than foreign direct investment.
During President Barrow’s visit to France last week, he gave the strongest hint in an interview with RFI that he might not respect the three-year transitional term in office in accordance with the Coalition’s agreement. According to Barrow “the agreement is three years, the mandate constitutionally is five years, we have a job to do – we look at what is going to happen [in] three years, whether we will finish what we want to do or not”.
In other words, the three-year transitional period is no longer certain but contingent on his administration’s own assessment as to whether they have finished what they “want to do or not”. This is a self-serving requirement as the Barrow administration will have an incentive to claim that the work is not yet finished.
In fact, the work of a government is not to finish everything it wants to do. Besides, no government in the world can finish what it sets out to do. For instance, former president Obama set out to close Guantanamo Prison but left power without achieving it. He didn’t dare think of asking for an extension to finish his agenda.
The thinking that a president must finish their work before leaving office is largely responsible for abuse of power to prolong their stay. Development is infinite! Thus, the development of a country is an endless work from one government to another and from one generation to another.
Probably Barrow knows that he is a one-term president, so he needs his full five-year term. This will be a mockery of the ‘transitional period’, which will mean anything but in name.
A five-year term will only be to the advantage of Barrow’s political party, the United Democratic Party (UDP). One does not need a degree in political science to know that Barrow is only ‘warming’ the presidential seat for the minister of Foreign Affairs, Ousainou Darboe, who is also the UDP leader. Barrow has made no efforts to hide where his loyalty lies as he confessed in his first interview with Aljazeera after his inauguration in Dakar on 19 January. He stated without equivocation that he was faithful to the leader of his UDP party – not the Coalition. Barrow probably forgot that he had resigned from UDP to head the Coalition.
Regarding Barrow’s change of mind, he is probably borrowing a leaf from the book of his Senegalese counterpart, President Macky Sall, who is now his ‘godfather’. President Sall won the presidential runoffs against Abdoulaye Wade in March 2012 through the “Benno Bokk Yakkar” Coalition, with the promise that he would reduce his term from the constitutionally-mandated seven years to five years. Sall failed to keep his promise.
Moreover, Barrow’s announcement in Paris (not in Banjul) of his request for an additional deployment of Senegalese troops was likely another piece of advice from Macky Sall. It is obvious that neither The Gambia nor Senegal can afford to foot the bills of maintaining Senegalese troops for Barrow’s security. However, it is worrying that an issue of national interest was never mentioned or discussed in parliament. Gambians have to learn about it from foreign media. This is not transparency at work!
After 22 years of Yahya Jammeh’s misrule characterised by policy unpredictability and blatant disregard for the sanctity of contracts including the Constitution, the Barrow administration should be working to inspire confidence in government by demonstrating integrity, accountability, transparency, respect for the rule of law, property rights, due process and so on. This is what will attract foreign direct investments and strengthen Gambians’ faith in government.
As a mark of transparency and accountability, Barrow and every member of his Cabinet should declare their assets so that Gambians will know by how much they get richer after leaving office.
All said and done, if Barrow fails to step down in January 2020, he will have little or no moral high ground over Jammeh.
The two of them will have more than one thing in common. Besides the fact that they were born in the same year, they will both be remembered as the presidents who can’t keep their word and can’t rise above self-interest.
By Murtala Touray
The author is a Gambian based in the UK advising government and corporate entities on commercially-relevant political and security risks.
Gambians take heed! Is he truly warming the seat for Darboe?! Vote him out at the next election if he does not deliver according to promise or expectation! Vote him out if he fails to adhere to the Coalition MOU! We don’t want a rubber stamp President or NA members. Learn from Russia, Putin and Megvedev!
I could not agree more Mr. Touray.
Hence the argument goes, rather than helping developing countries out of poverty, foreign aid may in fact have the exact opposite effect of retrenchment of poverty in, especially corruption prone sub-saharan Africa, where aid money is easily diverted to, sometimes, unsavoury purposes like entrenching incumbents [often incompetent] rule.
In my opinion it would be corrupt behaviour on the part of the President to try to go back on his promise to serve for only three years, unless, of course, if he were to act to defend the integrity of the Gambia against adverse vested interests. And, I am thinking of, say, a UDP attempted, legal, but ruthless take of the reigns of power, to the exclusion of all other parties. Adama as independent could conceivably continue in power under those circumstances to give all parties a fighting chance for the top job.
Otherwise let the [ very seriously] English, or British adage: “my word is my bound” hold.
Kara, i think most people are overlooking section 63 of the constitution which deals with the term of office of an elected president. This section is an entrenched clause so it must be changed to allow president Barrow to serve only three years. The other alternative will be for him to resign and that can lead to exactly what most people don’t want and something you have alluded to above. That is Ousainou Darboe or someone from UDP becoming the president through the backdoor. I find it fascinating that the very people who are complaining that Ousainou and UDP are trying to hijack the government, are the most vocal in calling for President Barrow to stick to the three year coalition agreement. These people are forgetting that when the office of the president becomes vacant, section 65(2) of the constitution says the Vice President should assume the office of President. Who will be the Vice President by the end of the three years is anybody’s guess. We should be careful what we wish for is all am saying. I think the coalition should be realistic with what they want to achieve and in what time frame. They should have a proper chat after the National Assembly elections about the transition period. Sticking to the three year plan will mean that we will have two presidential elections, two National Assembly elections and a referendum within a three year period. That is something to consider as well.
Plain speaking Gentleman.
Mr. Sanyang, I think you miss the point on this one. People are not against Mr. Darboe becoming president at all. If Mr. Darboe is elected as president so be it. What we are against is what the UDP majority is trying to do. And you are also wrong to say that section 63(1) must be changed to allow president Barrow to serve only three years. There is a difference between holding parties to an agreement they signed and changing a constitutional provision. No one is talking about changing a constitutional provision on this particular matter. Please read objectively my article “The Fallacy of Majority Party Status Results in Tyranny of The Majority.” Holding parties to an agreement they signed has absolutely nothing to do with Constitutional Law. Please also ponder on the questions I raised at the end of my article.
Samba, on the contrary, on this occasion holding the coalition on there agreement has everything to do with the constitution because their agreement involves a constitutional provision. I did not say that most people don’t want Ousainou to become president, what i said was most people don’t want him to become president through the backdoor. Which is a possibility if president Barrow should resign at the end of three years as agreed by the coalition. Samba i agree we have to hold public officers accountable for their utterances and actions, however i believe we should also be flexible and work with them to achieve the best possible outcome. That is why i said ” I think the coalition should be realistic with what they want to achieve and in what time frame. They should have a proper chat after the National Assembly elections about the transition period”
Thank you Samba, Camara and Mariama for your part in Debunking some of the Subterfuge been Sold by the likes of Buba Sanyang Max’s and Burne. Keep up informing the Gambian People and the World about the Undemocratic and Significant Unconstitutional Actions being Constructed and Deployed in the Gambia by UDP, Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty and their Militant Supporters. Mob Rule should Not be permitted to take hold in this New Dispensation. No Selective Arrrests, Detentions and Persecutions of innocent Women and Children. No Selective Arrrests of Other Ethnic Group Officials who Served in the Second Republic of Jammeh, while Neglecting and being Blind to others of the UDP’S Ethnic Group who Served in the same Second Republic and were Complicit in the similar alleged Crimes. The old adage, “Justice Delayed, is Justice Denied”, is well known even to Impostors of the kind running around in the Gambia Pretending to be Democratic, Non-Tribalist, and Accountable. If you believe that, I have a Bridge at Tendaba to Sell. Oh, sorry, I just remembered that it may have already been Sold by the UDP, Regime of Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty, with Adama Barrow in tow. I pray and hope that all this will come to pass, with the Gambia and Gambian People remaining in a State of Peace, Stability and a Democratic Dispensation for All. Gambia is More than the Sum Total of One Individual, One Ethnic Group and Region. One Gambia, One People, One Destiny.
Sidi you are deluded.
Sidi Bojang
This kind of self righteousness you are trying to manifest here is absolutely disgraceful,remorseless and petty to the extreme. Gambian families are still going in circles looking for their loved ones alive or dead but you extolling the lofty achievements of a tyrant that put those families in that unbearable situation. For 22 years families had to deal with the unbearable pain of not knowing where their loved ones are; not knowing whether their loved ones will ever come home again. Where were you Sidi Bojang in those bitter days? What happened to your intellect, your sense of justice, your love for country? Where was these sermons you bombarded these pages with? See,hear no evil. Hypocrite you are Sidi. Those unbearable atrocities were committed by a hegemony you recognized yourself with and supported. You are left bitter with the lost of that fiefdom that you can see no good in this government. The three Mandingoes of Barrow,Darboe and Fatty keep you on your toes, unhinged you but let me tell you friend,these three amigos are here to stay. They are here to heal a nation raped,robbed,plunder and killed by a tyrant who will forever be associated with evil and evil men.
No sane individual expect a smooth ride for this government considering the events before the formation of the government. The progress done since formation is there for all to see, as for the first time in almost 20 years that the Gambians and residents of the Gambia can air their opinions without fear of getting harmed. For the first time in almost 20 years that they can have a sense of security from arbitrary arrest and detentions. For the first time in almost 20 years that the government is accountable to the people. These new phenomenon in our homeland should be celebrated rather than vilify and give praise when its deserved and criticized when merited.How can a government that made those fundamental changes to our lives possible be inept, corrupt and tribalist as you’ve been barking in all your incomprehensible conclusions.
Discard those hatred and be balance because instigating chaos in our homeland benefits no one.
Long Live President Barrow and his government.
Long Live The Gambia.
Instead of the personal attacks, can we engaged in Development and what would improved our Economies?
I heard the IMF is considering to bail out The Gambia. Good news, because the World Bank/IMF Structural Adjustment Program (SAP) is killing us. The only payments we are able to make is the payments on the intrests on those loans let alone the principal. The conditions on those loans include the Liberalized Agricultural Trading and the issues of subsidies, this is not good for our economies and certainly not good for agricultural development . It hurts our domestic producers and increase food insecurity.
Also, the bitter sweet relationship of Africa and Europe existed for centuries and Africa sacrificed a lot for Europe. Do Europe have the moral obligation to extracate Africa from Poverty?
Stepping down in 3 years would help who? That continuing ruling for 5 years is in udp’s interest, is an assumption not a scientific projection. Otherwise the writer could provide the scientific opinion research to back that hypothesis. And hopefully give a scientific prediction that 3-year term is detrimental to udp.
For me the whole allegations, wrapped up as indisputable facts, is quite intriguing. Pa Nderry went viral with news that said Darboe wants Barrow to stick to the 3-year transition so that he(Darboe) can become president as soon as possible. Now Messrs Touray is putting it differently. That Darboe basically wants to wait a little longer to assume the presidency. Who to believe? Barrow chose a woman to become vice- president and some people querried that the move was unconstitutional. That even though the laws are discriminatory, they were the laws and Barrow was sworned to uphold the law. Now arguably the same laws stipulated a 5 year presidential term. So it will be again whether he will go against the constitution or the inter party MOU. Does the existing laws even allow presidential election in 3 years? If yes in which circumstances should a presidential election be held in-between the constitutional stipulated election circles? There are many questions and very few answers. Hence a coalition government can handle these challenges by working with a strong national assembly to change laws. But we cannot expect selective application of bad laws entrenched in our existing constitution. You cannot deny a president a vice president because of some discriminatory piece of legislation and at the same time expect him break the same constitution to limit a constitutional term. It does not make sense.
I am aware that a lot of angst is going around due to the impending NA elections and the daily news of cross-carpeting of people from aprc to udp and these news gives one a impression that the UDP is virtually set to swept the polls. For some people this is unacceptable and they rather have a Jammeh like leader to violently put back the UDP. Since we cannot demand such a move from Barrow , we are labelling him all sorts of slander. Again the fear is unfounded. UDP is vying for 34 seats out of 53. They will barely win more 20 seats. So in that case, they are a minority in NA. What is then the fear? They don’t have a standing army. So why the fear-mongering and the implied impending apocalypse!
I don’t want to elaborate more on Messrs Touray’s eulogy because it is full of assumptions, allegations and not substantiated. I expect more from a person with such an undersigned title and signature.
Kinteh, there is no constitutional provision for presidential elections to be held mid term. There are provisions on how the office of president can become vacant mid term and also provisions on succession. President Barrow can resign at the end of three years but if he does then the Vice president will assume office and serve the remaining two years that is left. If the Vice president for whatever reason cannot assume office then the speaker should. That is the constitution as it stands today. The coalition has agreed on a three year transitional period in good faith, however i think after the national assemble elections they should have a frank discussion amongst themselves and with the public about what is achievable.
Brother Buba Sanyang, I am sorry to repeat myself but I will do so one more time. You cannot have a constitutional issue without government action. To hold the coalition to the three years transition period is not government action. The three years transition period should be analyzed as a contract/agreement issue and not as a constitutional issue. What I am telling you is a legal principle. No lawyer who knows his law can argue this point. Just because the issue of the three years transition period touches on the office of the presidency does not make it a constitutional issue. It is not my brother. The gravamen of the issue is contractual and not constitutional. Any lawyer worth his salt knows this. The question is whether Barrow should be held to the MoU he signed and not whether the term of office for the presidency is five years or not. I see you have not directly answered the questions I raised but that is ok. I do not like to reveal my identity so that people can agree with what I say. I prefer people to use their own reasoning powers to agree or disagree with me.
Mr. Kinteh is way off the mark. I do not understand what discrimination in the constitution he is talking about. About the Vice President issue, I am not aware of anyone saying Mrs. Tambajang is not qualified for the position. What has been said by most people, including yours truly have been that as the constitution stands, she is disqualified from holding the office of Vice President until the constitutional provision at issue is resolved legally and that means altering that provision following the dictates of 226(2)(a) and 226(2)(b) respectively. I mean, it does not get any clearer than that. I hope Mr. Kinteh expound more on the discriminations in the constitution he is talking. I advice him to think long and hard about those things before expounding on them. What may appear as discrimination, upon further review may turned out not to be so at all.
Samba, thanks for an enlightening intellectual debate. I have no problem with Barrow and the coalition been held accountable for the three year transition agreement. I am not a lawyer therefore can’t proffer any legal argument on the issue like you. However my concern is that for them to honour this agreement the best feasible option available to them is for President Barrow to resign at the end of the agreed three years. Samba, already Gambians have rightly raised concerns about UDP muscling in on the presidency using their “majority party” status. Most people would not want to see a UDP member becoming the president by default. And there is no guarantee that won’t happen if Barrow resigns. Although Barrow contested the elections as an independent candidate, most UDP supporters see him as their candidate. This has badly polarized politics so you can imagine what will happen if the president is an active member of UDP? To answer your question, yes it will be unconscionable if Barrow were to renege on his promise of serving only three years. However he and the coalition can have a frank discussion amongst themselves and with the Gambian public that they have perhaps made a mistake in stipulating a three year transitional time frame. That they had not fully grasp the extent of the tasks they were embarking on and now that they are in office the reality has hit them hard. Samba, this is my take on the issue. Now may I ask how or what advice will you give Barrow and the coalition if they should seek your advice, hypothetically?
Buba, here is what needs to happen but I doubt if it will based on the circumstances leading to the National Assembly elections: (1) The Coalition members should be held to the three year transition. (2) Anyone who aspires to run for president should not be a member of the cabinet. In that way all aspirants to the office of the presidency will be on a level playing field. Right now,UDP members who are in the cabinet are at the same time working for their party candidates to run in the coming National Assembly elections. Who can argue that UDP is not setting things up for future stronghold of Gambian politics. If UDP is confident in its electability, then why usurp power? The fact that it is becoming increasingly difficult to demarcate the Coalition from the UDP proves this point. UDP now feel entitled to the government. Look at what happened at the High Court yesterday. Do you think Barrow will agree to what I said?
You do not also answer the paramount issue of your 3-year argument. What happens if Barrow honour his 3-year transition term. Will the vice president/speaker takeover and finish the constitutional term of the office of presidency? Or will a mid-term election be held? Will that entrenched clause regulating election be put to a referendum first? What if the coalition parties have to reselect a new president among themselves after 3 years and a UDP person win that contest again?
Samba, i like your proposal but it shows that you are a lawyer not a politician. I believe Barrow will agree with you because a leveled playing field was what they as a coalition demanded from Jammeh. However Samba, i think politically that will be very difficult to achieve. Because even if we hold the coalition to the three year transition agreement and say they all agree that who ever aspires to run for the presidency should not be in the cabinet, that would not necessarily level the field. Lets say, hypothetically speaking that Ousainou is the Vice President at the end of the three years and Barrow resigns, he can say that he doesn’t want to contest in the presidential elections but he will become the president if the constitution is followed. I don’t have to spell out how UDP membership will play that out. I think the coalition should after the national assembly elections, have a very frank discussion amongst themselves and the public on the transition period. They should agree on a five year transition program so that Barrow can serve a full term in office in line with the constitution but they must incorporate your suggestion that anyone who aspires to be president should quit cabinet and i would add not later than three years before the presidential elections. A five year transition program will give Gambians the opportunity to thoroughly scrutinize individuals and parties and hold them accountable for their utterances and actions. Who knows, new players might come onto the political stage by the end of the five years.
Kemo brother, it is not my three years transition period. The Coalition came up with it and not me. If those who aspire to run for president are not members of the cabinet, I believe the three years transition period is more than enough for them to build their grassroots campaigns and the like to ready to run. As I indicated in one of my comments, most Gambians are not against Darboe becoming president. It is the usurpation of power that we are concerned about. If Darboe were to become Vice President it would be only for the transition period as well and that would be in accordance with the agreement the coalition members signed. It would not make sense to have a Vice President be in office longer than the three years transition period when the president is not allowed to do so.
Let’s take Darboe out this for a moment and let’s suppose party heads leave the cabinet for the next 3 years.
Still the pertinent questions?
What happens if Barrow honour his 3-year transition term.
– Will the vice president/speaker takeover and finish the constitutional term of the office of presidency?
– Or will a mid-term election be held?
– Will that entrenched clause regulating election be put to a referendum first?
Kemo, there cannot be an election mid term because there is no constitutional provision for it. If Barrow resigns then who ever is Vice President at the time will succeed him as President. If for any reason the Vice President could not assume the office of President then the Speaker will take over. That is the constitution. Personally, i will campaign against any attempt to shorten the term of office although i will support a maximum two term limit provided the same applies to opposition leaders.
Buba Sanyang, Kinteh (kemo), Natty Dread,
I was expecting your mourning about the imminent death of your bitty “coalition” government with a half-baked educated Argos watchman at the helm. With his clique of selfish and inept surrogates, this government, without a pronounced and viable programme will soon disintegrate and collapse. But in the meantime, Barrow is fastly enriching himself so that at the end of his 3-year term, he could boost his corrupt real estate enterprise.
I prophecised that these people cannot govern the Gambia without resorting to internal feuds, politicking, influence peddling, vengeance and all forms of individual, tribal and selfish machinations. THEY ARE INCOMPETENT, INEFFICIENT AND INEPT.
While we are yearning for the continuation to construct the Lamin Koto-Passamas trunk road, undertaken by President Yahya AJJ Jammeh, BabiliMansa, the upgrading of our healthcentres, injection of more funds for scholarships in our primary, secondary, tertiary and university institutions; funding for our agricultural programmes and the reduction of our over-bloated civil service, this INEPT “coalition” government is busy fighting for what position to hold, which family/buddy to hold it and how to squander the resources by sending the “president’s” wife and entourage to a fanciful wedding at Dakar, someone who has never stepped a foot out of Barra.
These are the largesses of unorganized people who believe that the rest of the populace is not to be considered for their errate behaviours.
There are no proposals to make to effect any swing to the better. Those who mistakenly voted for these selfish people should know that, their votes have been wasted, their hopes dashed and their illusions frozened. Let them change allegiance and vote for the APRC in the coming parliamentary elections to constitute a solid body of young vanguards who would undoubtedly make more progress from whence the party stopped.
Babu Soli
There is nothing new in your pronouncements. Your empty prophecy also shall come to pass just like many before. Innuendos and false narratives ain’t gonna bring about the Gambia we all wanted but support and guidance for the government that free our people from bondage.
Babu Soli and Samba: Buba Sanyang, Maxs, Natty Dread and the UDP PARTY Militants Turning Vigilantes, have been drinking from their Ethnic Group Based Party Politics CoolAid for so long that they cannot help themselves from Swallowing any and all Corrupt and Corruptive Practices and MALFEASANCE from their Scoundrel leaders. It defies common sense to argue that the MOU that brought about Adama Barrow’s Presidency is Unconstitutional, when all the Current Regime’s Political Party Heads Signed the MOU on their Own Volition. They were not Forced or Threatened to Sign the MOU or they would be locked up or worse. That did not happen. Given that the leading Ethnic Political Party Politics Purveyors in the Gambia are None other than Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty with Adama Barrow following behind, and given that two of the most Malicious and Insidious Characters of the three, Profess to be Attorneys or Lawyers, I wonder how Credible, Ethical and Respectable such Characters are? One must wonder if there is or anything that Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty would not do for the Sake of Power and Ruling Gambia? Why would anyone Trust and follow Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty when they demonstrated Clearly that they cannot be Trusted because they time and time Sold the Gambia and Gambian People to Macky Sall and his Godfather, France. Exhibits AB, MF, OD, HB (where AB is Adama Barrow, MF is Mai Fatty, OD is Ousainou Darbo and HB is Hamat Bah), the D200,000.00 Salary a Month for Adama Barrow, a former Rent Collector is an Insult and Unjustifiable. Mai Fatty and Ousainou Darbo’s Cynical and Opportunistic Play for Unconstitutional Packing of Cabinet with Over Aged Characters is Not only Unconstitutional but Unethical and a Naked Unrestrained Power Grab by UDP their Leadership and Supporters. The Unilateralist and “Buyer’s Remorse” Ethnic Group Based Party Politics Hegemony Move to Invalidate, Nullify and Void the MOU Signed by all Eight Parties is nothing Similar to Hitler’s Treaty with Russia and his MOU with British Prime Minister Chamberlain which he had No intention of Honoring just like the UDP and its Personalities of Adama Barrow and Ousainou Darbo and the PARTY OF ONE OF MAI FATTY had No intent of Honoring or abiding by the MOU and its DEMOCRATIC Product, The Coalition Alliance Government. The request for 1000 more Senegalese Soldiers to be Stationed in the Gambia by Adama, Barrow Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty without Consultation with the Coalition Alliance Partners Nor with the National Assembly Members and therefore, with the Gambian People, is another sign of Despotism Revisited and Unrestrained Power Grab by Military Intimidation during the April 2017 NAM Elections. The Selective Arrrests Detentions and Persecutions of Predominantly One Ethnic Group, while Neglecting those of UDP’S ETHNIC GROUP, is a Development that Should Worry and Demand Remedy in a Judicious and Transparent Manner. A glaring Violation of an individual Citizen’s Rights were Witnessed just a hours following Adama Barrow’s Second Inauguration that cost millions of DALASIS at a time Mai Fatty and others from the UDP were Crying out that Gambia is Bankrupt, was the Twin Unlawful and Dragonian Arrests of One Fatou Badgie for allegedly insulting President Adama Barrow. The arrest of The Jolas of Kafenda Village for the alleged altercation with UDP Supporters is another sign of Despotism and Authoritarian Rule from a Gang just in Power for a few weeks. The Millions of DALASIS Spent living it up at a Hotel in Senegal and the Gambia without any Oversight by any entity is Pure and Naked Unrestrained and Rapacious Corrupt and Corruptive Practices by UDP, Ousainou Darbo, Mai Fatty and Adama Barrow. All these and more that I am not going to mention, all add up to a CLEAR AND CONVINCING PICTURE OF Adama Barrow, Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty’s Regimes’ Untrustworthy and Unethical, Unconstitutional Power Grab. UDP’s Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty and their Supporters Turning “Vigilantes” would like the Gambian People to believe that Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty plus Adama Barrow Singed on the MOU without for thought of the Constitutional Requirements. Again, they profess to be Attorneys or Lawyers and all reasonable grown ups who can Read and Comprehend the Constitution and are involved in Politics for Decades, would or should have Read and Re-read the Constitution and Understand it. If they have not, they and their Supporters have Failed each other and are only making good on their Disdain for Truth, and Rejection of their Expressed Commitment to the Terms of the MOU On which they Owed their Current Political Positions. On the other hand, Cynics would say that Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty did not intend to Honor or Keep the MOU’s Prescription for a Three Year Transition Period. If that is the case, and there are signs of it as being the case, then the Gambia is in for an Unpredictable, Unreliable and Unethical Scoundrels’ Rule, not Governance. Governance presumes a Consentual Social Contract between the Governed and those Governing. Under the Current Regime of Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty with Adama Barrow in tow, this is Not the Case. Exhibit “M” for MOU. Adama Barrow, Ousainou Darbo, Mai Fatty and Hamat Bah like others who were in the Coalition Alliance Negotiations, presumably negotiated in good faith on behave of their Party and Supporters. They presumably Staked their Ethics, Honor and Reputation and that of their Party and Supporters and some might say the Country, the Gambia in the line. They did so on their Own Volition and presumably with Sound mind and good mental Capacity. If Ousainou Darbo did Not personally sign the MOU, his Representatives did in his Stead with the Full knowledge and understanding of the Ramifications of their Signing the MOU. Now, however, Adama Barrow, Mai Fatty and Ousainou Darbo aided and abetted by their Praise Singers, Buba Sanyang, Maxs, Natty Dread and other UDP Enablers want the rest of the Gambians to Trust, the Untrustworthy. They want the rest of the Gambians to Honor, the Dishonorable. To accept the Incredible as the Credible. To accept the Unethical, as Ethical. If this was not for the Soul of the Gambians and Gambia, it would be Funny. It is not funny by any measure. It is Serious and serious business of the Gambians and Gambia. I therefore, Submit that all the Arrangance and Subterfuge, from President Adama Barrow, Mai Fatty, Ousainou Darbo’s Regime and Supporters, Turning Vigilantes, Guning for Blood, Not Withstanding, “The Gambian People Have Spoken” and they Spoke through the MOU and The Coalition Alliance. Gambians did not Speak through UDP PARTY or Hamat Bah and Mai Fatty. The Gambians Spoke through an Amalgamation or United Force of One Single Party, the Coalition Alliance through the MOU Signed by all Eight Parties. I submitt that by Virtue of Ousainou Darbo, Mai Fatty, Adama Barrow and Hamat Bah Signing the MOU, they had Agreed, Consented and Bound to the Constraints of the MOU and The Coalition Alliance. By Opting out of the MOU and The Coalition Alliance, they and by extension their Supporters have Broken a Binding Contract between them and the Gambian People. They have with bad faith Broken it. Therefore, the Jury, the Gambian People have in their persons, the Power and Ability to Speak Louder than they have Spoken during the December 1, 2016 Presidential Elections. Send a Clear MESSAGE to the Unreliable, Untrustworthy, and Unethical Power Hungry Scoundrels of the “Tactical Coalition” which is another Betrayal of Trust, Packing or Not having a Majority in the National Assembly or Parliament come the April National Assembly Or Parliamentary Elections. The other Coalition Alliance Parties that have been Betrayed should Work together to ensure that the Arrogance and Manipulative Politics does not pay dividends to the Unreliable Untrustworthy and Unethical Scoundrels of UDP,, Mai Fatty and Hamat Bah. Gambia is More than the Sum Total of One Individual, One Ethnic Group and Region. One Gambia, One People, One Destiny.
Rambling Sidi you are deluded. Your twisted convoluted hate filled tirade will end up destroying you. You are a sad old who has nothing to offer society so i will leave to to wallow in your pitiful sad existence.
Buba, I see your point, but I am worried that it is only based on the assumption that the coalition will still be a coalition when the National Assembly elections are over. Based on what you and I have been seeing, I am not sure if the coalition will be as we know it now. Of course, all this could have been avoided.
Babu, my cup is always half full unlike yours which is always half empty. I don’t see the disintegration of the coalition as a bad thing, instead i believe it is the beginning of a new political reality in the Gambia. I urge you to think of possible opportunities that can bring about positive change and development to the country. I invite you to read my open letter to President Barrow published on this site on the 19/03/2017 and contribute your expertise towards it. You can find the letter in the opinion section. Lets debate the proposals in that instead of trying to score cheap political points.
Samba, you are right i based my proposal on the assumption that there will still be a coalition after the national assembly elections. And like you said, from what we are both seeing one can make an intelligent guess that the coalition as we now know it is dead. However we the public can exert pressure on the signatories of the coalition agreement to review the agreed time frame and if they refuse then we punish them at the ballot box. It will be political suicide to upset the electorate and then call an election. If i know politicians well, they would all want to come out of this mess smelling of roses especially if APRC and GDC did really well.
Buba, I agree with your position. I guess after the election we will know a lot more. Have a great day.
Natty,
Who’s told you that our people are free from bondage? Unless I learn your definition of the phrase “free from bondage” I’ll not take you seriously.
Are we free when a three-month old “government” has spent millions on a futile independence and inauguration ceremony;
spent millions at a hotel/office; spent millions to bring back Barrow and his entourage from Dakar;
jailed an innocent mother of 5 for “insulting” a “president”;
held former NIA officials over the 72 hour charge period;
spent money on the wedding trip of a “president’s” wife to Dakar, freed fraud criminals like the present Minister of Finance;
freed fraud criminals like Seedy Jaiteh of Gamcel;
refused to sack Fatoumatta Tambajang for receiving bribes from Africell through her daughter;
blindly sign treaties with Senegal’s Macky Sall that virtually subjugates/surrenders our country’s sovereignty and independence to the dictates of Senegal and hold the country to ransom without any development initiatives?
What is your interpretation of freedom and democracy when your “governants” do not heed to the needs of the people?
What’s your interpretation of freedom and democracy when Barrow and his officials are busy fixing their exobitant salaries and lucrative amenities?
What’s your interpretation of freedom and democracy when Barrow was asked to return the corruptible millions of CFA gifts from Senegal, but just brushed aside your claims(I mean the “coalition” supporters) who were embarrassed at such a behaviour?
Gambians have already smelt foul play and are really incensed at the inept attitude of your incompetent “coalition”.
Buba Sanyang,
I’ll find time to read your posting. However, I believe you don’t read my posting with indepth interest. My postings are always vibrant with ideas to remind you the “coalition” supporters not to waste your time and energy on people who will WASTE your time.
My messages to you and all the “coalition” supporters are to urge you to drop your support for a futile cause. The brand of these patriachic politicians at the helm of our affairs will NEVER deliver to the expectations and aspirations of our people. So why the bloody waste of time, energy and resources for such an uncouthed lot of incompetent people.
I believe you have never had contact with these people during the PPP era. If you had had moments with them, then you should know that it is a grievous mistake to have them in control.
STOP YOUR SUPPORT FOR THEM! That’s my covert/overt mesage in all my postings.
Babu Soli, even if we agree that all your allegations have been proven beyond doubt, how does a person who supports Yaya Jammeh and his destruction of The Gambia, have any moral grounds to stand on, to criticise Adama Barrow?
You must first reject in Yaya Jammeh, what you reject in Adama Barrow, because Jammeh has done it in a far wider scope and for a much longer period.
So before you start condemning Barrow’s extravagance, corruption, nepotism, waste, rights abuse, etc , you must first condemn the same in Yaya Jammeh. Then and only then, can anyone take you seriously. Until you do, you should not pretend to abhor these vices now, because you have supported far worse before, for 22 years.
Spot on!! Bax. However Babu has got his blinkers on so he is blind to the truth.
A number of points:
(1). Mr Toure’s attempts to link foreign direct investment to the honouring of a contract dealing with domestic politics is based on very weak, if any, evidence at all.
Investors will do doubt want stable environments to invest in, but petty domestic squabbles between politicians do not deter investors, if the returns are healthy, and there are lots of examples in Africa to proof this. Whether it’s Nigeria, Senegal, S/Africa or the more volatile countries like DR Congo, Sierra Leone or Sudan, investors would take the risks, if the returns are good. So I don’t buy that argument, with all due respect to him.
(2). Gambians should not expect intensive foreign direct investment into our economy, unless we discover oil or other much sought after resources, in quantities that are economically viable to exploit.
Since we cannot wait until nature gives us these resources, we need to look at other options that would form the foundations of our national development blue print, and to this end, I would suggest that we seriously begin to look inwards, through whatever “isms” we can think of, rather than outwards. We have waited for intensive foreign investment for half a century without success. It is time that we start looking at other options.
(3). I would like to think that many Gambians appreciate the monumental task that President Barrow and his government faces during his term of office: whether that is the constitutionally mandated 5 years or the MOU agreed 3 years, and I am certain that many will not stand in his way if he genuinely makes the case to enjoy his constitutionally mandated 5 years.
In answer to a question on the subject, and the threats of legal action against any who insists on the 3 year term, Mr Sallah stated that the MOU was a “gentleman’s” agreement and that “gentleman” agreements can’t supercede the constitution. He said all President Barrow needs to do is to express the desire to complete his legally mandated term and that will be it.
This to me, is an indication that PDOIS (the most likely to hold President Barrow to the MOU) will not raise dust clouds, if President Barrow decides to enjoy his mandated term, which he is entitled to.
The problem, in my view, is the way the UDP has approached this issue, barely 90 days into President Barrow’s term. To begin casting doubts of one’s commitment to agreements reached with other partners, and sanctified through signatures, so early in its implementation period, is not the best way to demonstrate honour or being a man of your words.
A better approach would have been to discuss these at the Coalition Executive Committee level with all partners, and to agree to undertake reviews at some point, to determine the life span of the transition period.
I hope lessons have been learnt and that The Gambian electorate are keenly observing the events unfolding before them.
Babu, i will support democracy at it’s worst against dictatorship at it’s best. Babu, i think you are blinded by anger at PPP regime due to your personal experiences. You should try and move on, because it is clouding your judgment.
Remember our unity, peace, security, and justice is the foundation of our lasting development and the reinforcement of our democracy. We must take all efforts to defeat CORRUPTION, without which we are bound to fail
Do you mean to tell me that Barrow should be working with the current parliament? I don’t think so! This parliament is dominated by APRC. Three years is too short for any meaningful agenda to be accomplished. Our army should have a close relationship with its Senegalese counterpart. What happened after their departure during Jawara’s time? We got Butcher/Dictator Yaya Jammeh.