(JollofNews) – The secretary-general of the Gambia’s United Democratic Party (UDP) has called on the country’s newly elected National Assembly Members to serve all Gambians without favour or ill will.
Lawyer Ousainou Darboe said he expects the representatives to actively scrutinise the executive with vigilance and competency, tempered by positivism and a mission for cooperation and united actions.
He added that in the new Gambia, there shall be respect and tolerance and the duty and pride of the representatives will depend on how well they serve the national interest.
“It is a sign of democratic maturity that we can have political differences, yet we still work together closely and respectfully, in the national interest. We have a lot of work to do to rebuild our country, after 22 years of dictatorship,” he added.
Mr Darboe, 68, who is also the Gambia’s Foreign minister, said although Gambians have peacefully voted for candidates of various political groups in the election, they should continue to jealously guard the peace the country is renowned for and never allow themselves to be divided by politics.
He added: “We are a nation of one family, united by blood ties and love of our people. Whatever village or town you live in; whatever work you do; whichever language you speak; whichever party you belong to; you are first and foremost, the daughter or son of the land, this beloved land of the Gambia, this home and abode of ours. Never forget that national interest surpasses any other affiliations you may have.
“Democratic election is about fair competition amongst people and parties. Sometimes, there are tensions; sometimes there is anger; yet always, there is love of our country and our people.
“This is why we are a united and harmonious nation. It is only three months, since we liberated our country from dictatorship through peaceful means. Again, the whole world stands in admiration in the way we have conducted the National Assembly election campaign, in peace and good humour. This is our blessing as a country. This is the new Gambia. Let us not allow anything to undermine this noble heritage. Law and order, justice for all, democracy, development with dignity-we strive and work for these virtues and shall never take them for granted.”
Good words of advice by Ousainou Darboe. He might have urged the national assembly members too, to pull the portrait of Barrow off the assembly walls. That portrait of president Barrow totally contradicts Ousainou’s good words of advice.
The speech of Darboe is good and this is what gambia is born for.
>>>and so say all of us/ For he’s a jolly good fellow.
Very positive indeed Mr. Darboe!!! Not everyone may agree with you and some of us indeed did vilify you for what we considered was an ungrateful marriage breakaway from the Coalition that liberated you and our country. We must nevertheless recognize sense and progress where it is expressed and I salute you for these expressions of national unity and putting the national interest before self. You have demonstrated good leadership in this regard and thank you…and do not relent, keep preaching it at every opportune moment, for our people really need it to maintain the course of Gambianness that our forefathers handed down to us as a people.
Darboe and Sallah should present a collective unifying front with message of HOPE and a promise of brotherly love and cooperation for the entire country. Those who know Mr Darboe are not surprised about this speech, this has been his legacy, his whole life was spent in service of Gambia.
Very positive and timely message from Hon. Darboe. If we all put the country first, work diligently and honestly at whatever position we are lucky to occupy and jealously guard our newly reclaimed freedoms, the future will indeed be bright.
May Allah (swt) Guide the hands of our leaders to good at all times.
Mr. Darbo, what took you so long to speak to the Gambian people? This is a Speech that should have been made prior to the NAM Elections, During the NAM Elections and immediately following it. However, it is SAID, “Better late than never”. SINCE One Speech can’t undo a lot of Undemocratic Decisions, and Behavior of mixing of Party Politics with Ethnic Group Politics dresssed up with a touch of Clan and Regionalist Politics, I do hope that you would have the Moral Equivalence of a “War Against Ethnic Group Based Vigilantism, Selective Arrrests, Detentions, and Purging of Select Ethnic Group Employeesin the GAMBIA Civil Service and other Government Employment Schemes. The Weekly and Monthly reports of Firings of Jolas from Government Positions be it in the the Civil Service, Military or Police Ranks, Needs your and your UDP Party’s Attention and Urgent Intervention before it Reaches Critical Mass of No Return. The Harrasment, Seemingly Selective Arrrests, Detentions and Vigilantism Attacks on those who are believed to be Jola, APRC Members or those Suspected of being Jola or APRC Sympathizers at Markets, or any Gathering Places, but especially, in the Fonis where the Jola predominate Need to be Neutralised, STOPPED. Examples are the Kafenda and Kanilai Violence and Potential Deadly Assaults. It is also Imperative that GRTS AND OTHER MEDIA BE UTILIZED WITHOUT ETHNIC GROUP BASED BIGOTRY TO ADDRESS THE CURRENT ETHNIC GROUP TENSIONS AND IN SOME INSTANCES VIOLENCE AND CRIMINALITY. AND WHILE YOU ARE AT IT, PLEASE REACH OUT TO ALL OPPOSITION PARTY LEADERS AND INVITE THEM TO A MONDAY AND WEDNESDAY OR A WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY “MEET YOUR NAMS AND CABINET MINISTERS QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS” PROGRAMM. THE PROGRAMM SHOULD BE ON A ROTATION BASIS WITH REFERENCE TO THE NAMS, MODERATORS AND QUESTIONS SCREENED FOR CONTENT AND APPROPRIATENESS. NAMS SHOULD BE PROPORTIONATELY REPRESENTED AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO SPEAK IN ENGLISH AND THEIR ETHNIC GROUP LANGUAGE. LATER ON, THE PROGRAMM CAN BE MOVED TO THE INTERIOR ON A MONTHLY BASIS. THE NAMS WOULD BE REQUIRED TO VISIT THEIR CONSEQUENCES ON A MONTHLY BASIS TO MEET AND SPEAK WITH THEIR ELECTORATE AND HAVE A FEELING AND UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR NEEDS AND DESIRES. GET THE NAMS TO THE PEOPLE.
ONE GAMBIA, ONE PEOPLE ONE DESTINY.
Sidi Idiot Bojang
What an un inform, ignorant, arrogant,myopic and amnesiac lunatic you are. What about the insults, threats meted out to the Mandingoes by your ass hole kinsman Yahya Jammeh for the past 22 years. What did you say to that Sidi? What happened to your moral compass if you have/had any. Yahya Jammeh filled most of the top security positions with his tribesmen based not on merit but ethnic group based politics. Our government institutions under Jammeh were managed in most cases by those from his tribe based not on merit but ethnic group based politics. Electricity and water was provided to those in Kanilai free of charge, based not on merit but ethnic group based politics. Where were you Sidi during those dark days of our history. Where was your advice to Jammeh against ethnic group based politics?
You have the brass neck Sidi to come out now barking about selective arrests,detentions and purging of Jolas from the civil service. Where is the evidence for your baseless and insulting accusations? Who are those Jolas being illegally detained or purged from the work force? except those whose hands and soul is drenched with the innocent blood of their fellow country men.
You see Sidi, you lot should be thankful to Barrow and his government for allowing you to have a place, a village called home in the Gambia instead of sending earth moving machinery to raze down your villages for incitement and rebellion.
Do you remember when your evil kinsman Jammeh threatened to bury all Mandinkas nine feet deep? or deport them to Manding where they came from according to him? What happened to him after that childish silly utterances? He is chased out with his tail between his sorry skinny legs into exile and the same fate awaits anybody who is hellbent on destroying our beloved nation. Keep your sorry advice to yourself as Darbo and co are awash with sound advice from patriots, not some feeble wasted man who cling to nostalgic Jola empire or hegemony in our homeland.
Natty Naughty, I told you to Simmer Down. You and your kind with “your masters walking Stick” and hat, Jack. Simmer Down. Your Pretenciousness not withstanding, I am not a Party hack. I am not a member of a Party, Ethnic Group Based or otherwise. I have never been employed by any Gambian entity. Period. Therefore, I am not Beholding to anyone or any Party. That does not mean that, I do not have my own preference of Political Party or Leadership I think are more Appropriate and Neeed in The Gambia at the present time. Needless to mention, Adama Barrow is not on that list. Ousainou Darbo and Mai Fatty may be, minus the “Fassaya”, and “Mbandingya” Selective Arrrests, Detentions and Purging of the Gambian Civil Service of Jola Ethnic Group Employees Needs to be Neutralised, STOPPED. Not all Jolas are Culprits, Nor Guilty by Ethnic Affliation, just as the Mandinka are in the Current UDP Led Regime of less than Six Months, yet Several Unconstitutional, Undemocratic and Despotic Acts have Been Committed Against the State, the Jola and other Opposition Party Members through out The Gambia, ESPECIALLY in the Fonis, for example, Biam, Kanfenda, Kanilai. and other Foni or Predominantly Jola Areas. Your Narrow minded Intolerance and Call to Violence with Threats are boardering on “Aiding and Abetting” as well as Inciting and Promoting Violence with Intent to do Bodily Harm to… You should Temper your Temperament and Control your Temper. Motherhood demands it as Fatherhood is to me. That is, assuming that you are fit for Motherhood role, given your Propensity toward “Foul-malitis” disease. RESPECT Yourself, Natty Naughty.
Wonderful speech by Hon. Ousainou Darboe.This show that lawyer ousainou love this country.
Brothers, This is a comment I posted since on 18th of April 2017 in response to Max’s posting on the same day but it never pass the stage of moderation for reasons best known to the coordinator of Kairo online website. I am posting this on Jollof so that Max would know that I have been responding to his comments about Halifa Sallah and PDOIS but I suspect that Kairo has been deliberately suppressing my views. I just hope that we a not in for another long struggle with new Dictators in the New Gambia. I am sorry for any inconvenience caused to anyone for bringing this under a completely different topic. My desire here is to reach to Max.
It runs as follows…
”You are really interesting Max, you seem to imply that UDP owns the people and therefore could take them wherever they want to. Just listen to yourself.
”For 50 years , Halifa has not made any real political achievements. Any time he won the election in serekunda, it was UDP symbolic and sympathetic help to ensure that he was elected”
This is the mistake they [ UDP Leadership] have been making all alone. Instead of putting their programmes before the people if they have any and leave them to decide as PDOIS always does they’ve being behaving as if they own the people and all the times bragging about their support which has been fading election after election. Is it not this empty pride which has prevented them from going into any meaningful alliance with other parties they consider small to end the suffering of our people ?.
How can you bit your chest in pride that it was UDP members who consistently faced the music of brutality when that can easily be prevented by simply swallowing your pride and go into a meaningful alliance with those parties you consider small to put an end to Jammeh’s tyranny which has affected all ?
2016 coalition was a clear proof that this could have been done earlier had you swallow your pride.
Listen to yourself again my brother Max,
”UDP withdrewal from NADD was a decision made because of constitutional violations but Halifa insisted that UDP should have abandoned their political party and joined NADD . How can you abandon a well structured political party for an alliance?”
Don’t kill me with laughter Max please ! Have you forgotten that NADD was not formed on a day but was as a result of several months of dialogue among its partners ? and even after the signing of the MOU at the Palm Grove Hotel and the subsequent by-elections following its registration all of which were worn except one, and leading in the popular votes with all the indications that NADD was going to win to put an end to Jammeh’s brutality you are still asking ”How can you abandon a well structured political party for an alliance?” May I ask you bro, what do you think should come first Party or The Country ?
Off-course you know it is the country and when you did that this time around without your Rigid Leader, can,t you see the difference it make ? The banishment of Yahya Jammeh’s brutality and tyranny. You should congratulate yourselves for that.
Hear yourself again….
”UDP recognized the urgency of time to save their members and the country which was why UDP leaders protested on behalf of the Gambian people for electoral reforms.”
My brother Max, which UDP leaders protested on behalf of the Gambian people for electoral reforms ?
Was Solo Sadeng May Allah grant him Janna and his group protesting as UDP leaders or as concern Gambians or what ?. Well your leader Mr Darboe has on record disassociated his party with them when their arrest was reported. He only came out to demand for them when he heard that Solo was killed. Had he not heard that would he have associated himself or his party with their action ? Was it not humiliation which forced him out on to the street ? Come on Bro.
Don’t you know that few months before that incident Mr Darboe has been sitting on a letter from one of his fellow Political Leaders calling on him as Chaiman of the ”Group of Six” to convene a meeting to discuss as to how they can come up with an alliance to un-sit Jammeh at the 1st December 2016 polls which he never responded to. Did he inform Solo and his group about this ? God knows whether even his prominent executive members knew about it.
And the question is whether Solo and his group would have gone out to Westfield to protest if they knew about this letter knowing how stupid and reckless Jammeh is ?”
Max, in your posting on the 18th April 2017 in what seem to be a response to Bax you commented as follows…
”Bax , it is very clear to everyone that this year the coalition was not registered as a political party while NADD was registered as a political party. This was the biggest mistake Mr Sallah insisted on because of his lack of knowledge of constitution. UDP insisted that they cannot abandon their party and therefore withdrew . UDP leadership knew that they cannot be in two political parties at the same time and it was unfair to abandon a well structured political party for the NADD . It was the same strategy Mr Sallah wanted to employ in this year National Assembly election when he advocated for independent candidates for the coalition. UDP cannot go with such a political suicide. Then after the election he started to complain about the three years term he advocated and supported. It is therefore dishonest and false to claim that this year coalition was the same formula like the NADD . There was a problem of leadership selection. PDOIS has always been a stubborn stumbling block in all these years despite their extremely poor political influence or support base in the country. For 50 years PDOIS was repudiated time after time in every major and minor elections. This year PDOIS was humiliated at the convention and National Assembly elections.
You guys are confused disciples. Whenever Halifa led any alliance, there was constitutional violations. This year coalition and NADD all committed constitutional violations.”
Max, you know very well that the formula for NADD and Coalition 2016 is the same. In fact Your argument about the registration of NADD does not affect the formula at all. And that was not the reason advance by your party leader Mr Darboe for his resignation from NADD and the subsequent withdrawal of UDP from it. That is your own imagination; but even if that is so MAx, does is make sense for UDP to withdraw from the alliance which was welcome by the vast majority of Gambians at the time and with a the chance to put an end to a dictator as brutal as the one presided by Yahya Jammeh. Your statement that it was Mr Sallah who insisted to get NADD registered does not even show that you MAX has any regard for all the other NADD executive members including those from the UDP. You are implying that they were all robots in hands of Halifa Sallah.
Max you said that ”UDP leadership knew that they cannot be in two political parties at the same time and it was unfair to abandon a well structured political party for the NADD .” My question is in times of a dire situation like the one under Yahya Jammeh, what should be put first;is it the party or the Nation ?
You went ahead to say that
”It was the same strategy Mr Sallah wanted to employ in this year National Assembly election when he advocated for independent candidates for the coalition. UDP cannot go with such a political suicide.”
Max, to be truthful Mr Sallah may have preferred independent candidates for coalition for the National Assembly election if that was accepted by the majority of the coalition partners but to claimed that he has advocated for that is utterly false because it is in record that PDOIS was neutral on the issue. It has accepted to go by whatever the majority of the coalition partners decides.
Max, you are not being honest to claim after the election Halifa has started to complain about the three years term he advocated and supported. In fact it was Mr Ousainou Dardoe who complained about the three year agreement saying it is not in line with that of the 5 year term in the constitution and threaten to challenge it if Barrow honors it. What Halifa is saying is that this was an agreement made by all of them willing and put before the people who endorse it on 1st December 2016. So it is now left to Mr Barrow either to honor what he has agreed to with his peers which was witnessed and approved by the Gambian people or honor it with disregard as advised by Mr. Darboe. It is his credibility as a person and president that is on stage here. Is he a man of his ward ? history will tell.
To say that by honoring this agreement he will be violating the constitution is utterly false. Where in our constitution is it stated that the president cannot resign before the end of his term. ? It is stated nowhere. And it is the same in all the constitutions else where. If not the former Prime Minister of Britain David Cameroon could not have resigned years before the end of his term in office.
For those who argued that for the constitution to be amended to accommodate this agreement will require a referendum which in their view is costly, I am telling them that whether we did it for this agreement or not we must go for referendum if we are to have a meaningful constitutional reform. So the excuse of cost of a referendum is out of it. THAT WE MUST DO.
Osiaunou Darboe for president. It the most Gambian can hope for at this moment and time – all things considered he comes across as a really honest guy, someone you can deal with. Has principles!