As the UDP navigates through a tumultuous period marked by chaos, pandemonium, hullabaloo, and deafening noises from various interest groups within its ranks, it is imperative for the leadership to act expeditiously to address disagreements and tangible loopholes of arrogance, insubordinations, and to regroup and fall back in line, not only for the UDP’s benefit but also for the well-being of our republic.
Our young mayors and chairmen possess the potential to become great presidents, but it is crucial that they do so in a sequential manner, and above all, they must demonstrate discipline, decorum, consultations, and adhere to a formidable due process of the party’s central committee selection processes.
In the past, we condemned Mr. Adama Barrow’s visits to KMC or WCR without consulting with Talib Ahmed Bensouda or Yankuba Darboe in their respective jurisdictions. Similarly, it is unfortunate and disturbing that UDP’s young leadership is experiencing internal conflicts, which necessitate swift resolution. This means they are not practicing what they preached to Gambians.
All of them should conduct themselves in an exemplary manner, and nobody desires people to come to their household to be marginalized and yet be content with it. Not even those vocal on social media; in fact, they would have been worse in dealing with a scenario like what was presented to us.
The most critical time for conflict resolution is as soon as possible after the conflict arises, while the issue is still relatively contained and manageable. Delaying too long can lead to escalation, rendering the conflict more challenging to resolve and potentially damaging relationships further.
As a party, we must prevent escalation, preserve relationships, maintain productivity, reduce stress amongst militants and executives, allow for cooling-off, consider the context of issues not their dictions, and avoid indefinite delay. However, while waiting can be beneficial, prolonged avoidance can be detrimental.
Ultimately, the objective is to address conflicts constructively and efficiently, aiming for a mutually agreeable resolution that strengthens relationships and fosters a positive environment.
This analysis is neither accusatory towards Chairman Yankuba Darboe nor Talib Ahmed Bensouda or Mayor Rohey Malick Lowe but rather highlights the frustration of neglecting issues when they emerged or resolving them haphazardly, thinking they will resolve themselves, resulting in Chairman Yankuba Darboe’s revelations on Mengbekering TV.
It behoves everyone, especially UDP executives, to resolve matters swiftly, boldly, with decisive precision, and squarely, rather than taking sides, which every innate being has. Let me emphasize that I am not suggesting the executives are taking sides of the above trios but rather making a general observation.
Moving forward, I suggest that if either Rohey Malick Lowe or Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda were to be invited by media houses, they should decline to comment on any questions that the journalists would pose, which could potentially bring further disunity, divisions, and misunderstanding amongst UDP members. It is only through this approach that we can ensure trust, credibility, and unity within the party and confidence from the Gambian people.
