Gambia’s former vice-president Fatoumata Tambajang has turned down an offer from President Adama Barrow to take up a job in the Foreign Service, State House spokeswoman says today.
Amie Bojang Sissoho made this revealation during a news conference held at the Presidency in Banjul.
The Gambian leader recently made a major cabinet reshuffle replacing his second-in-command. Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ousainou Darboe, is now the now Vice-President and has been sworn into office last Monday.
“In a letter dated 4th July 2018, Madam Tambajang declined the offer to serve in the Foreign Service,” State House Press Director told reporters while making it very clear she was not in a position to get into details about the proposal that was put before former VP Tambajang.
Amie Bojang Sissoho also added that Fatoumata Tambajang gave ‘personal and professional reasons’ to justify her decision to decline the presidential offer to serve in the country’s diplomatic service.
Over these past days, multiple efforts have been made by this medium to get a reaction from ex-Gambian VP.
“I don’t want have any interview at this moment,” she told this reporter in a succinct message.
Written Abdoulie JOHN
From the beginning of the sharing of cabinet positions amongst themselves, it was clear, the motive for these self hirings was self aggrandizement, believe in entitlement and hunger for power. This has reaffirm my confidence in the People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS), that it’s a party of principles and issues.
To appease Fatoumatta, the age limit constitutional amendment has to be rushed through parliament instead of a general overhaul, only for her to be butted out before the ink on the document is dry, only to have Ousainou exploiting the outcome.
Instead of allowing herself to be recycled by Ousainou (Adama has no say in running the affairs of the state), she will rather stay out there and try to remain politically relevant and plot to have her revenge in the next electoral cycle. The same thing goes for Omar Jallow. Henry has no other option but to accept crumbs if he does not want to become obsolete.
What does this however mean for the country and her people? I believe it means the coalition agenda been sold to Gambians is now wholly and dishonestly replaced by a UDP cum Ousainou agenda. The facts speak for themselves. Gambians have the right to demand for answers. Silence!
Where will this lead to? Well it’s a foregone conclusion that this government and the likely resultant regime it might give birth to, have the the DNAs of both the docile inept administration of Dawda Jawara and the thieving, criminal autocratic rule of Yahya Jammeh. The similarities are just too glaring.
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What’s the solution?
Until the masses become aware that they are the sovereign owners of Gambia and it’s resources and leaders are just mere servants who are temporarily entrusted with managing their affairs for their prosperity and wellbeing, we will continue to be born in poverty, to live in poverty and misery, and die in destitution. Presently that’s the reality of more than half of the Gambian population who cannot fend honestly for more than a dollar a day for basic sustenance. That’s a very sad state of affairs, all we have been independent for 53 gaddamn years.
To succeed against the odds as a nation, it will take a Herculean amount of sacrifice, compromise and ingenuity to come together and device new solutions to old problems.
By doing so, we have to be weary of self parasitism, i.e. fighting for and against ourselves simultaneously.
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Yours in the service of The Gambia and the Black Nation, I remain.
Mwalimu, yours are noble words and every sincere Gambian can only concur! But that is where the agreement Ends. We have different answers to the Problems prevailing and currently These challenges CANNOT be solved without acknowledging the role UDP and Darboe has to play in ANY PROBLEM SOLVING. And reading between your lines, glaringly suggest that you have little or no respect for Darboe and UDP and By Extension the People who stand behind them politically. All the blah blah about Gambian people is just a smokescreen. Your ideal Gambia is a Gambia without People associated with UDP. Thus, an unsurmountable obstacle to solve Gambia’s problems if you would have your way. – I mean if you should become the president of the country. We have seen and experienced what Jammeh’s noble words led to!
Kemo, thank you very much for your response.
My beef with Ousainou is that he is building a personality cult (of himself) and using party politics as a front. The same is what acquired under the last two misguided regimes of Dawda and Yaya. Under their watch, the resources of poor Gambians evaporated into thin air like a highly gaseous chemical element through plain daylight theft and mismanagement. That’s murder because it deprives hospitals of drugs and medical devices to cure and heal poor sick Gambians.
Do I have little or no respect for Ousainou, UDP and the people who stand behind them? Well Ousainou is a citizen of The Gambia like me. I have absolutely no grounds to disrespect him as a private citizen. As a political actor in the political field too, he has very right to be there just like you and I. It’s a choice. My perspectives of his brand of politics are entirely a different matter. I’ll share a little of that with you here.
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Politics in Africa has been and is still very much intertwined with ethnolinguistic loyalties and sentiments. Ousainou understands this very well and is exploiting it to the maximum. How? Listen to the political rhetoric emanating from the political base of the United Democratic Party. From those in the highest echelon of the party to the ordinary supporters, the narrative is always the same. Ethnic sentiments are fueled to garner votes depending on which region/town/village the party is doing business. This tactic has so far worked for Ousainou and co, whilst at the same time diverting the attention of the electorate from live and death issues like health care, education, food production, living standards, salary increments, deaths in the Mediterranean Sea, women’s true emancipation, poverty eradication, and the list goes on.
Your party should be educating the people on WHAT it means to be…let’s say a Fula, Jola, Wolof and all what not. Or Whether there is a Sarahuleh tax bracket, a Mandinka medical hospital and so on and so forth. This is what is at the core of the political message of the UDP. All orchestrated and buffered by Ousainou. You wanna deny it?
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From the person of Ousainou to the party:
I have struggled for a long time, for a member, supporter or militant of the UDP to tell me how their party intends to lift Gambia out of chronic poverty and backwardness to a modern state of the art nation that will export goods, knowledge and services not only to Afrikka but the whole world. Don’t be surprised if I tell you am still waiting for the answer, any answer. That tells me a lot about the people who support UDP. They are hoodwinked by ethnic with ethnic rhetoric and other populist narratives, that can neither bring about awareness, nor development.
Will I disrespect those people as you claim? No, these are my brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, neighbors, etc.
Am I afraid to say this in a public domain and incur wrath? I already have and I will continue opening my mouth to defend the rights of even those people till my time is done on planet earth.
Then I am quite curious why Jammeh’s 22 years of claimed patriotic Gambian-ness void of ethnolinguistic Sentiments, has brought fort the ideals you’ve mentioned above? I assume you are not a jammeh supporter but I am still very curious what you think led Jammeh to fail? I also want know if jammeh had to follow the ruinous path because he was faced with a hostile ethnolinguistic grouping difficult to handle as claimed by his diehard supporters?
I am curious to know why the 22 years of a president who was not Mandika By ethnicity was not able to pull Gambia from the ethnolinguistic mentality which you are decrying here. How was Senghore able to do that in Senegal? Is the ethnic composition there different as ours? I am very self-critical and also searching for answers but am equally allergic to simple Solutions to complex issues.
Kemo, thank you very much for your response and questions. They are many,long and interesting, nevertheless I’ll share my thoughts with you on all of them. Guaranteed.
You see, Jammeh does not understand the differences between nationalism (toxic in a globalized world), patriotism (a virtue of the vicious, according to Oscar Wildes), and good and loyal citizenship (a moral obligation, according to Mwalimu). So Jammeh was basically ignorant, as many in his immediate circle will tell you. His claims of ethnic neutrality were hypocritical and self serving.
In my mind, the sure way to make Gambia and Afrikka free from ethnic politics and tensions is to democratize ALL languages and cultures what am I talking about?
Imagine seven solid institutions in all the regions of The Gambia that teach Serer, Jola, Mandinka, Wolof, Sarahulleh, Fula. And at the same time, offer all the cultural practices (art and entertainment, handicrafts, behavioral codes, food preparations methods (cooking), proven and healthy methods of homeopathic medicine preparations etc) from all the ethnolinguistic groups in The Gambia.
Ownership of languages and cultures is then diffused into the society. This will monetary benefits to people because you have institutionalized characteristics and features associated with identity at a national level. For the citizenry, it becomes a matter of choice of what to pick for their social and economic needs. Are you seeing my doing?
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Why has Jammeh failed?
Kemo, I suspect there are several reasons why Yaya has failed, all typical reasons that lead to the downfall of all dictators:
1) Over staying in power.
2) Greed.
3) Making themselves the core of existence of the nation.
4) Not preparing quick enough for a life after the presidency.
5) Brutality
6) Disregard for democratic principles of governance.
7) Forgetting their own mortality.
8) Some like Mobutu, just prepped up and fooled by the West.
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In my book, there are no hostile ethnolinguistic groups, for all human beings have basic common needs like safety of life and property, rights and freedoms for their wellbeing. I guess I know what you are talking about, which is the narrative that Yaya has alienated the “Mandinkas“ with his rhetoric leading to his defeat at the polls. That might be part of his problems but a minimal one for that matter, in my opinion. To prove that hypothesis, one will have to test it with a survey of a sample of the electorate to be able to come to an informed conclusion.
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Senghore plus the ethnic demographics of Senegal:
The Wolof language is able to attain the status of a Lingua Franca in Senegal independent of the intervention of anyone. Neither Senghore, Joof or Wade can take credit for this. The answer to that question lays with the language itself and its internal scientific structural mechanisms. The same phenomenon is observable in The Gambia to a lesser extent though. Having said that, Senegal is not also entirely free from ethnic discriminations like nearly all other African countries. I have witnessed it many times and in many situations. Here is the difference though:
Senegal from independence has included in its curricular national pride. That has cemented an identity based on nationality than other fringe elements.
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I hope i have been able to do justice to your questions.
Have a fantastic time reading.
……are you seeing my point? instead of my doing.
I See your point. and indeed there are many who’ve diagnosed the problem alike or differently depending on viewpoints.
But there lies the problem. listening or reading president Barrow’s statements equally entails the same goals. No matter how ignorant he was, jammeh also proclaimed lofty ambitions e.g. to make Gambia on quote “superpower”. But when reality meets utopia, here comes the hard part of governing. This fact is no difference for Darboe and co. And I wish to dismiss the notion that current gov’t is immune from scrutiny or blame and the subsequent consequences of their actions. Far from it. And it is also a false notion to think that an ethnic group is a homogenous entity. The present gov’t will be equally held accountable for the mishaps like the former gov’t. However, since the govt in place was democratically elected, it beckons on me and many others to give support in person or in kind and at the same time keep a critical distance- so that healthy criticism is possible without fear or favour.
Very healthy exchanges @ Mwalimu & Kinteh (Kemo). Respect to both.
Many people, who know Ousainou Darboe personally, have praised him as a wonderful person. I have no reason to doubt all these people. As an individual, I would say he is a great and wonderful person.
Ousainou, as a politician, is a completely different story and for us Gambians, it is the politician that should interest us most; not the private citizen.
Here, I agree with Mwalimu: Ousainou is similar to Jawara in many, many ways. It would be a great leap of faith to think that he will become a Jammeh, but we must be wary of Ousainou Darboe, the politician.
There are ONE or TWO similarities between the early periods of Lt. Jammeh’s assumption to power and Ousainou Darboe’s and that should be troubling:
1. Jammeh came to power on the back of his fellow junior officiers, but he quickly got rid of them or cowed them into submission to be in total control. In other words, he BETRAYED his coleagues.
Ousainou (& UDP) also came to power with the collaboration of coalition partners, through an agreement/understanding, but he is quickly getting rid of them or cowing them into submission (through the power of removal) to be in total control.
A leaked audio, now on Youtube, attests to the plans, as explained by Ousainou himself, to turn the coalition governement into 100% UDP Government after Ramadan. In other words, Ousainou has BETRAYED his colleagues. Some may want to attribute this to his smartness, but the same people, I bet, will not attribute similar actions by Jammeh to his smartness. Truth be told, its BETRAYAL; Not SMARTNESS.
2. Once Jammeh was in full control, he started to dismiss and mock the efforts of all who opposed him, especially elites, journalists and former officials.
Asked about his former colleague, Waa Jawara, in a recent interview, Mr Darboe was dismissive, disrespectful and outright derogatory towards Mr Juwara. He was openly mocking Waa Jawara’s party as less popular than the Scout Movement and dismissive of ALL his efforts in the UDP.
These may be no parameters to indicate what Ousainou may become tomorrow, but they are worth noting for now, because I think they are similar to what became the “building blocks” of Yaya Jammeh.
What are those goals of Adama you are talking about? How did he say he intends to achieve those? I couldn’t find them anywhere. Please do me a favor and direct me to a link I can find them or if you are familiar with it, enumerate his goals for me. Kindly.
I know for a fact that he has received a lot of coaching on public presentations and how to articulate himself in communicative situations. If I were him, I’d fire my coaches because they doing a poor job of teaching him.
Jammeh is ignorant but he is very adept at covering this flaw. And we let him get away with it for 22 years by proclaiming divine ordinance. Will we let it happen again is the question? Yes we are letting it happen already before our own eyes.
But let’s not forget that Ousainou is the one derailing the collective effort of all the parties that come together by hijacking the agreement and running our country aground.
I would like to explicitly state that the paralleles I draw between Yaya and Adama or Jawara does not include the brutal dispositions of Yaya. My analogy is limited to the political, economical and social spheres.
I would like to believe Kemo is a UDP supporter or at least a sympathizer waiting to be won over. Ousainou is letting down his party and Gambians at large because of his colonial era politics.
If he was going to be an excellent political godfather, after one and a half years of Adama in the driving seat, Gambians should begin to notice signs of improvement in their livelihoods. But no, always running around with the same old tired story that the economy was in tatters when Adama took over.
He has thrown sincerity out the window the moment he single handedly torpedoed the 3 year agreement and start entrenching UDP operatives in all branches of the government, exclusively.
It will be the honor of my life to have him on a live debate.
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Bax,
Greetings to your in-law.
I don’t have to defend myself for being sympathetic to any party or person. I see myself as a responsible citizen and when it comes to national affairs, my loyalty is to the country and people living within that border. I don’t defined myself based on ethnic, religion, race and whatever BUT humanity and fairness. In that regard, I am sympathetic to many political leaders in the country including Sidia, Halifa, Ahmat Bah, Mai Fatty and Darboe. I am affined to UDP because I do think that as a political party, not individuals, but as a party they became the face of resistance to Jammeh brutality and I supported that effort with all my ability – physically and kind. I think they went through hell to survive and it is very simplistic to expect wonder within a 1 and half years gov’t responsibility. To expect a change of modus from a liberation mentality to a state party representing all in the country within a space of 2 years is not a sincere expectation. I believe they will achieve the transformation or in default give way to other political movements.
As to Bax claims about darboe’s public persona, I think I experience him differently. I think he is a level-headed political leader amidst the challenges that the party faced and now has to mitigate. I have a chance to mingle and discuss with a broad section of the Gambian community, across religious and ethnic divide and as a keen observer and listener, my feeling (only feeling, probably subjective) is that the many people not associated with Mandinka through family or kind, are deeply wary of a Mandinka domination. I take this wariness seriously and I don’t dismiss it as unfounded – knowing that domination in any kind is backwardness and is unsustainable.
But as to the reasons to this mistrust, we can probably debate it for ever. One thing is clear, Jammeh encouraged this fear in words and symbolisms. Also the some people right of the political spectrum with their rhetoric contributed to this insecurity. And many a times, when Darboe’s comes into play and UDP, the first feeling is that of an ethnic insurgency and many times critics would say well he is a fine man but he need to tame and civilise his “people” .
Hence for me it is not Darboe the problem but the people Darboe is perceived to represent. I think the perception out there about these “people” is the real elephant in the room and I admit it is a difficult subject. But I think we need to face this subject and not be shamed by it. And my Remedy to this awkwardness in our political interaction is Education, enlightenment, more mingling and more inter-marriage.
Kemo,
you are probably the most reasonable UDP supporter I have come into contact with. My words are not meant to sugar coat what I have said before or what am about to say.
And, you don’t have to justify yourself to anybody, not even Ousainou on why you belong to any political entity. That freedom is guaranteed to every Gambian as it should be. For that freedom to be exercised today, so many compatriots have made the ultimate sacrifice. In memory of Solo (the tiger), Deyda, Chief Manneh and all the fallen martyrs, every Gambian is entitled to live in liberty and prosperity.
My assertion that you are a UDP affiliate was meant as a light joke. Sorry that I didn’t make that clear.
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I personally don’t discuss ethnicity knowing what I know. The reason I got into analyzing it from my perspective is because you asked a question, which I believe was a very clever question.
Perhaps our only disagreement lies in the fact that we have different opinions on managing our expectations of the present government. You are taking an optimistic view that it can only get better from here. Please rectify me if am wrong. I on the other hand, see all the manifestations that we are headed in the wrong direction, warranting my pessimism. I gave my reasons for this.
After one and a half year of ruling the nation, how would you score Adama (better still UDP) on how they have handle:
1) The economy
2) Health
3) Agriculture
4) Democratization
5) Job creation
6) Manufacturing
7) Electeicity and water services
8) Education
9) Fight against Corruption and nepotism
10) Fishing and marine resources
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No putting on the spot here. I just thought it will finally be an opportunity for me to learn from a UDP supporter (someone affin to the party) how they intend to solve our problems.
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Best greetings