by PK Jarju
Next month's Local Government elections in The Gambia can best be described as an exercise in futility.
The elections are only a mockery to democracy and an insult to the intelligence of the Gambia people, looking at the fact that President Yahya Jammeh has been given sweeping powers by the National Assembly to remove the very people Gambians will be voting for on January 24.
Looking at the new Local Government Amendment Act, it will be correct for me to state that the forthcoming elections amounts to nothing but a waste of time and resources. The democratic rights of the people to have an autonomous local government that will run their affairs at the local level have been brutality taken away from them.
Yes, we can now elect our local representatives but expect them to be fired from their posts whenever the President who is out of touch with the reality on the ground wants to.
Of course, this reminds me of the type of democracy we have in The Gambia; Jammehcracy, where the president is deemed supreme, wiser and more patriotic than any living soul in the country.
And looking at the resentment President Jammeh has for the opposition, I cannot help but laugh at the decision of the UDP and NRP to contest the elections. While their intentions are clear, their effort is rather too late. Our democracy has died a gruesome death. We are in a dictatorship and elections are nothing but a formality.
The whole terrain is far from level and I am sorry to say that Mr Darboe and Hamat Bah must be living in a dream world if they think that President Jammeh will allow an opposition mayor or chairperson to run the affairs of any local government council.
Lawyer Darboe's own admission that his party is unable to identity candidates to run as councilors in the Fonis, because of the reluctance of the people to run on a UDPticket shows how un-level the political terrain is. My brothers in Foni are reluctant because of the fear of persecution as President and his cronies ensure that those who oppose them live a miserable life.
How many times have we heard President Jammeh calling opposition leaders and their sympathisers names that I will not state in this column for the sake of decency? How many times have we seen civil servants being sacked left, right and centre just because someone has accused them of being opposition sympathisers? How many times have we seen opposition leaders and their sympathisers being rrested, detained, tortured and killed under the direct command of President Jammeh? How many times have we seen the President fired members of the electoral commission who make decision deemed to be in favour of opposition parties?
Jammeh and his cronies are hell bend on transforming The Gambia into a one party state and nothing can stop them in their quest. We are at their mercy. Our councils are not autonomous anymore. The central government is in control of the councils with the President being the CEO. And we should not be surprise if President Jammeh wakes up one morning and decides to abolish Local Government Elections.
Commending Mathew Jallow
Mathew K Jallow's article on the Gambia Echo captioned The Gambia's struggle against a de facto dictatorship is a well written piece.
The political situation in The Gambia is getting worse every day with President Jammeh tightening his grip on power. Our rights and freedoms have been taken by a mighty and brutal regime that has no interest to the welfare of Gambians at heart.
O ye the oppressed people of Gambia, as we are about to say goodbye to 2007, I pray that 2008 will be a year that will bring loads of joy, happiness, peace, and prosperity in our lives and country. I also hope and pray that the ever merciful and ever gracious Lord, will end our sufferings and oppression.
May Allah bless The Gambia with a selfless leadership that will strive day and night to create a better and prosperous country for all.
Happy 2008 in advance. Long live the Gambian people, Long live our great country. Amen.
Next month's Local Government elections in The Gambia can best be described as an exercise in futility.
The elections are only a mockery to democracy and an insult to the intelligence of the Gambia people, looking at the fact that President Yahya Jammeh has been given sweeping powers by the National Assembly to remove the very people Gambians will be voting for on January 24.
Looking at the new Local Government Amendment Act, it will be correct for me to state that the forthcoming elections amounts to nothing but a waste of time and resources. The democratic rights of the people to have an autonomous local government that will run their affairs at the local level have been brutality taken away from them.
Of course, this reminds me of the type of democracy we have in The Gambia; Jammehcracy, where the president is deemed supreme, wiser and more patriotic than any living soul in the country.
And looking at the resentment President Jammeh has for the opposition, I cannot help but laugh at the decision of the UDP and NRP to contest the elections. While their intentions are clear, their effort is rather too late. Our democracy has died a gruesome death. We are in a dictatorship and elections are nothing but a formality.
The whole terrain is far from level and I am sorry to say that Mr Darboe and Hamat Bah must be living in a dream world if they think that President Jammeh will allow an opposition mayor or chairperson to run the affairs of any local government council.
Lawyer Darboe's own admission that his party is unable to identity candidates to run as councilors in the Fonis, because of the reluctance of the people to run on a UDPticket shows how un-level the political terrain is. My brothers in Foni are reluctant because of the fear of persecution as President and his cronies ensure that those who oppose them live a miserable life.
How many times have we heard President Jammeh calling opposition leaders and their sympathisers names that I will not state in this column for the sake of decency? How many times have we seen civil servants being sacked left, right and centre just because someone has accused them of being opposition sympathisers? How many times have we seen opposition leaders and their sympathisers being rrested, detained, tortured and killed under the direct command of President Jammeh? How many times have we seen the President fired members of the electoral commission who make decision deemed to be in favour of opposition parties?
Jammeh and his cronies are hell bend on transforming The Gambia into a one party state and nothing can stop them in their quest. We are at their mercy. Our councils are not autonomous anymore. The central government is in control of the councils with the President being the CEO. And we should not be surprise if President Jammeh wakes up one morning and decides to abolish Local Government Elections.
Commending Mathew Jallow
Mathew K Jallow's article on the Gambia Echo captioned The Gambia's struggle against a de facto dictatorship is a well written piece.
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| Mathew Jallow |
President Jammeh and his cronies are a bundle of terror who are wrecking our hopes and aspirations of a better Gambia. The Gambian people are today living under constant fear and oppression. And the oppression is bound to continue forever as long as we Gambians continue to remain silent and wait for divine intervention. God only give help to those who make an effort.
We need to wake up and say enough is enough to the President and his regime. We should have a desire to be free and the instinct to oppose brutality and repression. Gambians should forget nursing the dream that international organisations like the UN, the Commonwealth among others will solve our problems for us. While they can influence the process, it is left to us to take the leading role as the country as ours.
Well done Mathew!
A prayer to Gambians
May Allah bless The Gambia with a selfless leadership that will strive day and night to create a better and prosperous country for all.
Happy 2008 in advance. Long live the Gambian people, Long live our great country. Amen.
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