Dear Editor,
Last week, I came across the thoughts of two opinion leaders among Gambian political commentators
They are Mr Alhagie Saidy Barrow and Mr Sulayman Jeng. The former made his point on a video panel discussion which I saw on social media. The latter expressed his thoughts on his Facebook page. Mr Saidy Barrow opined that violent social protest as it was in Senegal is necessary to bring about change in political leadership. That’s worrying. I’m not a fan of violence and that was the characteristic of the Senegalese situation. It’s good to note that the circumstances that led to #the protests in Senegal aren’t in The Gambia. The ousted political leaders attempted to change a constitutional term limit. Furthermore, they attempted to eliminate a political emerging politician from the race for the presidency by accusing him of rape. He and his followers resisted and clashed with law enforcement authorities and hence the violent destruction of lives and properties. The ugly scenario made the government more unpopular and won the sympathy of the electorate, and the emerging leaders made it to the top democratically. There’s no such situation in The Gambia now. One might not be happy with the Barrow administration but it has not attempted to violate the constitution nor has it violated the rights of any individual. Barrow and his politicians have only successfully dribbled the nation from a promised 3-year transition to a constitutional 5-year term. Then they set up their own political party and won another 5-year term. They’re now trying to dribble the nation further by not delivering the promised new constitution which intends to have a term limit. Therefore, Barrow is simply arguing the law to prolong his stay in power. His opponents might not like this, but he’s still within his legal rights to apply his political amen to attain his ambitions. I don’t think there’s any justification of a violent resistance to party’s civil or even morally evil machinations to remain in power. The opposition only has to put on its thinking caps to wrest power from the incumbent by civil democratic means. No one has to die for that to be realised. I want all of us to be alive to enjoy the fruits of a mature democracy. The situation is not desperate at all to warrant any incitement of violence for political change. As for Mr Jeng, his comparison of the Gambia to Senegal under President Faye is not apt. Mr Jeng is within his rights to wish for The Gambia the type of good governance he has seen in Senegal, but there’s hardly anything to compare between the two dispensations and the political and socio-economic conditions they have to deal with. I think some Gambians just want to copy everything Senegalese. I see things like Pastef Gambia, and I laugh at them. We ought to be original in our thinking. We need homemade solutions to our national problems. There are so many political parties cropping up to offer solutions. They must successfully appeal to the electorate to vote them into power. They must provide the right leadership to get to No. 1 Marida Parade. They must do it peacefully and democratically. Political busy-bodies can make noises for everyone to hear them, but they can’t win elections. The citizens are conscientious. Be wise and don’t cause trouble in the Smiling Coast. Ramadan Mubarak. Have a restful Sunday. Amen.
Facuru Sillah
France
