Dear editor,
Following its nomination today, GDC went ahead to hold a rally at Buffer Zone in Tallinding where they gave the tinpot dictator Yahya Jammeh the platform to address the gathering. In his address, Yahya Jammeh spared no effort but to spew once again dangerous tribal remarks intended to generate hatred between the Mandinka and the rest of the Gambian population. Through disinformation, Yahya Jammeh embarked on discriminatory, hate and dangerous speech intended to alienate Gambians from one another.
The Gambia Democratic Congress and its presidential candidate Mamma Kandeh must realise that they owe an obligation to the Gambia and the Constitution to maintain national unity, cohesion and peace. Hence GDC must realise that it is failing itself, not to even mention the Gambia when they give space to a disgraced tyrant to spread hate and discrimination in our society. Yahya Jammeh’s only wish is to see a failed and broken Gambia so that he can vindicate himself. But should GDC allow itself to be used as the weapon of a disgraced tyrant?
It is obvious to any sensible person that Yahya Jammeh is a failed tyrant who is a disgrace to the Gambia and the rest of the world. Having failed in his 22 years of misrule, Yahya has nothing left but to seek ways and means of circumventing justice and accountability by any means. This is why he is seeking every possible way to destabilise and divide the Gambia so that he can prevent or delay his day of reckoning.
Gambians cannot forget the pain and misery of Yahya Jammeh’s misrule which was characterised by rapes, tortures, disappearances and killings. In 22 years, Jammeh indebted and impoverished the Gambia as never seen before while plundering public wealth and personalising state institutions for his selfish interest.
But today, Yahya Jammeh is trying to hang onto a small community of desperate supporters most of who were even his direct victims or families of his victims. These are people who generally lack political awareness or are consumed by Yahya’s tribal bigotry and false narratives such that they are fooled to believe that they owe him anything! But should GDC and Mamma Kandeh bring itself so low or allow to be fooled? Should the desire for winning the presidency make Mamma Kandeh abandon his obligation to the Gambian nation?
GDC and Mamma Kandeh must be told to pursue only noble and honourable means to gain the mandate of Gambians rather going through a party and a man who are known for only misrule and atrocities. GDC must remember that the people had given their mandate to Yahya Jammeh and APRC on four consecutive times in this country and all throughout that period, Yahya did not only betray the country but also went further to destroy the rights and lives of the people with impunity.
Therefore, why would GDC and Mamma Kandeh pretend to forget or ignore our most recent difficult past only to entertain a man whose victims are also among the very supporters of GDC?
The Gambia Government, IEC and the Inter-Party Committee must tell GDC and Mamma Kandeh that they would be held responsible if Yahya Jammeh succeeds in fomenting tribal war in this country. All Gambians must tell GDC that their decision to embrace Yahya Jammeh is unpatriotic, dishonest and irresponsible and they must be held accountable if Yahya Jammeh sets this country on fire.
Madi Jobarteh
Kembujeh
