By Alagie Manneh
On the eve of the launch of the new party, controversial veteran politician, widely perceived to be the driving force behind President Barrow’s National People’s Party, has said that the party will eventually drive many political parties into extinction.
Speaking to The Standard Hamat Bah, whose own 24-year-old National Reconciliation Party is alleged by critics to have been the first casualty of the NPP, said the kind of politics Adama Barrow has, which is similar to that of Senegal’s Macky Sall and Kenya’s Uhuru Kenyatta, resonates with the masses and appeals to many voters.
“I think the type of leadership I saw in Barrow, yes, he can get there. He is somebody who believes in people, and people in turn take ownership of the party. I think with this policy, it should make a difference for Adama Barrow to be able to keep the NPP even when he retires,” Mr Bah, who is also the Tourism minister, said.
Mr Bah also spoke on the proliferation of political parties in The Gambia which a senior retired diplomat recently said could threaten the stability of the country. “But you see, in every emerging democracy, if you go by history, you would realise that when the political space is opened up in any country, a lot of parties would come up but five years down the line, 80 percent of them will fade into insignificance. This is because they cannot sustain themselves to exist. I for one, if I had known it was so hard and difficult, I would never have attempted to lead a party. So, all these parties that you are seeing, give them five years down the line, they will disappear into thin air. They don’t know the cost involved, resources wise, to run and maintain a political party. But I think Barrow is lucky. He has seen it all in the UDP and I think one of the things you must credit this gentleman for is that he has learned so quick on the job,” Hamat said. On the vex question as to where the NPP is getting its funding even before its launching, Hamat Bah said: ”I have no idea. Every party leader has that knowledge but in most cases in Africa, we normally don’t disclose these things because the donors sometimes become victims. Therefore, it’s in our interest to keep that to ourselves. So, where the NPP is getting its money, that’s a matter for the NPP leader and the NPP as a party. It has nothing to do with the NRP. But I do know people who have confidence in Adama Barrow, who believe in his programmes, in his presidency, in his leadership and in his ability to move this country forward who are sympathetic and are supportive. And these are Gambians, honest sincere Gambians. And I think that’s important if people themselves are financing a party.”
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