All institutions, CSOs and political parties that preach, promote, and call for decent politics, peace, and tolerance should speak up to condemn the insult and threats against the life of Ousainu Darboe from Pres. Adama Barrow.
Therefore, I call on the The Gambia National Assembly, the NHRC, the Supreme Islamic Council and the Gambia Christian Council and their imams and priests, traditional leaders, political parties and their leaders, TANGO and CSOs as well as the Inter-Party Committee and the IEC to not be silent or take this issue for granted.
Indeed, it’s Ousainu Darboe who is threatened today but this is about a president who does not respect the Constitution and the Republic and her citizens! That should concern all citizens seriously.
From 2017 to date, President Barrow has distinguished himself with insults, divisiveness, betrayals and violations of Gambians and our laws! This is his trademark.
From betraying the 2016 Coalition Agenda and his own manifesto and campaign promises to serve for three years, Barrow went further to maintain and bring back dictatorship enablers while forging alliances with the APRC and Yahya Jammeh. He has flatly refused to seriously and expeditiously transform this country from a dictatorship to a democracy. Rather he has succeeded in entrenching the most corrupt and incompetent government ever seen in the Gambia!
Barrow has demonstrated to us multiple times his lack of respect of the Constitution and the people in so many ways. We saw how he unconstitutionally sacked former National Assembly Member Ya Kumba Jaiteh which the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional. In every occasion if he is not insulting the Gambia diaspora, rest assured he is attacking journalists or the opposition and individual citizens including myself. He has allowed his ministers, advisors and supporters to insult Gambians as they like during his rallies and meetings.
Not only has he disregarded the Constitution multiple times but he has also gone further to flout court rules and recommendations of commissions of inquiry thereby allowing corruption, abuse and inefficiency to prevail in the public service. Under his leadership he has politicized and undermined the public service while disregarding reports of the Auditor General and investigative journalists about abuse of office and corruption. Instead we have seen how this President instigate the IGP to clampdown on citizens for merely expressing their opinions about their Government.
Therefore, what the President has said about Ousainu Darboe is not an isolated case nor is it about only Ousainu Darboe. Rather, it is a pattern of abuse and intimidation that has consistently come out of this President. Nonstop. This about our Constitution and rights.
One may not be a member of Darboe’s party. One may not like Darboe as a person. But as a citizen one should care about the supremacy and inviolability of the Constitution and the protection of human rights. One should care about the conduct of public officials especially the President to ensure that they adhere to the Constitution and the rule of law.
What President Barrow said against Darboe is a clear and direct violation of the Constitution and his oath of office. It is a direct threat to human rights and an incitement to violence. He has threatened the life of Darboe and encourages others to take the life of Darboe by saying he will not leave office until Darboe dies. The question now is who or what will end Darboe’s life so that President Barrow could vacate office?
By our Constitution, one can only become a president or vacate office through election, or where an elected president is impeached, resigns or dies. There is no provision in our Constitution that says the death of an opposition leader is a condition for the president to leave office. Therefore, what does Pres. Barrow mean by Darboe dying first in order for him to vacate office?
For this unconstitutional statement that points to threats to the life and liberty of a political leader thereby threatening the peace, unity and stability of the country I hereby call on the National Assembly to convene an extraordinary session to summon the President to get answers, retraction and assurances, or impeach him.
I urge the Majority Leader Billay Tunkara and the Minority Leader Alhagie S Darboe to lead the parliament in this extraordinary session to ensure that the sanctity and the supremacy of the Constitution is upheld. They must severely discipline the President to realize that he is neither a king nor a rogue to be spewing garbage and threats in this nation.
As citizens, let us not take matters of the country for granted. It is because of our indifference, silence and apathy that this country is in such a mess since Independence. Let’s end that bad culture of lack of interest because one is not affected. What touches the Constitution should be your concern. Every word, decision and action of the President and the Government affects you. Stand up. Speak up.
