Dear Editor,
We have heard the president and his ministers such as Ismaila Ceesay and his advisers pontificate about insults and disinformation in our politics and society. Many times they have launched verbal attacks on individuals who they accuse of indulging in insults and use of uncouth language. The IGP has even arrested individuals for criticising the president and the government because they say such criticism is incitement or sedition. The latest case involves one Louis Boutanos who is currently under police bail for expressing his grievance over poor service delivery. In another case, the IGP even went further to charge others with sedition such as Ebrima Dibba of UDP currently undergoing trial. Journalists Musa Sheriff and Momodou ‘Justice’ Darboe were arrested, detained and charged with serious crimes only to be forced to apologise for the case to drop. Now, here is one Baboucarr Bahoum insulting an entire community, region and voters on behalf of President Barrow and the NPP.
His words are uncouth, disrespectful, intolerant and a clear incitement to violence. These words must not be uttered by anyone in a democratic republic. When The Voice newspaper published that Muhammed Jah is a possible successor to Barrow, NPP bigwigs from Seedy Njie to Adama Barrow classified the publication as an incitement. Yet the publication did not insult any person much more a group, a party, a community or a region. Since 2023, Barrow and his government have been spearheading a so-called national dialogue with fanciful themes and high-sounding slogans like solidarity, reconciliation, peace, unity and co-existence. They claim to bring the country together in peace and harmony. It is a known fact that this man Baboucarr Bahoum is a known supporter of the president and his government and party. He has associated with and participated in President Barrow and NPP activities. He is a consistent and popular voice for the president and his government and party. Yet, here he is, insulting citizens.
Will President Adama Barrow speak out against his supporter? Will Barrow say that Bahoum wants to burn down the country? Will Ismaila Ceesay condemn this Bahoum guy? Will Seedy Njie hold Baboucarr Bahoum accountable? Will the IGP Seedy Muctarr Touray arrest Baboucarr Bahoum? Will Seedy Ceesay, Sulayman Camara, Saihou Mballow, Dou Sanno, Henry Gomez and Demba Sabally and the rest of NPP come out in defence of Kiang and the Gambian people and democracy? We will see what they will do to show whether they practice what they preach or they are men with two tongues!
Baboucarr Bahoum has not only insulted the people of Kiang but he has also insulted all Gambians. It is sheer rudeness for a tiny brat like Bahoum to insult Gambians like this. We live in a democracy where citizens have a right to choose who to represent them. That is a constitutional right upon which our republic is built. Hence our people owe no gratitude to any government or representative in whatever way. To therefore insult citizens for their vote is to threaten the very existence, stability and dignity of the republic and democracy that must be addressed. What will President Barrow and his NPP and the IGP do about this guy for his insult? We are watching!
Madi Jobarteh
Kembujeh
60 years of corruption, bad economic policies and horrific democratic practices
Dear Editor,
The Gambia is an independent country. What The Gambia is badly in need of is political leadership in government and a more sensible national economic development policy strategy. It has been sixty years of poor political leadership and awful economic development policies and it is getting worse. President Barrow is the worst president so far.
Some lunatics want Jammeh back: The Gambia is stuck in the past and needing a political leader to save the country from itself. Jawara gave The Gambia political independence and Jammeh mustered some national economic development gains. President Barrow’s government is involved in industrial scale corruption and negligence. There are hopeless presidents the world over but President Barrow stands out amongst the worst in the world.
About Ousainu Darboe, what can one say? He is an opposition leader without any policy ideas for change despite the venal corruption and the grinding economic conditions in the country. Ordinary Gambians are crying out for change. The miserable economic conditions in The Gambia are caused by bad economic policies and the most horrendous interpretation of how a democracy is governed under the rule of law.
One would have expected that after sixty years of political independence and the 21st century, the digital age, The Gambia would be looking forward to the future with hope and confidence for a better tomorrow. But sadly, that is not the case. And change for 2026 is far from certain as the opposition leader is yet to convince himself nor the ordinary Gambians what his politics and policies for change are about. It’s terribly disappointing and hopeless for The Gambia. “Darboe will win in 2026”, maybe! I’m yet to figure out how!
Yusupha ‘Major’ Bojang
Scotland
