“Ku yaar sa kui balaah mboka ken mbokala” Wollof Proverb
Guide us to the straight path -The path of those upon whom You have bestowed favor, not of those who have evoked Your anger or of those who are astray. Surah Al-Fatiha 6-7
Woe unto those who advocate for politics of hate speech, division and self interest. Be ready to woefully fail, for history has shown those who seek this path end up failing and history has never been pleasant to their ending.
Our current political debates and engagement are a REFLECTION of how some of our political parties and leadership have failed over the past 53 years of existence. The scramble for POWER and dominance and trying to stay relevance and command control within the power of politics has come earlier than expected, if we are to go by the mandate of the 5 years as stipulated by the constitution.
It’s a pity that we can’t engage on a civilised debate on party programs and dogma but rather politics of insults, name calling and unnecessary generalisation of a group or ethnicity, the content accusations and counter accusations between parties or within, isn’t doing any good to the average Gambians who are preoccupied with the daily struggle of putting the decent three square meals on the table for their families.
I look to the day when political parties would table tangible programs before citizens, educate their party members on party ideologies to enable them engage in a civil debate and propagation. Since independence most of our political parties have not presented any tangible pragmatic programmes to the electorate/citizens during elections but rather the politics of tribe, religion and personality cult has been the driving force in steering them to power.
We CAN only grow to be the best if we are open to genuine criticism of our actions and programs as political parties, and as true advocators of democratic values. We MUST encourage political pluralism and divergence of views. Politicians and their supporters must desist from thinking “You either with us or against us”, yes some critics may have hold a personal agenda but I bet most critics are very genuine and all they want is to highlight their shortcomings in helping them improve and attain the best for our country and its citizens.
Never allow anyone shut you down, focus on the bigger picture and that should be the greater good of The Gambia/Gambians. Once we all put #GambiaFirst in everything we do, then it becomes a matter of a greater good for the general good of everyone.
Breaking the coalition agreement was the beginning of the ochestrated betrayal of the supreme decision on the many Gambians who financially, morally and actively participated in bringing the change on December 1st, 2016. It really breaks my heart to see what UNITED us as a nation and people to effect change which was to usher good to all has turned out to betrayals and struggle for POWER!
I call on the Presidency to focus on the mandate and not allow distraction, we are not even half way on this term and the scramble for POWER 2019/2021 has already began.
Like Alhagi Yorro Jallow (Former Independent Newspaper) puts it;
“We cannot build a corrupt free, progressive and prosperous future for our people if we institutionally condone, for political expediency, a dishonorable recruitment system for political leadership through a bidding process. Politics cannot be about public service for those who consider it as an investment or a profession”.
For our new found DEMORCRACY to flourish, we MUST accept DIVERGENCE views and right to political affiliation.
I End by saying;
DEMORCRACY, good governance and tolerance is a key ingredients to political PLURALISM.
Yes! I am a PROUD Gambian. Are you?
For The Gambia Our Homeland!
#NewTypeOfGambian