The debate on the coalition agreement which ushered the current government and perceived #NewGambia, yes! It’s true the constitution stated that the term of the office of President is five years and that is very much clear to everyone including those who sat and negotiated for the setting up of the coalition agreement and candidate selection.

I BELIEVE when that agreement was being drafted the intentions were genuine and cognizant with the fact that since independence we have always had leaders who entrenched themselves in power, and in the process overstayed their time which had cost us both as a people and country.

I am with the belief that verbal contracts are contracts and MUST be binding on  anyone who enters into it, yes the coalition agreement is said to have not been signed but to me that does not make it invalid and must be respected for the good of future possible coalitions. The current status of the coalition agreement/government which ushered in a new dispensation is on a life support of both parties trying to safe-face by acting as there is still a coalition government but behind their individual minds we all knew the marriage that brought them together has broken long since.

The cracks began early on their accent to power, for it seems the coalition had only one purpose and common enemy and that was to uproot Jammeh from power but nothing apart from that brought them even closer. It seems from the onset they both had different agenda and reasons for joining the crusade to bring in the perceived #NewGambia.

Coalition Alliance vs. Tactical Alliance: The cracks on the wall deepen even more during the parliamentary elections when they couldn’t agree on the way in which they needed to contest the parliamentary elections, this widened the mistrust and deliberate struggle to entrench individual party interest. The fight to show dominant power among political parties showed up and after that it was still trying to pump more gas for the coalition life support gas was about to run out.

Like they say politics is about numbers and in a system like ours in which a simple majority means outright victory didn’t also help too, instead of consolidating the coalition individual parties went their own path in anticipation of the next election.

The trashing of the coalition agreement is going to set a precedent in the future of Gambian politics and coalition agreement, I foresee lawyers getting involved in drafting any agreement between any political parties that would be teaming up in forming a joint force in any election. With the new constitution coming into effect and the demand by citizens for the 51% clause and two term Presidency mandate, political pundits have predicted that coalitions agreements is a must to have any chance of winning elections.

But we MUST put at the back of our minds;

For our new found DEMORCRACY to flourish, we MUST accept DIVERGENCE views and right to political affiliation.

DEMORCRACY, good governance and tolerance are key ingredients to political PLURALISM.

For The Gambia Our Homeland!