Welcome to Freedom Newspaper Online

Lamin Waa Juwara Survives Assassination Plot,Torture And Abductions!!
Lamin Waa Juwara Survives Assassination Plot,Torture And Abductions!!

            Did Jammeh Detain Waa To Block Him From Becoming A President?
     Waa's Past Charges that Darboe Use Party Funds To Clear His Income Tax Debts Revisited......

Freedom Newspaper Profiles Gambia's Firebrand Politician Waa Juwara Ahead Of The Polls!!

                         By Pa Nderry M'Bai

Lamin Waa Juwara is Gambia's most fearless and outspoken politician. Juwara over the years had earned himself with the reputation of being controversial. Hardly a year passes without the Niamina Dankunku lion alias "Mbarodi" being jailed. Juwara suffered abduction, torture and in some instances failed assassination plots spearheaded by the state. He is one of those Gambian men who had the daring mind to speak out against Jammeh and his dictatorship. The country's main jail house, Mile Two has been his second home. Each time Juwara is locked up, he becomes wilder. He said things worse than the crime he was charged with. He knows almost all the cells at the Mile Two and its staffers. Juwara believes that Freedom is not a gift to be bargain with. He has repeatedly said he is ready to die in the cause of liberating oppressed Gambians. Many of his critics hate him because of what they called "Waa's violent and confrontational" politics. But the politician insists that he is not violent at all. He argues that those who hated him were anti freedom, justice and good governance.

Juwara was nearly tortured to death
by Jammeh's thugs-He displays torture
signs in this piece.

Back in the early days of the coup, Waa Juwara was abducted by wild soldiers and detained at an undisclosed location. This was prior to the 1996 Presidential elections. Efforts by his family, friends and loved ones to trace him beared no fruits, as the state repeatedly denied holding him. At some point Juwara, was feared dead as there was no indication about his whereabouts. Some even rumoured at the time that he was killed and buried in the bush. Despite local and international calls for the former military junta led by then Chairman Jammeh to produce the body of Waa Juwara, the military rulers paid a deaf ear to such a request. They pretended as if the politician was not in their custody.

Many political observers at the time held the belief that Waa was being blocked to contest the Presidency. As a matter of fact, Juwara was very popular and could be a potential threat to the junta politically. Having served as Divisional Commissioner in almost all the localities in the West African country, the Niamina Dankunku born politician stood a better chances of defeating Chairman Jammeh in a free, fair and transparent elections. He was widely loved across the country. For the junta, they thought that the best way to eliminate such a popular politician was to jail him or even take his life as they tried on numerous occasions to assassinate him. But defiant Juwara still stood by his beliefs and political principles.

To those of you who do not know Waa Juwara, the man is a blood relative of deposed President Jawara. Jawara is his uncle. Juwara's struggle for just and democratic Gambia dates back in the First Republic. Despite his close relations with President Jawara, Waa Juwara never hide his disapproval against the old man's political policies. He was widely termed as being "stubborn" in Jawara's government. He tells his uncle the hard truth which Jawara and his Terrikafo" followers cannot withstand. At some point, Waa Juwara contested against Saihou Sabally, former Vice President at his own constituency. Even though he was not from that end, Juwara tried to oppose Sahou who was Jawara's pet boy at the time. Juwara used the occasion to send warning signals to his uncle that the people surrounding him were not real people. That some of Jawara's so called right hand were not clean. Despite being defeated by Saihou Sabally, Juwara still continues with his struggle to oppose the political mess perpetrated by Jawara and his people.

Prior to the July 22ND coup, Waa Juwara contested under an independent ticket against the PPP nominated candidate and won with landslide victory. With all the state mercenary behind Ceesay, Juwara won the Parliamentary seat for Niamina Dankunku. His uncle President Jawara thereafter started reading the writings on the wall. That the people of Niamina means business. One cannot rule the fact that Waa was not going to run against his unlce for the Presidency, if the military had not taken over the country. The man was ready for change.

To some extent, Juwara also nearly messes up his political career when he applied to be admitted in the PPP. His credibility was put to question in many quarters at the time. That a man who calls the PPP with all kinds of names can turn around to associate himself with such a party beat the imagination of his admirers and supporters. Many politicians who defected to the PPP in those days were doing it for monetary, materialistic and position. While it was not clear what compels Waa to take such a major political decision, some speculated that the man was eying for the Presidency. That he was trying to be admitted in the PPP only to lobby for support within the Central Committee to oppose his uncle. Another report also suggested that Jawara was likely to name him his successor in the event he gracefully resigns from active politics. Waa's chances of replacing Jawara were very slim as there was power struggle within the rank and file of the party. Saihou Sabally has his own boys, while Bakary Bunja Darboe and Omar Amadou Jallow were also busy trying to build a political base. Juwara's application was turned down by the PPP Central Committee. This was Juwara's biggest political mistake. But with time, he was able to win the hearts and minds of his supporters across the country.

Shortly after his release from jail, Juwara joins the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) led by lawyer Ousainou Darboe. He was named as the party's national secretary. He was in charge of UDP propaganda activities. His presence at the UDP, makes the party a household name in the country. Darboe at the time listened to Juwara a lot, as the man is a trained political scientist from Sofa University. Juwara contributed immensely in selling the image of the UDP. His problems with Ousainou Darboe started when he Darboe hurriedly conceded defeat in the last elections. He called President Jammeh telling him that his defeat was the victory for democracy. That he Darboe believes that the elections represents the true wishes and aspirations of Gambians. At the time Mr.Darboe's campaign team led by Waa Juwara were in the upcountry monitoring the polls. They were taken aback when they heard their leader on national radio and Television acknowledging the elections results. Juwara and his team were yet to present their report about the outcome of the elections to Darboe.

Juwara later protested privately to Mr.Darboe and told him that it was wrong for him to concede defeat to such fraudulent and violent elections. Juwara maintains his stance when interviewed by the media over Darboe's move. Interestingly, the UDP leader who congratulated President Jammeh for his victory turns around to complain that the polls were neither free nor fair. He charges voter fraud, intimidation among others. This to some extent, aggravated Waa Juwara. Juwara believes that Darboe was playing double standards in the eyes of Gambians and the international community. That Darboe cannot be taken seriously with his inconsistencies. That at some point he says the elections were free and only to recant his statement.

Months later, Waa Juwara in an interview with me unveiled his plans to register a political party in the Gambia, which later turns out to be the birth of NDAM. In that interview Waa Juwara alleges that Darboe was a corrupt politician who relied on party funds to clear his income tax debt to the state. He even alleges that the UDP paid for Darboe's unpaid taxes amounting to thousands of dalasis to facilitate his Presidential candidature. Also among Juwara's allegations was the lack of funds on the side of the UDP to contest the National Assembly Elections. Juwara claimed that the UDP account was in the red at the time. He said the boycott was not based on principles but lack of funds. Lawyer Darboe dismisses Juwara's claims describing them as utter rubbish and unfounded.

Before the naming of his party, the UDP Central Committee convened an emergency meeting, where they reached a decision that Lamin Waa Juwara should be expelled from their party. Juwara himself was not part of that meeting. His successor was named, who was in the person of Femi Peters. This reporter reported Juwara's expulsion on the Voice Of America Radio Daybreak Africa, which is very popular in the Gambia. Juwara maintains that his expulsion was not justifiable as the committee which decided his fate was not properly constituted. Juwara accuses Ousainou Darboe of hijacking the UDP by trying to make it his personal property. Juwara entertains the belief that the UDP is a one man show with Ousanou Darboe directing the affairs of the party.

Waa who is often surrounded by his militants at his Brikama home has always expressed the need for Gambians to regain their mother land. He wants this to be done in the spirit of democracy. About two years ago, he was quoted by a local paper of having called on Gambians to march to the state house and demonstrate. In that interview featured on the Independent Newspaper, Waa Juwara lamented about the growing economic and political hardship in the country, characterized by governance crisis. His call for peaceful demonstration was misinterpreted by the state, who later charged him with sedition and inciting violence. His attorney Borry Touray, made unsuccessful arguments in court to dismiss the charges brought against him but to no avail. Borry at some point believed that his client was not going to receive fair trial under the presiding judge justice MA Paul. He petitioned the then Chief Justice Arrief requesting for the said case to be transferred to another judge. But his request was not entertained. Paul was in a hurry to jail Juwara, as he tries to fast track the proceedings. Witnesses who should represent the defense were being persecuted by the state. Armed Paramilitary officers and government secret agents called the NIA stormed the premises of Paul's court at all times.

Juwara was later handed with six months jail term. Before going to jail, he granted me an interview, where he said his imprisonment was politically motivated. These were his own words."I'm going to my usual place, which is jail. Jail is not strange to me. I have been there many times and I'm going there again. My imprisonment is politically motivated. This will not bar me from becoming a President. Great African politicians were jailed and that never prevented them from becoming a President. Abdoulie Wade of Senegal, President Obsanjo of Nigeria and Nelson Mandela of South Africa were all jailed." Waa Juwara fumed. Later that sad afternoon, the BBC Focus On Africa, interviewed me about Juwara's jailing and the general atmosphere in court. I narrated what I witnessed in court and Juwara's reaction to the verdict.

In what was described as a major political unification in the opposition, Juwara's release from jail was considered historic in many quarters. Political leaders such as Ousainou Darboe, Halifa Sallah, OJ Jallow, other opposition big wigs and their supporters stormed the Mile Two vicinity welcoming Mbarodi. Security was beefed up in the area. People were denied moving close to the Prisons. People waited for hours without seeing Juwara. News later emerged that Juwara was escorted from jail by armed guards who dumped him at Tabokoto, where he was given a lift by a passing Brikama mini van. Journalists and the crowd quickly traveled to Brikama, where we met Juwara with a new hair cut. He confirmed to us that he was dumped at Tabokoto by state agents. The idea accordingly to Juwara was intended to prevent him from accessing his jubilant supporters who were lined up at the Mile Two Prisons. Juwara gave a powerful speech on the day in question. He maintains that Jammeh's terror politics will never cow him down and reaffirmed his called for Gambians to remain united to get rid of the dictatorship. Lawyer Darboe, Sallah, OJ and others sympathized with Waa and called for united opposition to salvage the country. This later led to the birth of NADD. NADD collapsed due to power struggle. Despite the breakaway, Waa Juwara is confident that the current NADD would posed as major threat to Jammeh. Come September 22 his assertion would be determined by the verdict of the people. The Freedom Newspaper has lined up other politicians to be featured in the coming elections. We will be profiling them one after the other. Stay tuned.

Posted on Friday, September 08, 2006 (Archive on Sunday, October 29, 2006)
Posted by PNMBAI Contributed by PNMBAI

Return