Editorial

The opposition NDAM has been buried to the dustbin of history. The Party which claimed that it was out to redeem The Gambia from political decadence, maladministration, injustices and oppression had betrayed all its principles  it stood for. The death of NDAM has been announced with Waa Juwara joining the Ruling APRC. The party’s past struggle against the Jammeh leadership has been rendered counterproductive following this unilateral decision from Juwara to part with his colleagues. We say sorry to NDAM’S External Wing. Juwara has done it again!!! A buried truth shall rise again!! The Freedom Newspaper has been vindicated.

When we first broke the story on Juwara’s defection to the APRC, they brushed up our story describing it as a mere propaganda. Some even took the trouble of even trying to audit the Freedom Newspaper in the form of self authenticating our stories on Juwara. Juwara was on record for having said that he had no intention of joining the APRC. He also calls us agents of misinformation.

We never make up stories here at Freedom. Our sources are credible and dependable. Juwara has today vindicated us by openly announcing his defection to the APRC. This is a big day for Jammeh and the APRC. Jammeh and his supporters have good reasons to be happy.

Whether admitted or not, Juwara’s defection to the APRC spells doom for NDAM and its uncoordinated leadership. There was  no power decentralization in NDAM. Waa Juwara decides what goes into the party. Without Waa Juwara, there is no NDAM. Period!!!

Juwara has two choices: One, to deregister NDAM or allow the exiting External Wing with the few party supporters on the ground to maintain the party. The latter is very unlikely because there is no indication suggesting that these people are capable of running NDAM without the help of Waa.

Throughout the said confusion, the party’s External Wing has been mute. We await their reaction to this latest developments on Waa’s defection to the APRC.

Juwara is no fool as many took him to be. He knows that Gambians are not ready for a change and so being the case he decides to sell his integrity for money and position. Juwara read the political climate and came with the conclusion that there is no serious opposition in this country. All parties are virtually dead. There is no serious political party in The Gambia today. Almost all the politicians have taken the silence route to avoid running into confrontation with the President and his Government.

Juwara suffered all kinds of persecution in the name of liberating Gambians. What have Gambians done for Waa and his family? Who would have taken such a risk to engage the dictatorship? In as much as we are blaming him, we as a nation should be objective. To be honest, Waa Juwara has contributed immensely towards our freedom and liberation. It's said that he has taken such a route. But such is life.

Yes, Juwara has compromised his principles, but does anyone bothered to findout what prompted such an action. Juwara alone cannot fight Jammeh. He needs other lions in order to succeed.

Juwara calls it politics of co-oporation, we call it politics of subdue. Gambians have subdued to the President. This is the reality. The  PDOIS and the UDP we used to know in the 90’s are completely different from what we have today.

Our parties are in limbo. The PDOIS spent too much time in educating a bully, who does not understand politics of diplomacy. When dialogue fails, confrontation is the next solution to redress the problem.

Our opposition should be courageous enough to take the leadership to task and avoid the unsolicited lectures, which would not move this country anywhere.

Take for example, the PDOIS, how democratic is the party? When will Sidia, Halifa and Sam retire and allow the new breed of politicians to lead the party? Is the party encouraging its young politicians to assume leadership roles? Has the party assessed  itself? Is it failing or succeeding? Is the PDOIS helping Jammeh to stay in power?  Can the PDOIS come out in the open and tell Gambians their position? Is this a party for few personalities or for the masses? What would happend if Halifa, Sam and Sidia outlived their usefulness in years to come? Who will inherit the PDOIS? Gambians want to know your stance.

Regarding Waa Juwara, we say good luck Waa. We hope you will succeed Jammeh one day. The APRC needs you since you believed that Gambians have betrayed you. Have Gambians betrayed Waa Juwara???Time will tell Waa.

When Waa invited Pa Nderry to come back home, many thought that he was joking, but this man is very close to Jammeh. But who cares??? Not Freedom anyway. We prefer to die in poverty than to sell our integrity. We are very content with what we got. We  see The Gambia and nothing else. In God we trust and not Jammeh!!!