Editorial: Presidential  Vacancy In The

….Jammeh Went Insane

For a long time, we have been commenting on the ailing health of Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh. Jammeh is suffering from serious mental health problems. He  needs urgent help. He has ceased to function as a President since March of 2006. He is yet to recover from the physiological trauma and nightmare he suffered from the said coup, led by former army officer Colonel Ndure Cham. We need to fill the vacant position of the Presidency sooner or later. This country risked facing leadership crisis,  if we fail to act as a nation. Be it the civil populace, the army, the police and other security agencies, should remain united to send the sick Gambian President packing.  We cannot afford to have a country without a President. A sick man cannot lead us. Jammeh is medically unfit to lead The Gambia. This is evident on his inconsistencies as a leader. We shall elaborate more on this, as we proceed with this editorial.

Few days ago, it was reported that GAMTEL, the nation’s main telecommunication giant was set ablaze. The circumstances surrounding the blaze could not be established. Guess what was Jammmeh's reaction? He blames the incident to the handiwork of witches and Government saboteurs. He hires witchdoctors from neighboring Casamance to help track down those sabotaging his administration. These witchdoctors frequent Government offices, army camps and police stations, with the view of disarming public officials and security chiefs, suspected of carrying local charms or in short “ JUJUS.” Interesting yeah???

Jammeh did not stop at that. He also fired the Managing Director of GAMTEL and assigned him to a Deputy MD position. He recalled my home boy Katim Touray, who accepted the job,  following persistent Government pressure. Touray is likely to be used as a “ sacrificial lamb,” because he has no solution to GAMTEL’S financial problems. GAMTEL is bankrupt!!! Katim needs to watch his back big time. He is dealing with a mentally challenged former leader. I call Jammeh a former leader, because he is no longer in control of The Gambia. His demons are directing the affairs of the state. We need a replacement for Jammeh without any further delays.

To further establish that Jammeh is mad, how on earth can he accuse Willy Joof, Batata Jawara and Bai Ousman Secka of economic crimes, only to turn around and set them free. Willy Joof was rehired as Permanent Secretary, while Jawara and Secka are to be reassigned to other Government functions. Jammeh has not only wasted the court’s time, but our ailing state resources for wrongly accusing these folks. There are dozens of present and former public officials, who experienced the same false allegations from mentally retarded Jammeh. Jammeh acts based on what his demons tells him to do. We have reached a stage, in which spirituality dictates the affairs of the state. Here we have an unsound mind being remote controlled by demons. What a pathetic state of affairs.

We are now convinced beyond all  reasonable doubts  that the majority of the allegations leveled against public officials are malicious and should not be taken seriously.

Jammeh by all indications,  is harboring prejudice against The Gambia and her citizens. He lacks the mind and ability to run the country. He should be handcuffed and taken to jail.

In a true democratic dispensation, Willy Joof and his co defendants, reserve the right to sue Government for malicious prosecution. They should be able to file damages for false imprisonment and defamation.

Our Public officials should not let go such cases under the carpet. Graft allegations are serious and one should fight tooth and nail to exonerate him or herself from such allegations. Failure to clear one’s name from such allegations, might likely ruined his or her career.

The Gambian case is a sad story. Our case reminds us about the then white minority Afrikaner rule in South Africa, where political recrimination, violence and discrimination dominates the country’s political landscape. The former apartheid Government succeeded in jailing, killing and exiling a good number of South African black natives, including some Indians and what was referred to at the time as the “colored.” ethnic group. The same political trend is being repeated here in The Gambia. Jammeh's  killing spree is reaching an alarming proportion. It has been estimated that Jammeh had so far killed close to 1000 Gambians,  since coming to power. There are also other underreported murder cases, spearheaded by this monster turned insane former leader.

The majority of those killed, comes from other ethnic groups. Call it an ethnic cleansing, you make no mistake. He targets Gambian elites, army officers, security chiefs and dissidents perceived as opponents of his Government. Extr-judicial killings is common under Jammeh’s rule.

While the former apartheid Government sponsored overseas killing of perceived political opponents, Jammeh on the other hand, had contemplated sending hit men abroad to “ finish” opponents. “The system of apartheid sparked significant internal resistance.^[3] The government responded to a series of popular uprisings and protests with police brutality, which in turn increased local support for the armed resistance struggle” ( Wikipedia 2008). 

The African National Congress Party, under the leadership of former South African President Nelson Mandela, played an important role towards South Africa’s emancipation. Mandela and his group suffered all kinds of persecution from the erstwhile apartheid regime, but they refused to be intimidated.

In our case, The Gambia lacks genuine freedom fighters. Unless , we are ready to die to liberate our country, the change we anticipate shall never come. We should be ready to face the consequences, if it means freeing Gambians from self perpetual rule.  Any Government that is to replace Jammeh today, will receive local and international support. We need to act now to salvage our country. Jammeh must go!!!