The Big Interview: Gambia’s Opposition Leader Tough On Jammeh!!!

DARBOE: JAMMEH HAS FAILED AS A LEADER!!!

…As UDP Leader Exposes Yahya Jammeh’s Leadership Deficiency

Tales Of Gross Human Rights Violations, Corruption, Abuse Of Power, Dictatorship Highlighted

Jammeh Extends Financial Aid To Taiwan-Darboe Reveals

By Pa Nderry M’Bai, Raleigh, NC

The leader of Gambia’s main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP’S) Ousainou Darboe, has branded President Yahya Jammeh as a “ failed leader,” arguing that every sector of  Gambia’s society is in complete decay. Darboe, who is on a visit to the United States, characterizes the Jammeh administration as a terror regime, which is hell  bent on undermining the rights, and liberties of  Gambians. “He has failed. It is not a question of failing. He has failed as a leader. There is absolutely no doubt about that.  He has failed as a leader. The rhetorics, the promises that Gambians were greeted with in 1994, have all been swept under the carpet. So he has failed as a leader. There is absolutely no doubt about that.  Every sector of The Gambian society is in decay. The economy is on a downturn, the education standards are low, think about any sector of  Gambia’s society is falling. President Jammeh has really failed,” posited the UDP twice Presidential candidate. Speaking in an exclusive interview with Editor Pa Nderry M’Bai, Mr. Darboe catalogued the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the Jammeh regime over the years. “The Gambia is not at peace with itself. There is certainly a lot  of things happening that has thrown the country into polarization. So really a country that is polarized is not a country that is at  peace in itself. There is a great deal of repression, oppression, the rights of the individuals are being trampled upon. And obviously, there is a great deal of discontent, silence discontent in the country, within the citizens of the country. So the country is not at peace,” Darboe said while lambasting President Jammeh for his lack of leadership direction. Darboe also talked about Jammeh’s  recent foreign aid he (Jammeh) extended to the people Taiwan. He commented on a wide range of issues: ranging from his career as a politician, Jammeh’s wealth, opposition front, IEC’S credibility problem, members of the security forces participating in active politics, among others. Below is the full text of the interview. Please read on…

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    Freedom Newspaper: Good morning Mr. Darboe. What can you tell us about the current political situation in The Gambia? Is The Gambia at peace?

 Ousainou Darboe:  The Gambia is not at peace with itself. There is certainly a lot  of things happening that has thrown the country into polarization. So really a country that is polarized is not a country that is at  peace in itself. There is a great deal of repression, oppression, the rights of the individuals are being trampled upon. And obviously, there is a great deal of discontent, silence discontent in the country, within the citizens of the country. So the country is not at peace.

Freedom Newspaper:  What are your main worries Mr. Darboe?

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, my main worries are that where people are suppressed, they could decide to bring an end to their suppression by demonstrations, and that are recognized by the law, but they are not the best of the methods….with a particular situation. 

Freedom Newspaper: What is the right course of action?

Ousainou Darboe:  The right course of action right now really is for the Government to be responsive to the wishes of the people. To expand the democratic  state. Allow The Gambian people to exercise their basic rights within the confines of the law. I think that is, what the Government ought to do, and  in order to keep us going.

Freedom Newspaper:  In your own view, is President Jammeh succeeding, or failing as a leader?

Ousainou Darboe:  He has failed. It is not a question of failing. He has failed as a leader. There is absolutely no doubt about that.  He has failed as a leader. The rhetorics, the promises that Gambians were greeted with in 1994, have all been swept under the carpet. So he has failed as a leader. There is absolutely no doubt about that.  Every sector of The Gambian society is in decay. The economy is on a downturn, the education standards are low, think about any sector of  Gambia’s society is falling. President Jammeh has really failed.

Freedom Newspaper:  But this is not evident on the electoral process. How comes that he kept on winning elections?  

Ousainou  Darboe:  He kept on winning elections: One, because we do not have the proper machinery, and the people who have the moral fiber to stand up and say no we are not going to do this. You  would recall before the last elections, we had non Gambians being issued with National Identity cards by Faburay, who was the Director General of Immigration in the home of Mr. Abdoulie Kujabi.  And they publicly acknowledged that they can issue National Identity Card in anywhere. So you have such a system at the IEC, accepting those documents as one’s citizenship.  I think these are some of the things that have led into win the elections. 

Freedom Newspaper: And what is the opposition doing to ensure that such illegal voters are expunged from electoral records?

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, we hope that in 2010, there is going to be a fresh register of voters.  And we as a party, we will work will all other opposition parties to ensure that non Gambians are not issued with voters card. We are going to insist on that. The mere provision of a National Identity Card, whether passport, an attestation, or a birth certificate, is not sufficient to qualify anyone of getting a voters card. It should be more that.  The IEC should investigate this thoroughly, and come with a decision…..whether to give the person, or not give the person a voters card. Just the mere production of it, is not entitle anyone to a voters card. And this is what we are going to insist on. We want to make sure that it happens, because elections are won, or lost at the time of registration.

    Freedom Newspaper:  What is the age limit for the Presidency in The Gambia?

 Ousainou  Darboe:  Well, until the time I was leaving The Gambia, I don’t know if there has been any amendments to the constitution since I left. It is 65. 

Freedom Newspaper:  65. Does this means that this coming elections is going to be your last chance to contest the Presidency?

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, I do not even know whether I am going to contest the elections.  Whether I am going to contest the elections….There is an assumption, which I think is wrong that once a leader of a party,  you would be contesting the elections on your party’s ticket.  That is a wrong assumption.  The party is very well. There is another person, and when we find that… when we discover that there is another person, who could contest, the party would very well nominate such a person. So, it is a wrong assumption that because I am the leader of the party that the next elections I am going to contest.  So it is wrong to say that this is going to be my last elections.  2006 could very well be my last elections.

Freedom Newspaper:  And do you know why the Government initiated age limit for the Presidency?  What are the implications of such laws Mr. Darboe?

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, certainly in 1996, when… this what I call the senior citizenship clause was introduced into the constitution, I thought it was done specifically to keep out certain people, who were not affected by the Commissions of Enquiry, and there were some personalities in the political field.  In order to disqualify them,  this age limit was introduced. That is what I believed.  But they have their reasons for introducing it. 

We have seen in all other parts of the world, where people more than 65 years old, have contested public offices, and they have done better than the so called young people.  Look at Nelson Mandela,  at what age did he becomes the President of South Africa? Look at Abdoulie Wade, at what age did he becomes the President of Senegal? Look at Reagan, what age did he becomes the President of the United States?  I think this senior citizenship clause in the constitution is outdated. It is not in tune with democratic practices.

Freedom Newspaper: Do you mean the Government should repeal such laws?

Ousainou Darboe:  It should…It should….

Freedom Newspaper: And what are the plans put in place to challenge incumbent President Jammeh in the coming elections?

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, the plans  in place by the United Democratic Party, or by who?

Freedom Newspaper:  By the UDP.

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, plans in place to challenge the incumbent President, certainly, we believe that the UDP should work together with all other opposition parties to have a united a front,  so as to make sure that we do not have a mistake vote, because when we have a mistake vote the likelihood of the President losing elections,  it would be very remote.

Freedom Newspaper:  Jammeh was quoted as saying that elections are mere formality in The Gambia.  He said elections, or no elections he would continue to rule The Gambia. What do you make out of this?

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, I think The Gambian people should regard that as vicious talk. It is one of those puerile statements that Jammeh has made. What The Gambian people should know and which they should do is to make sure that they vote for the opposition, and give them their mandate.  And when the opposition are given their mandate, and they declare the winner, there is no way that Jammeh will stay in power. 

So that is just vicious talk, and it is something that is to play on the psychology of the ordinary Gambian people.  That, there is no need to vote. In fact, that is one of things that is responsible for voter apathy.  People resigned. They resigned to the fact that , okay well, he said  whether voted for, or not voted for he is going to continue to rule.  He has the army in support of him.  I think all that is nonsense. The important thing is let people vote. You have seen the past elections, where people have voted for the opposition. Nobody denied them the results.  Nobody denied them their victory.  Those who were declared elected in the national assembly took their seats.  So what nonsense talk is that?

Freedom Newspaper:  Does the conditions for free, and fair elections exist in The Gambia at this hour?

Ousainou Darboe:  For now, I would say no.

Freedom Newspaper: Why?

Ousainou Darboe:  One, I have told you first that the institution of the IEC….One, the IEC does not have the moral fiber, the moral courage to stand up,  and say look, we will not do this. This is not right. 

We have all the security forces, all the security apparatus  being known as a  propaganda tool of Jammeh.  Recently, the Inspector General of police, and another personnel from the Brikama police station, who organized the so called thank you Mr. President program.  We have security officials actively participating in politics. This is a wrong signal, and it is intimidating. It is intimidating.  These are the factors which hindered free, and fair elections in The Gambia.

Freedom Newspaper:  And what kind of electoral process do you want to see in The Gambia? 

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, we want to see a very transparent electoral process. We want to see a process that is not muzzled by any party.  We want to see the Chairman of the Electoral Commission to be independent, and effective. We have seen it in Sierra Leone. If you recall in the last Presidential elections in Sierra Leone, the Chairperson of the Sierra Leone’s Electoral Commission, a very strong woman, who took her stance. That is the sort of things that we want to see in The Gambia.

Freedom Newspaper:  Do you have confidence in the Independent Electoral Commission?

Ousainou Darboe:  What I have been saying so far in the history…..there have a suspicion about the ability of the Independent Electoral Commission to conduct free, and fair elections. I think what I have been saying so far suggests that there is no confidence in the IEC.

Freedom Newspaper:  We gathered that the police recently denied your party permit to hold political rally in Bakau. What happened?

Ousainou Darboe:  Well, we held the rally. We held the rally.

Freedom Newspaper: So you went in defiance?

Ousainou Darboe:  We didn’t go in defiance.  We went in exercise of our constitutional right. So we didn’t go in defiance. 

Freedom Newspaper:  Will the UDP condone permit denials from now on?

Ousainou Darboe:  We will be sending letters to the police to say that we want to hold meetings in this place. If they grant us permit fine. If they do not, we will go ahead and hold our meetings. It is as simple as that. 

Editors note: Look out for Part two of this interview, which  would be published in our subsequent editions. In part two, Darboe would talk about Jammeh’s recent aid to Taiwan, the Daily Observer’s misinformation campaign, Antouman Saho’s deceptive politics, among others. Stay tuned.