Why the sudden U-turn from State house and the Banjul 'cuts'..?
Thoughts are flying forth! Rehearsing a little bit here on certain aspects as far as Gambian political history is concerned.One can gather more facts on the path of mismanagment,corruption and decadence especially where it is mixed with our culture of 'maslahaa' and unwanted traditions. One word that was used quite often during President Jawara's days was 'CUTS' or shares that different parties expected to receive from a done deal ie side kicks from corrupt practices.
This word 'CUTS' means one's share on two sides of the coin.The go-betweens receive 'CUTS' from the party being helped and the official using his or her position to serve as a helper.The truth be said folks,help has no price! This means 'maslahaa' and old unwanted traditions are not good within transparency and accountability. The price (if anything is to be attached to help at all..) should not be more than recognition,merit,thanks,prayers or honour.The contrary happened in The Gambia under PPP rule and it is still there.
Isn't President Jammeh using the culture of 'CUTS' to silence the old guard?
It is hard to say or admit but President Jammeh despite being so desperate is succeeding in dividing the old guard because he knows the weaknesses of some of them. The latest moves he is taking should not go under the rug like just like that.For the sake of bringing sanity into our political climate why not we face the facts and tell these old men and women the truth as well? President Jammeh has started giving back siezed assets to members of the old guard like Lamin Kiti Jabang? Is that the best way to handle this case now?
We were told these people were corrupt,they stole or duped the nation for 30 years or more,at least that is what President said to us when he siezed power 11 years ago.Now if all goes well why should one single Jammeh start handing over these keys to their owners all of a sudden? There should be a big difference between compromising with political foes,opponents and misrepresenting the law.
Legally speaking Jammeh has erred too bad.He could have handled matters with the legislature or at least a committee of advisers before starting to undo everything he used as an excuse to come to power.In all these serious mistakes, to make things worse there are some people who never believed that Jammeh was justified to stage a coup in the first place.What happened to the white paper which was prepared after so many sessions during the famous Alghali commission?
Why did President Jammeh stage a coup then?
Wasted resources...
PPP Vindicated or scattered? Sometimes when people are discussing the pros and cons of the AFPRC from July 22nd 1994 to now it is not difficult to hear or read the frustration in their voices.Some people mastered the art of 'if you cannot beat them join them' long time ago.
That is why former PPP stalwarts use the following when they want to get back their assets.They simply send a petition to Jammeh.Many of them have been reinstated,payed their pensions,other dues after submitting peitions to the man in power.It is widely believed President Jammeh likes eulogies.Do them and get what you want from the Colonel thats it.
When the AFRPC came to power lawyers,judges and other experts were hired from within and outside The Gambia to handle the commissions of enquiry.There are Gambians who rose through the ranks because of what they did to help castigate the PPP old guards before the commissions. Some of the are lawyers and accountants. Ghana supplied AFPRC a lot of judges during those days.
These legal experts received huge chunks of money during sittings.They had to be lodged,fed and entertained as appropriate.When one does the arithmetic here it is sad to say that we lost more than we gained out of the whole process.Were these properties sold to help the sate recover what was lost? President Jammeh told us day in day out that these officials stole from state coffers?
Anyone of us can still remember when Bun Jack and team were paraded near the old national library while being escorted by armed soldiers.There are people who wanted to settle old scores with these unfortunate officials.These people cheered the soldier boys.
How about that now?
Should Jammeh be praised or punnished?
Decency dictates that Jammeh should not have started the whole process if everything was meant to end this way.He overthrew Jawara using political justifications not personal influence.That is why he was helped to design the NCC,the referendum and so on.Jammeh used a lot of routes to 'pamper' peoples' minds while he was getting ready to be another dictator.This idea of returning people's properties as a gesture of brotherhood,kindness etc has always been Jammeh's tool when things get tough along the way.We need peace yes but...how about the law which he leaned on?
At least as the old saying goes..'a rule for one,should be a rule for all'
There is nothing wrong in Jammeh openly apologising to some of the old folks he dislodged, return their properties and then resign from the presidency.The confusion is too much now.If not then Jammeh needs to be told that he was not the least right when he took over power from people he accused of being theives and then 11 years later sees them as good guys who did nothing.This encourages a lot of bad moves.
We understand there are former PPP stalwarts who are ready to sue Jammeh for character assasination,lies,malice,illegal detention and a lot of other things.These people have all rights to do so.In that 'vous' where Jammeh sends Tamba to listen to people a lot has been said.He knows this 'vous' very well.Our last advise to people like Lamin Kiti Jabang is that let him remember when many suffered for them during the bitter days.
Let him also not speed up with his intensions to become President Jammeh's man so easily.Aku man say.."one fool na fool,second fool na fool but third one na dakaseh deh".Jammeh thank you we will be trailing behind Yankuba's convoy again.I am already on the way to Farafeni Eddis where I will sleep for a day and then do my job perfectly well.