The Freedom and Democracy train.

After being given the possibility to converge on a unified platform serving as a temporary vanguard for the masses in the establishment of a just and democratic Gambia, the delayance in decision making by the different opposition political parties and time it took NADD to produce the necessary blue print to guide it’s actions played a great part in the existing status quo, but everyone must be assured that the African democracy, justice and development train which includes the Gambia has no breaks but is rather programmed to stop when it’s destiny of peace, solidarity and prosperity has been reached.

As many are lamenting that expectations have been dashed, I would rather say that the Democracy Train has made great strides in the past two years, thanks to the political and social engagement of the political leadership but above all, the steadfastness of the general masses in trying to take their own lives in their own hands.

Before going any further, I would salute the conscious electorate of Serre Kunda Central, Njau, Upper Saloum, Jara West, Wuli west, Bakau, the Independent Banjulians, who elected an opposition Mayor and the host of democracy oriented Gambian across the country and in the diaspora (Africa, Europe, America etc.) for standing firm and showing both the governing APRC and the oppososition parties that they know their interest and are willing to sacrifice  all to leave in a democratic, peaceful and free country.

With all the intimidation, harassment, sabotage of development initiatives among other injustices, some of the Gambian people are teaching the Gambian rulers and the opposition activists that their liberty is not for sale, thus, challenging all forms of misrule or misrepresentation and waging a great struggle to achieve their aspirations in a peaceful and democratic manner.

The ideas that are spelled out in the National Memorandum of Understanding and NADD’s MOU and signed by the APRC, NADD, NCP and GPDP are not new (they have been raised by certain political parties, NGOs and other pressure groups for decades now) but have been thrusted to the fore by the movement for peace and the democratic transformation of our beloved nation.

It is very interesting that after refusing to sign the national MOU, Jammeh finally threw his towel in a manipulative way by calling his capitulation “reconciliation”, how dishonest can one be. To reconcile, I belief the facts surrounding the points of contention should be laid on the table so as to thrash out what went wrong between the contending parties in a civil manner. Then an agreement could be reached through the consent of the protagonists after the identification of the factors governing any form of reconciliation.

We all remember the accusations of threats to national security labeled against some senior public servants and the opposition whose reaction came in the form of a  threat to impeach the President. The support that was given to the political leadership of the opposition during this tumultuous period coupled with the mutual warning witnessed at the African Union Summit in Sudan in which most African leaders agreed to sanction the Sudanese leaders in not allowing them to shoulder the presidency of the AU, domestic economic pressures among other things gave rise to the state of panic and is forcing every leader to heed to the people’s will by hook or by crook.

One of the battlegrounds for the democracy movement is between on one hand, the program oriented and on the other hand, the leader oriented factions.  It is to be agreed that a just and democratic program cannot be materialized without an honest and dedicated leadership. But in the same vein can we say that a leadership without a program that emerges from the struggle of the toiling masses cannot be relied upon to be humble servants of any electorate.

NADD have become a tool for the people to exert invisible authority in the past months, forcing all political actors including the governing ones to expose their standpoint with regards to our common political and developmental orientation and re-structuring.

The majority of Africans and most Gambians don’t want to be spectators anymore, relinquishing the formulation and management of their destinies to self-imposed elite be they honest or otherwise.All political formations, be they in government or in the opposition, are now being challenged by the conscious masses to be mere representative and not herds-drivers.

While some politicians want to create an alternative to NADD, they don’t want to be seen as the ones who betrayed the unity of purpose leading in laying the foundation of a democratic society with minimum standards of decency, freedom, independence and property for all that most Gambians are yearning for.

The ruling party in the Gambia is facing the end of its honeymoon. People are now tired of death threats by the President and being in an organization in which only one man decides and others cannot enjoy their membership. The leadship is the most uncertain since the inception of party political organizations. The constitution has been amended to create a supreme leadership vested on one person, just as it is done with the nation.

They are facing the general elections, which observers believe could usher in democratic electioneering and governance with turbulent structural deficiencies. Most of the individual who emerged in the early days of the APRC have now abandoned the party or have been humiliated and subjugated to mere servants of the leader. There is no one who dear challenges Jammeh at the helm of the party. To be promoted is not based on merit, but how obedient  one is towards the supreme leader.

After humiliating and venomous defeats in the last mayorial elections in Banjul Serre kunda Central and Jaar West, the rank and file members have indulged in a revolting mode and are engaged in a public debate regarding the leadership and orientable crisis that is suffocating their party. National  Assembly members are also facing the PPP 1992 syndrome in a different way, whereby Jammeh is trying to consolidate his personal position as a national leader, while showing incapability to sustain a viable party.

He has given more attention to the security forces and the state guards in particular for his own psychological stability while most of his colleagues are left to fend for themselves in the hostile arena dominated by an ever evident, maturing and consolidating opposition.    

APRC National Assembly members, who still follow a rubber stamp culture  are also mounting challenges against the civil servants, some of whom they are now accusing of sabotaging development initiatives following the footsteps of Jammeh.

Local civil servants (Alkalos, Chiefs, Commissioners, Imams etc) are in a state of dis-orientation, not knowing the strategy to adopt in this new and dramatic leadership cultural changes occurring so rapid that some of them could anticipate in such a short space of time.

 Finally, commendations should also be given to our religious leaders, the likes of Imam Baba Leigh, Bishop Michael Cleary and Imam Cherno Alieu Kah who dear speak out for the purpose of peace and national unity when the nation was on the brink.

Socio-political changes can occur through multiple forms of transformation, among other things an evolutionary process or a peaceful or violent revolution, but real and lasting transformation of any society can only be guaranteed and sustained by a conscious population.