The leader of the United Democratic Party has emphasised the need for the Gambia to put a limit to presidential term. In a message to his thousands of Facebook fans, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe said the world is telling African Heads of State to abide by presidential term limit.
Find below Mr. Darboe’s message in full:
Asalamu alaikum all of you, happy Muslim new year. The world is telling the Gambian government to operate according to international norms and the rule of law. We cannot continue suppressing the media, the opposition and assume the development partners will remain in friendly terms. The recent UPR demonstrate that, time is running out for an impoverish country like the Gambia to ignore the United Nations recommendations and the voices of human rights organisations such as Amnesty international, Article 19 and others.
Gambians must understand that, the world is telling African Heads of State to abide by Presidential term limits. Any president who thinks he will not abide by the calls for limitation on the length of time he/she can rule is going against common consensus in Africa and world at large. We in UDP have always argued that, Presidential terms limits is the main safeguards against misuse of power and curbing corruptions. If a President is confident that, he can rule indefinitely what will stop him using force, suppressing the media, the civil service, the security force and other arms of government. The Gambia is abundantly prepared now to have regular change of Presidents and the cabinets. Let us make use of our young brains. The enormous exodus of youth man power abroad is unhealthy for the economic and reproductive progress of the Gambia.
The developing news spectre in Burkina Faso is demonstrating that, power, real power belongs to you the ordinary man and woman, the youths, conscious youths of Africa. It is about time the governments in Africa fear the citizens instead of the other way round. Let us collectively say end to fear rule. We call on our government and other African governments to free all political prisoners. God bless Africa and God bless the Gambia. Have a blessed Friday.
Ends
Thanks Mr. Darboe for the brilliant message. This should be taken further by organising an all inclusive national dialogue around the subject. President will become very uncomfortable.
Dignify as always. I meet you last week. Good message.
I think NADD died in 2006 because PDOIS wanted a ONE-TERM Transitional Presidency. Would I be correct in thinking that in 1996 PDOIS campaigned for the adoption of a No-Term Limit Constitution? Wrong?
Hahaha.. ! my-in-law…let sleeping dogs lie…Don’t be a “trouble maker..”
None controversial issue…Except for APRC, it seems all.parties in The Gambia agree to term limits…So Lawyer Darboe gets my “vote” on this one…
You right!! If you think Jammeh will ever allow that in his personal country. He owns the land and everything in it.
Unless Gambians figure out that we ought to unite and flush this cancer out his children will rule in Gambia
Bax, unusual but good you conc
Bax, shock, horror! Is you surrender the official position? I accept!
I hear you @Paul Mendy. I’ve been saying this for a while that of the parties don’t unite,Muhammed Jammeh will succeed his father. That’s a fact.
Scarlet they too busy fighting each other; that’s why I don’t take them seriously. If The Gambians are serious they will find common ground.
Jammeh Understands Gambians and knows how to use our differences to maintain power. The writing is on the wall and I won’t be surprised if he changes the name of the country to Jammeh-ya
Don’t despair my brothers…The generation that will be pivotal in ending Jammeh’s madness is conquering their deep fear and rising, like the rising sun, from.their deep slumber….
And like the “children of Sankara” in Burkina Faso, they will soon.take their rightful place in our political evolution…That’s why I will agree with you that the voices of the Siray Touray’s (the 1990’s generation), represents the writing on wall…
Jammeh may not take heed, because he lives in his own little, cocooned world, but the clock is ticking and it’s getting louder…
Paul, do you really like Jammeh-ya? Don’t you think Gamcassa would be more appropriate? Just a thought.
As far as I know, UDP was the first party to call for term limit in 1996. Their position is for two 5yr term limit maximum which would be entrenched in the constitution so that no president can change it without a resort to a referendum.
In the context of a coalition, UDP proposal is for an all inclusive unity transition government that would be limited to one 5yr term during which they would embark on a rectification programme to a return to genuine multi party democracy based on constitutionalism and respect for fundamental rights and freedoms. UDP stands for justice and prosperity in The Gambia.
Long live the UDP and God bless the Republic of The Gambia.
No comment….but how is your investigation going..? We are still waiting for your findings…
Investigation?? Oh no. I ready know my facts. You don’t worry yourself about me Bax, for unlike Suwaibou, I have a proper job.
Thanks
Lafia if your “proper job” allows to investigate and release reports about the circumstances leading to the high flying career of Dr. Ida Jallow Sallah, any reasonable person will doubt how the same “proper job” will withhold you from releasing your disputed investigation report on the generosity extended to Kemeseng by PDOIS. In any case why did you switch forum? At least Suwaibou has explained what his “improper job” entails. Can you also do the same for the readership to judge whose is proper and improper?
I have done the investigation long time ago.
Thanks
My-in-law…
I have just seen your reaction to sister Fatou ‘ s comments but since it’s way down and out of sight, I thought I would.use this forum to also add my voice to the voices of concern…
Of late, since the PDOIS Admin.Sec.decided to take to the online forum to respond to issues affecting the party, we have seen the emergence of a few “peace makers”, who may be impartial silent observes “forced” to come out and sound a word of caution, but who then continue to make veiled attacks or scathing unfair remarks against PDOIS, its members,followers and sympathisers but nothing against the other side. …thus raising doubts about their impartiality. ..
Some.even feel that PDOIS should just remain mute and turn the other cheek in the face of all these non ending attacks and misinformation…
We.must remember that this malicious campaign against PDOIS started soon after the collapse of the NADD initiative around 2006…
I may not have followed the online discussions for that long, but apart from.the occasional response to known letter/article writers, the PDOIS has not responded to any anonymous attackers, though many of them, including the most vociferous ones, have openly claimed membership of the UDP or some kind of allegiance/association to it…..
However, I cannot remember a UDP Official taking to the online forum and disassociating the UDP from the activities of these people…The silence is deafening and if silence is complicity, then the implications and the inferences are as obvious as one is prepared to see them..
And as a contributor pointed out, we cannot say without a doubt that people like Lafia (aka gambian) are just ordinary UDP members…Some.of the information that leaks from him cannot be known by ordinary rank and file members..
The dubious nature of these “peace makers” becomes obvious when they have no words of condemnation for the insults, character assassination, lies and slander against the PDOIS Leadership, but rather object to PDOIS’s responses or its style of responding. ..
It makes me.wonder.what sort of “peace makers”
they are…
Hahaha.. ! my-in-law…let sleeping dogs lie…Don’t be a “trouble maker..”
Ahhhhhhhhh….ooohhhhh…..That’s a knock out punch…
Bax, UDP officials are above Suwaibou’s grade. That is why you don’t see that in fora.
I wonder who in their right mind will take serious anything you say if you can stand here and say UDP has no policies or programmes when people have read UDP programmes in newspapers and on their own website.
Thanks
“As far as I know, UDP was the first party to call for term limit in 1996. Their position is for two 5yr term limit maximum which would be entrenched in the constitution so that no president can change it without a resort to a referendum”.
Interesting, isn’t it? What about PDOIS which opposes the PPP’s self perpetuating rule for thirty years and has always campaigned for a two-5yr term from 1986-1994. The only party that wrote a memorandum to the Constitutional Review Commission and a five year term limit is one of the major proposals in it. PDOIS’ campaign was a sensitisation of the people to understand the content of the DRAFT Constitution so that they may know what to do to free themselves from Military Rule. The people in their free will decided that a YES vote will give them the chance to vote in a president of their choice and a National Assembly and Councilors, Alkalos and Chiefs etc but also failure of a Yes vote means they would have to cope with MILITARY RULE for another undisclosed Time frame for a new Draft constitution to be put before them. The people who were getting tired under the rule of Decrees decided to give in a YES vote. The MILITARY who saw lately that advocating a ‘NO vote’ would not serve their interest, jumped into the bandwagon of a YES vote.
If the people were made wiser by all the leaders at the time, they may chose to vote in a wise and neutral leader who would unite the country and carry out a TRANSITION to Democracy. But the drum of the old timers and that of the new elites were louder than those putting REASON before sentiments and as a result, those with power and money and influence perfected the old brand of politics and emerged as victors as usual. And did not stop there but continued to roll back all the gains of democracy and reducing us to Tradition. So if we want to get out of this unending SELF PERPETUATING NIGHTMARE, the people must be at the CENTER STAGE of it all and any decision therefore must not only involve them but must be made by them.
Do we have to go on and on? I don’t think so.
Suwaibou is still stuck in first Republic politics. UDP was not around at that time.
Did I hear him say people voted for the constitution at free will?? Does he want to tell us that the absence of a “No Campaign” in the referendum was a matter of choice?
I was in a village where a district chief visited and threatened consequences for anybody talking about voting No. That might sound free will in the PDOIS world but not in the real world my friends.
Thanks
SUWAIBOU TOURAY DON’T BOTHER TO RESPOND, YOU ALREADY SET RECORDS STRAIGHT ABOVE AND ROLE (OR LEGACY) OF PDOIS IN GAMBIAN POLITICS; POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, EVENTS & LANDMARKS FOR 1ST & 2ND REPUBLIC WELL-DOCUMENTED IN FOROYAA ARCHIVES.
Lafia Touray la Manju: “As far as I know, UDP was the first party to call for term limit in 1996. Their position is for two 5yr term limit maximum which would be entrenched in the constitution so that no president can change it without a resort to a referendum”.
Suwaibou Touray: “Interesting, isn’t it? What about PDOIS which opposes the PPP’s self perpetuating rule for thirty years and has always campaigned for a two-5yr term from 1986-1994. The only party that wrote a memorandum to the Constitutional Review Commission and a five year term limit is one of the major proposals in it. PDOIS’ campaign was a sensitisation of the people to understand the content of the DRAFT Constitution so that they may know what to do to free themselves from Military Rule.”
Lafia Touray la Manju: “Suwaibou is still stuck in first Republic politics. UDP was not around at that time.
Did I hear him say people voted for the constitution at free will?? Does he want to tell us that the absence of a “No Campaign” in the referendum was a matter of choice?
I was in a village where a district chief visited and threatened consequences for anybody talking about voting No. That might sound free will in the PDOIS world but not in the real world my friends.
Thanks”
FOROYAA ARCHIVES CAN HELP THOSE INTERESTED WITH FACTS BUT NOT RELYING ON SELF-OPINIONATED STATEMENTS, DECPTION AND FALSE ALLEGATIONS!
THE GAMBIA BAR ASSOCIATION WAS AROUND AND SUBMITTED PROPOSALS FOR NATIONAL CONSULTATIVE COMMITEE ON DRAFT CONSTITUTION. SURAHATA JAMMEH WAS PRESIDENT OF BAR AND UDP LEADER LAWYER OUSAINOU DARBOE WAS THE VICE PRESIDENT; I HAD A COPY OF THE RECOMMENDATIONS BUT LOST IT. THERE ARE INTERESTING BITS LIKE MINIMUM AGE OF PRESIDENCY & PDOIS PROPOSAL SETTLED THAT BETTER THAN THE BAR.
Hopefully Suwaibou Touray can dig the archives and present the Gambia Bar Association proposals for review?
Bax I fully support this statement; “…..that PDOIS (including militants, sympathisers, you, me Kamalo, among other online cyber activists) should just remain mute and turn the other cheek in the face of all these non ending attacks and misinformation…”; especially for biased Kairo News manned by UDP militants promoting partisan agenda and preying on PDOIS for cheap credibility.
SUWAIBOU TOURAY DON’T BOTHER TO RESPOND FOR THIS IS WHAT HE IS GOOD AT TWISTING FACTS, DISINGENUOUS ONLINE ACTIVISM TACTICS AND DECEPTIVE POLITICS TRYING TO STEAL CREDIBILITY FROM PDOIS FOR UDP! YOU ALREADY SET RECORDS STRAIGHT ABOVE AND ROLE (OR LEGACY) OF PDOIS IN GAMBIAN POLITICS; POLITICAL ACTIVITIES, EVENTS & LANDMARKS FOR 1ST & 2ND REPUBLIC WELL-DOCUMENTED IN FOROYAA ARCHIVES.
Dawda, seriously you have not been making sense since you started commenting here. You are too emotionally disturbed with anything and everything PDOIS to make any sound statement. PDOIS have been allowed to respond to comments, friendly or unfriendly, to issues that they thought affect them. You have raise issues of libel, slander, and all what not.
Yet you forgot that, PDOIS (Halifa, Sam, Sedia, Suwaibou, AMie Sillah etc) are politicians as well stakeholders in Foroyaa.
All the PDOIS senior members have stakes in Foroyaa, and the publication is influenced by the party line of thinking, albeit, their editorials and commentaries. How then can you be accusing kairo news of stuffs that are too baby-like. Grow up dude or just stop reading stuffs. Please sort your head out.
Dawda has proven to be a thorn in my flesh; I can’t stand his nonsense comments. I respect Suwaibou and Bax for their maturity but I feel like puking anttime I read Dawda’s comments. Yes, I agree with Ous that he should man up.
Folks let the so-called Dawda get out of the kitchen if he cannot sustain the heat and the rising smoke. He seems to be the only PDOIS die-heart bringing ego to this very important debates. Stop soiling the soup.
Annoyingly, he kept writing about deception, slander or libel.Can someone lecture him on the meaning of these words?
Good points Mr. Darboe. Unfortunately the monster will prefer to die than negotiating term limit. Too many baggage in his yard. We can do it if we are committed and ready.