Gambia’s Opposition Conundrum

Gambian opposition at last speaking the same language. Is that a clear that opposition leaders are ready to put aside their differences and unite for a common purpose?
Gambian opposition leaders. Are the opposition leaders ready to put aside their differences and unite for a common purpose?

By Deyda Haidara

Today I am fired up ready to share my views and experience in the political field on the ground. Firstly I would indulge readers to read this piece with an open mind devoid of nepotism, tribalism, regionalism or sectarianism. Thank you.

For those of us on the ground, we know for a fact that over 70% of the population does not like Jammeh, his regime and his party the APRC. How can we then translate this fact into a victorious election for the opposition? Here are some of my thoughts.

1- We must wage a rigorous campaign in Senegal with the help us Article 19, Raddho and other civil right organizations to disseminate awareness that foreigners should not participate in other countries elections. It is illegal, unethical and downright criminal. Senegalese nationals coming to vote in our presidential elections specially the Southern Senegalese people just because of tribalism should be exposed in all the medias in Senegal and possibly have the government of Senegal issue a STRICT warning to those Senegalese nationals that engage in this criminal enterprise of crossing the borders just to vote and go back. Gambian diaspora organizations and opposition parties on the ground should work hard on this in Senegal

2- Jammeh knows very well that the majority of his opponents are in the diaspora reason why he refuses to accord us voting rights as in other countries.

3- Today whether we like it or not, Mandinkas are not the majority tribe on the ground anymore. This is not to say that Gambian Mandinkas are not the majority tribe should they all be resident on the ground. Overtime Jammeh has been able to compel the majority of Mandinkas specially the youths (boys and girls) to go on exile en-mass for obvious reasons and today we are only left with the elderly on the ground. Lawyer Darboe knows it and all season politicians and leaders including the APRC know it as well. If we try to hide this naked fact from the electorate we will be making the BIGGEST mistake in our fight against Jammeh and his master plans. That being the case it is imperative that all tribes come together for a massive vote against Jammeh.

4- We need all tribes and all hands on deck for the final push. The next biggest hurdle we must OVERCOME is the trap of simple majority vote. There is only ONE solution to circumvent this, which is to field ONE candidate against Jammeh failing which and in the absence of strong pressure of my previous warning of foreigners voting, we loose the elections to Jammeh. Unless we accept to take the bull by the horn and accept to put aside all other partisan considerations, we will remain VULNERABLE to Jammeh and his APRC machinery for a long time to come. Jammeh knows what he is doing, he is simply an intelligent “bastard; sorry readers” who would leave no stone un-turned to retain and remain the head of state all cost. The onus is on us to UNITE, focus and resolve to throw him out of the state house.

5- Finally the issue of candidates age limit should not be avoided, as long as Jammeh survives until the 2016 elections, it will be an issue to consider SERIOUSLY specially the UDP and PPP. NRP and PDOIS are not affected whiles those parties that are lead from abroad suffer an injunction. In order for the UDP to avail themselves in the elections they must select an eligible candidate and quickly for that matter.

Speaking to a friend of mine, he told me that if some UDP activist in diaspora were on the ground they would have been a good choice for UDP candidacy. However this should not detract us from fielding only one candidate against Jammeh. It is more than high time that we be honest to each other and unite to UNSEAT our common enemy Yaya Jammeh.

I hereby pledge that if we are able to select one candidate against Jammeh, I will donate D2 million dalasi for the campaign.

Thank you.

 

92 Comments

  1. Lafia Touray la Manju

    Mandinkas are not the majority tribe anymore?? Which tribe is the majority tribe then and what happened to the mandinkas?? Have they fled the country in very large numbers and why?? Tell us Haidara since you are the one who is making this ludicrous claims.

    The truth is that jammeh gets more votes from mandinkas than another tribe and that is one of the reasons why jammeh is still in power. He has shown ungratefulness by turning around and insulting and threatening us mandinkas.

    In the entire history of Gambian politics, no party ever succeeded by relying solely on one tribe. The Ppp at the start drew it’s support from mandinkas and jola while Up of P’s njir heavily relied on wollof and Fula votes. He also few prominent mandinkas ousainu Darboe’s father, Numukunda, who attracts some mandinka votes to Njie’s camp.

    Thanks

  2. Lafia Touray la Manju

    It’s not about one tribe against another or the others my friends. We must cherish our diversity and enjoin our diverse people to prove man’s brotherhood. This is what Numukunda Darboe stood for. He attracted some prominent mandinkas including Sedat Jobe snr of Bansang, the father of Dr Sedat jobe, to Njie’s UP

    Thanks

  3. Lafia Touray la Manju

    Haidara,

    What Lawyer Darboe actually knows and fully understood is that majority of mandinkas have been voting for Jammeh since 1996. He also knows that mandinkas are not up to or more than 50 percent. That is inconsistent with your insinuation that udp is some how relying solely on mandinka votes to win. Anybody who understands gambian politics and demography knows that this is not possible. Notwithstanding, one has to be able to attract a very large chunk of mandinka votes inorder to be able to win comfcomfortably. Jammeh has been able to do this far more than even mandinka candidates like ousainu darboe and sidia jatta. So if there is a mandinka party in the Gambia, it is the Aprc of Yahya Jammeh.

    Haidara, your insinuations and ill-informed and disingenuous.

    Thanks

    • Deyda Haidara

      Thank you Lafia for being the first commentator of this piece.
      Lafia you adressed point 3 adequately, I would like to read your comments on the other points i.e points 1,2,4 and 5. They are equally important if not more important than point 3.
      I would explain point 3 adequately at the end of the debate.
      Thank you.

      • Yankuba Jobe

        PLEASE, DON’T REGARD THIS AS A PERSONAL ATTACK AGAINST YOU, BUT YOU HAVE SHOWN TO THE GAMBIANS YOUR REAL ATTITUDE. THIS IS MY OPINION!

  4. Haidara, you have highlighted significant points which are essential for opposition victory . I think the idea of discouraging foreigners majority of whom are casamance jolas from voting in the next election is crucial. This campaign must be spearheaded by opposition Parties in consultation with various players in Senegal or its government.
    Diaspora should do anything possible to help the opposition parties to unite and fill in credible , visionary , charismatic candidate who would unite the country against Jammeh and his criminal gang .
    On the issue of Jammeh’s tribalism against mandinkas , this is very clear to all as evidenced by his numerous hate speeches specifically directed to mandinkas only . It is within Jammeh’s plan to ensure that all other tribes unite against mandinkas so that he could stay in power forever .Dictatorship works only when there is division , fear and intimidation. Jammeh will continue to set tribe against tribe , family against family , region against region . It is also his plan to significantly increase the population of jolas in The Gambia so that they would continue to vote for him . Jammeh has achieved this through massive resettlement of jolas from casamance into Gambia , thereby offering them substantial benefits in the form of employment opportunities in security forces such as military, Nia and police. This is why today when you go to most urban areas in kombos, places like nemakunku, Talinding , Brikama suburb, and foni are having significant high percentage of casamance jolas who moved to this areas during the past 20 years . I think you are right that in rural Gambia , most young people left the country due to bad economic policies and dictatorship .mandinkas are hardest hit tribe who migrated from The Gambia due to Jammeh’s bad economic policies , favoritism of jolas , and constant hate speeches against mandinkas. The only area today which has significant low migration if there is any migration in this area is fonni. Foni is the only area where people are moving to , especially casamance jolas .
    I appreciate your sense of patriotism in making this pledge and i am sure others will follow as well. Money is integral part of politics anywhere especially in the oppressed society where the masses are poor.

    • Deyda Haidara

      Thank you so much Maxs. You and I share the same logic and political views.
      I am looking forward to knowing you when Jammeh is no more. In the meantime let us try by all means to fill in ONE opposition candidate in the next coming presidential election. To my view the biggest hurdle is the ” simple majority vote” meaning even an unpopular candidate who pulls 25% ahead of all other candidates will seat as president. This is the real DANGER that led Senegal, political parties, civil rights movements and “Y en a marre” fight Abdoulaye Wade when he attempted to introduce it into parliament.
      Simple majority is the worst tools dictators and undemocratic presidents use to stay in power. We should all unite to remove this trap in our statute books. In the meantime only a “single candidacy” can challenge it adequately.

  5. correction. The only area today which has significant low immigration if there is any , is foni . Foni is the only area where people (especially casamance jolas ) are moving to.

  6. Lafia Touray la Manju

    Deyda Haidara, the point I am highlighting is that mandinkas being a majority tribe has so far only helped jammeh to stay in power as more mandinkas vote for him than even mandinka candidates like ousainu darboe. This is despite jammeh profound disdain for mandinkas / Mandekalou as was openly and explicitly manifested in his speeches. So to comment like mandinkas being a majority tribe has been more advantageous to the Udp than all the other parties is simply not true. Jammeh benefits most from mandinka votes. I hope this change in 2016 in the light of jammeh’s recent aggressive threats and insulting of the mandingo people in the Gambia. This is what common sense dictates.

    Thanks

    • Deyda Haidara

      Lafia I never said that ALL mandikas voted for Darboe or Jammeh. I know for a fact that some Jolas voted for Darboe. What I am emphasing here is Jammeh has over time alienated the Mandikas and I am sure he beleives Mandinkas are his biggest opponents who vote against him otherwise why is he not targetting other tribes in his rotten diatribes? That is why I said ALL hands on deck for the final push.
      Having said the above let me enlighten you a little bit of my identity believes.
      First, I am a citizen of the human race.
      Second, I am a citizen of Africa.
      Third, I am a citizen of the Mande empire
      Forth, I am citizen of Senegambia.
      And finally a citizen of the Gambia which issues my ID documents.

      Since we are talking about the upcoming elections let us focus on the strategies of how to uproot Jammeh thru democratic means even if there no democracy in the Gambia.
      Your inputs are welcome. Thank you.

      • Lafia Touray la Manju

        Haidara, you need to acknowledge first that the majority of mandinkas actually vote for Jammeh since 1996 as this is indisputable. This is the first step which you haven’t taken and that is a concern for me.

        Jammeh has an obvious hatred for mandinkas and his disparaging of mandinkas does reflect this. But if you say Mandinkas are his (Jammeh) opponents, then you are disingenuous in acknowledging that Jammeh gets more votes from mandinkas than any other tribe in the Gambia, and also that more mandinkas vote fro him than they vote for mandinka presidential candidates since 1996. These are the facts and they are incontrovertible.

        Thanks

        • Deyda Haidara

          Lafia, there is a contradiction I cannot understand would you enlighten us. In your comment and I quote you said:
          1-“Haidara, you need to acknowledge first that the majority of mandinkas actually vote for Jammeh since 1996 as this is indisputable.” And later
          2-“Jammeh has an obvious hatred for mandinkas and his disparaging of mandinkas does reflect this. But if you say Mandinkas are his (Jammeh) opponents, then you are disingenuous in acknowledging that Jammeh gets more votes from mandinkas than any other tribe in the Gambia”
          My question is why is someone (Jammeh) hating a people that vote for you massively?

          Since you want me to sort out this point first before moving to other salient points in my article, please answer this intrigating, complex and contradictory Mandika/Vote/Jammeh equation in Gambian politics.
          Thanks

          • Lafia Touray la Manju

            Well, everything about Jammeh is a contradiction and it is these contradictions that have kept him in power all these years.

            What I said about Jammeh attracting the majority of Mandinka votes since 1996 is not an opinion BUT an incontrovertible fact. If you can’t acknowledge this, then you don’t know anything about Gambian politics since 1996.

            Thanks

  7. Haidara , absolutely We will meet and have a party at Senegambia and beyond lol. I am hopeful that Jammeh might not be alive before the next election because he has brain cancer . Secondly if he survive , international community is now ready than ever to give any support to get rid of him . We the Gambians have to start the process either by Student demonstrations or popular uprising. Popular uprising has to be lead by unification of all political leadership when their demand is not meet before or during election .

    • Yankuba Jobe

      WOOOOW! I AM RIGHT ABOUT THESE TWO DREAMERS! PARTY IN SENEGAMBIA? WHEN LOOKING FOR ME, PLEASE COME OVER TO KARANTABA, YOU TWO PARTY DREAM WILL FIND ME ON MY GROUNDNUT FARM WITH MY BOY WORKING LIKE A DONKEY. THIS IS REALLY, REALLY LAUGHBLE. [CHEY GAMBIA]! MAY ALLAH BLESS THE GAMBIA.

      • Deyda Haidara

        Hello Yankuba Jobe, I will not respond to personal attacks. Please tell us your ideas about the content of article. This is what we are expecting from you. Do you have ideas?

    • Deyda Haidara

      Lol! Maxs, I also wish JK geos to hell before the next elections.If he survives, we hope to vote him out of office.
      Thanks for input.

  8. Lafia Touray la Manju

    I also don’t like this freaking senegambia concept.

    The senegambia colony established by the British comprised of James island, which had no gambian inhabitant, St Louis(Ndarr)and Goree. So the notion that there was a political entity called Senegambia (pre independence) that concerned gambians is false. James island was inhabited by Europeans, not gambians.

    Thanks

    • Deyda Haidara

      Hello Lafia, what is the use of the AU, Ecowas et al then?? Better fold these organisations if they are irrelevant to Africans.
      The Senegambia concept will be a subject of another article, where you will be able to demonstrate why you don’t support UNITY. So far when Senegambians want to run away they simply cross the boders to take refuge. Isn’t this facility important for our two peoples?
      In in the meantime I invited you to comment on the other points of the article but you are not forthcoming. Unless we get out of the little colonialist and traditional mentality of divide and rule we will not see the bigger picture.
      Please comment on the other points your input is valuable to us for the way forward.
      Thanks

      • Lafia Touray la Manju

        Hiadara, there is no historical basis for Senegambia unification. As I have said before, the Senegambia colony never concerned Gambians but some European settlers living on the James Island.

        Thanks

        • Luntango Suun Gann Gi

          Lafia, just tell DH the facts:-

          1. Senegal has Wolof HEGEMONY – that is why they are at war with the Jola in Cassamance;

          2. Sir Dawda Jawara folded the Senegambia Confederation because Senegal tried to practice that HEGEMONY – “the happiest day of my life”, said President Jammeh who was ill in bed when he heard the news of the collapse of the Confederation.

          3. The only way a Senegambia Confederation can work is if the Presidency is ALWAYS assigned to The Gambia – which will mean that Little Gambia’s interest will always be protected. Otherwise it will be a very UNEQUAL marriage.

          • Luntango don’t piggy back on Lafia to put your point across. I will adress your comment in a post below and we take it from there. I will not eat you up Lol!

  9. Yankuba Jobe ; I said ” we will meet and have a party at Senegambia and beyond lol” , This is means we might go to Karantaba or Lafia Touray’s village if he invite us . So the party is not restricted to Senegambia . kanillia will be turned to military barracks to fight those rebel forces in casamance to help stabilize the region . We will work with Senegal to ensure that democracy flourish In both countries. If Jammeh is capture alive , we will give or encourage both Gambians and Senegal government to take legal actions against him in international courts for his supports to those Rebels and killings of Senegambian citizens. As we speak those legal files are in placed , as soon as he is out of power he will faces charges .Jammeh knows this very well.

    • Yankuba Jobe

      Maxs, You are welcome in Karantaba, and if you don’t find me sitting under the cool tree, which I love the most rather than under the aircondition and get block nose! Ask anyone they will direct you to my farm! Cool brother; no position is permanent, soon or later Yaya Jammeh will go, the Gambia will move forward! In Mandinka saying: (KAANAA- PISSAALI)
      Good luck. Me and my allies are only looking for peace and Unity, but not division. We do carry our laptops with us to work to respond immediatelly to any distractors, hopefully, you and me can now join on the same boat with respect for each other. I am here harmlessly, but also ready to defend my right of free speech and the right of speechless.

    • Deyda Haidara

      Lol! Maxs, I would suggest in post jammeh to make Kanilai village a University Town with boarding facilities for ALL students and Lecturers.
      I would also suggest we streamline and transform the army into a highly professional army and an engineering army who would compete with the private sector for award of road construction contracts and high mechanized agricultural projects. I will also suggest the army to start intakes with High School Diplomas who would double as University students and soldiers.
      A fighting army is absolutely irrelevant and not necessary in a democratic and peaceful Senegambia.
      It is only JK who sees enemies everywhere reason why when he moves around the country he travels with a combat battalion with missiles and machine guns mounted on SUVs. He knows he committed so many CRIMES so much so that he puts his life in DANGER. He is the only West African president who moves with armed soldiers in military camouflage carrying heavy weapons, very scary images around him.
      Poor Jammeh, that will not save him from an EXIT sooner that he thinks.
      Maxs I have so many GREAT ideas, I am just waiting for the next president to advice of how to move the Gambia into a middle level country within 10 years.
      JK’s vision this and that are simple propaganda techniques to lure the electorate into voting for him. In fact I have already developped a manual for elections propaganda and campaign for the opposition should they fill in ONE candidate.

  10. Deyda Haidara

    So far it is only Maxs and Lafia that I see having input in the very important aspect of our political lives in the Gambia? Where are the great minds of the Gambia?
    It is said, simple minds discuss people, common minds discuss events and great minds discuss IDEAS.
    Where the great minds of the Gambia or should we be ETERNAL followers of others.
    Please unlish the gambian intellect because I know for sure we have them around the world.
    Thanks.

  11. Lafia Touray la Manju

    I am not from a village, Max. I am an urban town native.

    Thanks

  12. Haidara , I respect your sense of dedication and love for the country . You have absolutely hit the nail on the head about the use of kanillia as university town , I agree it is most suitable for that purpose . Great thinking . I also agree that the army should start recruiting from high schools and each intake should have different career pathways ranging from medical doctors , nurses , engineers , scientists of different specialization , etc . The new army should be encourage to recruit best and the brightest students so that they would play a huge role in agriculture , and engineering army as you indicated .
    Haidara , you are right that our sexual predatory president is the only one who carry unnecessary weapons with him while moving around . He think his security is about carrying weapons when he is terrorizing the population . What a joke . I would suggest that There will be total transformation of president’s security and this include no army uniform should be allowed in statehouse as currently happening . The Monster and his style of security will be thing of the past . I would suggest that Nia director should be answerable to National Assembly special committee though we will have national security adviser who will do daily briefing to the president on national security issues . Many great ideas will be implemented in the next government . Press and freedom of speech will be highest priority for citizens so that they will be able to make informed decisions.
    I think it is also important to extend the age qualification limits to 70 . I would suggest that two years college education be part of constitutional requirement to qualify for president . I think dictator Jammeh and his regime is great opportunity for all Gambians to learn from and never allow such historic tragic mistake to happen again. We should not let this crisis go into a waste without total transformation of our society . The transformation process begins now to educate citizens about their constitutional rights and responsibilities . In all this , we must not forget that we should be all inclusive in our endeavors to see to it that idiotic dictator is remove .

    • Luntango Suun Gann Gi

      Are we on the same planet, Max Bro (or are you on some green stuff – lol):

      Seriously,

      1. Where are you gonna get the money to give the soldiers professional training as “doctors”, “engineers”, etc?? Sell more peanuts?

      2. Why would people in the Kombos want to go to Kanilai for University??? Clearly you haven’t been to Kanilai – what is is suitable for is a huge Agricultural Plantation.

      3. No armed security for President? You are MAD!! Next President will need even MORE security than Jammeh – or there will be a quick coup.

      4. “College Education” to qualify for Presidency, says Maxs!! Look at all the IDIOTIC PhDs in town (lol)

      5. NIA Director General answerable to Assembly, says Max!! Where does that happen? In UK, USA, Russia or China???

      6. Jammeh “carrying unnecessary weapons” with him. Jammeh sorted out his security from day one – if not he would have been overthrown within six months (or got shot in the head like Dadis Camara in Guinea).

      • Luntango Suun Gann Gi

        Deyda Haidara says:

        1. First, I am a citizen of the human race.
        2. Second, I am a citizen of Africa.
        3. Third, I am a citizen of the Mande empire
        4. Forth, I am citizen of Senegambia.
        5. And finally a citizen of the Gambia which issues my ID documents.

        Only No. 5 matters to you bro – the rest are frigging useless and confer you no rights. Stop Day-Dreaming and join the REALITY train! (Or are you sharing the green stuff with your mate Max? – lol)

        • Deyda Haidara

          Lol! so if I have a court case against a kenyan, the Kenyan courts will deny me rights because I am a Gambian?
          Luntango old lady, your brain cells are dead.
          I would like to know why you are such a failure for not being part of the successful Kenyans resident in Kenya and contributing their quota to national development. Are you runaway convict or just an economic migrant?
          JK your boy friend loves boothlickers but hates them as soon as a new boothlicker shows up.
          I will not engage you again if you don’t stop being personal, I have better things to do than gossiping like you old lady.

  13. Dida, Gambians will prioritize our resources , kanillia will be good place for university education because it is far from distraction and already it has good infrastructure for university . Currently the 3.5 million dollars which Jammeh stole from Gambians to buy a house in USA is enough money to educate 200 doctors and 30 engineers just for a start . Remember that if all stolen Money alone are recover we can begins this project and train up to 2000 doctors in the 5 years.
    If you go to Senegal , do you see mr Macky Sall carrying those heavy weapons that Jammeh carry with him every time he is heading to kanillia . The answer is no. We Will strategize smart security to protect the president . What Jammeh is doing , no civilized leader is doing that for his security . He acts like he is drug kingpin who he is already because only criminals needs those kind of security or weapons. Jammeh is criminal. No military uniforms 24 hours surrounding the president or statehouse . Go to Senegal if you will see military uniforms like the way you see our idiot abusing military . I don’t say no security for president . Of course the next president need best security because Jammeh has already brainwashed some military to the extend that they think civilians are their enemy. I would suggest that civic education be part of school curriculum from primary school to college level . Military , police force and Nia will all have civic education as part of their training as well as pass in constitution as requirement to graduate from those trainings.
    College education is necessary requirement for president .
    Nia director general shall be answerable to National Assembly special national security committee , however he or she shall be adviser To president and his national security team . The national security team includes the president , national security adviser ( will be chairman of security heads in the country and would be chief security adviser to the president on all national security matters ) , Vice President , minister of defense ,interior and others . Nia director general shall be nominated by the president and confirmed by National Assembly after significant scrutiny of his records and qualifications. I would suggest that all ministerial positions shall have similar procedure to avoid corruption and nepotism . This will prevent high school dropout to become Nia director .

    • Deyda Haidara

      Moreover Maxs money is not a problem it will flow where ever there is return on investment. We have seen highly developped countries that have no natural resources but understood how to attract money in their countries.
      This is where JK failed miserably and in which I am an expert, reason why I said I can transform the Gambia into a middle level economy within 10 years after JK.
      Don’t worry about Luntang Muso, his brain cells are dead, all he knows is boothlicking and nothing else. Lol!

      • Janko Camara

        The central theme in this article revolves around one assertion: “The Mandinkas are not the majority tribe in The Gambia, any more”. Everything that followed is just a disguise and that is why the other points, especially Point No. 1 do not make any sense. What the author has done is to attempt to justify this central assertion by bringing in these other points. This is why, in my opinion, this article is absurd, tribally motivated and totally devoid of facts and not helpful in uniting Gambians under one umbrella, even though the author claims to be calling for unity. The author’s attempt to deflect criticism in his preamble has been clearly betrayed by the content of the article. Reading through this piece, one cannot but realise the thinly-veiled attempt by the author to falsify well-known statistics driven mainly by his hatred for the Manding tribe. Given the previous reactions of this author to earlier articles on tribalism, it is not difficult to conclude that the author is a tribalist who wants to make us believe he above that standing. I THINK HE HAS STOOP SO LOW even when there is overwhelming evidence to his assertion. I challenge him to bring forth evidence that his claim is indeed true. For better understanding on The Gambia’s demography and tribes and the numbers, I would like to refer the author to the 2013 Population Census of The Gambia. People with integrity, despite their leanings, avoid making false assertions, the similitude of the one above, especially if no statistics is provided. It would have been more interesting if the assertion was backed by verifiable statistics.

        In any case, what has the Mandinkas not being the majority tribe got to do with removing Yahya Jammeh from power? Why do we always want to muddy the well when the water is getting cleaner for all to drink? It is so sad that at a time when we should be closing ranks to fight a common enemy, some people are busy sowing the seed for discord and dragging us back centuries by championing tribal war drums. Let us get beyond tribes and focus on country. This is the only way forward. The absolute truth is that the Manding tribe is still the majority tribe in The Gambia. Any denial of this basic fact tantamounts to sheer hypocrisy. But this is even beside the point as far as I am concerned. The point I am making is this: it is only unity that can bring success, not the opposite. Therefore, people attempting to introduce discord, through the “back-door” (and this author clearly is one of them) must be avoided. At best, they would retard the achievement of our ultimate objective, ridding The Gambia of Yahya Jammeh.

        • Deyda Haidara

          Janko, say “Astafirulie” it is best for you. Indeed you have a nice pen but the content is totally false. The article and its author are far away from tribalism as you are insunuating and I quote my article which you misread or under read:”Today whether we like it or not, Mandinkas are not the majority tribe on the ground anymore. This is not to say that Gambian Mandinkas are not the majority tribe should they all be resident on the ground.” This is a fact. During PPP days Fulas used to argue that they are the majority tribe but their voice was too thin to be heard simply because Mandinkas were more loud are more politically motivated. Well you know very well statistics are relative in Africa in general so depending on them does not necessarily translate the reality.
          Allow me to adress the rest of my thoughts on a new post down.
          Thanks

    • MANDE NKOLLOU LA MANSA.

      Hello everybody here,i am a Gambian,Allah ya lung,I don t like Jammeh and i don t hate him.
      I hate that he is fighting our tribe,but what i want to know is,the money jammeh have is it from Gambia.1-If he is stealing from the country,where did Gambia got this money from and no
      natural resources.

  14. Deyda Haidara

    Response for Lafia and Luntango on Senegambia unity.
    Let me first say this. My blood runs all the way to Segou in Mali reason why I said my 3rd citizenship is Mande Empire. Gambians say Bambaras but in Mali it is called Bambana. Mandingos love the letters “R and O” Lol. This is to prove to you that I am not a tribalist.
    Now back to Senegamabia, what happen? In both Senegal and Gambia you find the same tribes, languages, cultures and religions. This a seed for unity.
    When Sir Dawda lost the presidency in 1981 he did not go to Mali to ask for help. No, he went to President Diouf who sent his soldiers to die in the Gambia for DK Jawara to come back to Gambia as president. Blood has no price.
    What broke the confederation is anybody’s guess and subject to lenghtly debate. DK was was toppled again by JK bulibuli Mansa and he went again to Senegal and not to Mali to seek assistance and refuge. But then Abdou Diouf refused to send his army for the second time to re-install him back in the Gambia but granted him temporary shelter before his migration to the UK. Would you blame Abdou Diouf for not taking a second risk to re-install DK in the Gambia? Hell no.
    When rebels run from Senegalese army they come to Gambia and likewise when Gambians run away from the dictator’s NIA, they go to Senegal either to settle down or proceed to other countries. Since I am a uniter and not a divider, I will vote for a Senegambia federation. Lungtago would discourage you for obvious reasons, he loves Jammeh and hates Senegal. Thank God he is a luntango in our midst and we welcome his views. Lungtango’s hate or obsession of the white american is displayed in many of his postings which was why I snubbed his hate mongering comments since.
    Back to Senegambia. This goes to show that DK Jawara is a very disgraceful individual, as soon as he gets what he wants he forgets about the past. I can relate a lot of “Janfa” stories about DK starting before independence to his final disgraceful exit from the presidency in 1994. Now don’t get me wrong, I acknowledge that DK is a peaceful man but with opportunistic tendencies. He was harmless but not grateful. Reason why Abdou Diouf reprimanded and reminded him that what goes around comes around.
    Now for the audience, the reason why I like Ousseynou Dardoe is because, to me, he is an honoranle man who cherish past and present relationship and hates flip flopping and has been consistent since day one in 1994. No one can say that Darboe is a double agent, never. In fact I voted for Ousseynou twice in 2001 and 2006.
    There is STRENGHT in unity, therefor let us UNITE and flush Jammeh out of the State House and send him to his 5* Miles 2 hotel where he belongs.

    • Luntango Suun Gann Gi

      KairoNewsEditors: It seems rather distasteful to associate the late Deyda Hydara’s name with this. I wonder how the family feel.

      Deyda Haidara
      August 23, 2015 at 3:22 AM

      “Back to Senegambia. This goes to show that DK Jawara is a very disgraceful individual …”

      • Deyda Haidara

        Luntango, you cannot come to our country and dictate what we should do. How dare you?
        When I was with late Deyda Haidara he was not even married. We used to camp at Must Stop shop in Banjul, we use to dance together at Sahara Night club just opposite Must Stop. We use to dance together at Tennis lawn with Super Eagles band. So please keep you trivial comment about name calling. I could show you pictures of me and Deyda dates 45 years ago.
        I will stop here before crocodiles like you send me to their NIA crocodiles friend at Marina Parade. Lol!

        • Janko Camara

          Mr. Haidara, you couldn’t have been this old (your reference to Must Stop shop in Banjul and the Super Eagles Band) and yet continue to think the way you do. Banjul of yester years, despite the rat-race and petty jealousies between the two popular tribes, was still a decent place to live and people were generally accommodating – despite one or two old politicians (from the Banjul Wollofs) who were tribal to the core. Read the interviews of these two politicians with Berkeley Rice (in the Book – Enter Gambia, the Birth of an Improbable nation) and you understand exactly what I mean.

          Mentioning Super Eagles, I hope you were listening to the lyrics of their songs as well, not just dancing to the rhythm. These songs were devoid of tribalism, just like those after them e.g Oussou Njie Senor (excuse my spelling of the name). Listen to these people and their songs, then you realize that after all is said and done, even the two rival groups (Mandinkas and the Banjul Wollofs) were keen admirers of each other.

          Please let us join hands and preach unity at all times. Drop your tribal sentiments and focus on what unites us i.e. The Gambia

        • Janko Camara

          Mr. Haidara, you couldn’t have been this old (your reference to Must Stop shop in Banjul and the Super Eagles Band) and yet continue to think the way you do. Banjul of yester years, despite the rat-race and petty jealousies between the two popular tribes, was still a decent place to live and people were generally accommodating – despite one or two old politicians (from the Banjul Wollofs) who were tribal to the core. Read the interviews of these two politicians with Berkeley Rice (in the Book – Enter Gambia, the Birth of an Improbable nation) and you understand exactly what I mean.
          Mentioning Super Eagles, I hope you were listening to the lyrics of their songs as well, not just dancing to the rhythm. These songs were devoid of tribalism, just like those after them e.g Oussou Njie Senor (excuse my spelling of the name). Listen to these people and their songs, then you realize that after all, even the two rival groups (Mandinkas and the Banjul Wollofs) were keen admirers of each other.
          Please let us join hands and preach unity at all times. Drop your tribal sentiments and focus on what unites us i.e. The Gambia

          • How many times should I have to say that i am neither a Mandika nor a Wolof to apease your tribal sentiments?
            When someone you don’t know the only thing you are looking whether or not the writer is tribalist. Really!
            Maybe I know you because all the names you mentioned are my friends as well. I used to spent a lot of times at Hill Street and Buckle street. Withing Super Eagles I one I admired most is Malang the drummer may his soul RIP. Let me also tell you that my greatest article is Salif Keita of Mali of course I loved Bembeya Jazz.
            Sunjata Keita, Kanka Musa, Sumanguru Kante, Babemba, Domanzon are all great Mande kings I loved so much.
            Can you get me now? If nt you are nuts. Lol!

      • Deyda Haidara

        Luntango, your friend president Jammeh killed my best friend Deyda Haidara for no just cause, simply because he did not like his criticism on “Good morning Mr; President” in point newspaper.
        It seems the ghost of Deyda Haidara is getting into your nerves just as it did to the bulibuli criminal who resorted to killing him. What a criminal president your friend is?

    • Lafia Touray la Manju

      Well, no one is against unity. As a matter of fact, the UDP is the only party that has convened a unity conference/talks in 2011. No other party has ever done that. Of course there are differences in principles and ideology but the UDP will also advocate for what is right as known in the world that we live in regardless of what anybody says or the hysteric tendencies of the covert tribal bigots.

      By the way Haidara, I am not a citizen of Senegambia and don’t want to be a citizen of Senegambia. I am a citizen of The Republic of The Gambia.

      Thanks

      • Deyda Haidara

        Lafia you are defiantely not a SMART politician. A smart politician always call fot UNITY.

      • Deyda Haidara

        More over Lafia you seem to be too late behind JK’s master plans as there is no Gambia anymore. What we have in reality is the “Republic of Casagambia”, this being the case I prefer a greater “Republic of Senegambia” once and for all.

  15. Luntango Suun Gann Gi

    Oh Dear, Deyda Hydara, you mean this:-

    “This goes to show that DK Jawara is a very DISGRACEFUL INDIVIDUAL …”

    I am afraid that 90% of Gambians, including President Jawara, will AGREE WITH THE LUNTANGO that DK Jawara is NOT a “DISGRACEFUL INDIVIDUAL” at all. Even Matthew K. Jallow will agree with the Luntango on this.

    You must be on the green stuff when you wrote this (lol).

    • Luntango Suun Gann Gi

      CORRECTION “I am afraid that 90% of Gambians, including President JAMMEH, will AGREE WITH THE LUNTANGO that DK Jawara is NOT a “DISGRACEFUL INDIVIDUAL” at all. Even Matthew K. Jallow will agree with the Luntango on this.”

      • Deyda Haidara

        Luntango you are the only one callink buliluli mansa president. Even his pars do not want him amongst themselves. JK is a criminal and nothing else, only boothlickers like you praise him.
        I know DK Jawara very well, he used to come to our house daily when he needed us and as soon as he got what he wanted he turned his back as he did to Abdou Diouf. This is call “Janfa” it is very dishonorable.

  16. Lafia Touray la Manju

    I agree with Dida. It is distasteful for somebody using the name of the late Deyda Hydara as a User name in this forum to be engaged in covert tribal bigotry.

    Thanks

    • Deyda Haidara

      Lafia you are making a big mistake calling me a tribalist. Tribalism against who? and for what? Stop the sensitivity, it is not good for your heart and mind.
      Deyda and I are the best of friends and I like to always remind his criminal killers, JK and dogs that his spirit will never DIE.
      Deyda and I share a lot in common, he was a great journalist who cherish justice and peace. RIP mon grand.

  17. Dida, beauty about Gambian Societal Tolerance is second to NONE, in that democracy & freedom of opinion has ALWAYS been Gambian, at ANYTIME before; EXCEPT under the Murderous kanilai Devilish Syndicate…

    PPP under Sir Dawda have been labeled Mandingo-party, Aku-government, Wollof-(mbumbai) enjoy or benefit…, etc; Deyda is entitled to his opinion; the difference between PPP & EVIL Murderous kanilai Syndicate is, Sir Dawda NEVER kidnapped, disappeared & killed ANYBODY for divergence of opinion, on issues of State, of EQUAL CONCERN to ALL Gambians, & friends; how MANY times have students demonstrated during PPP era, with NO students “carrying guns” to “shoot themselves” in cold blood…???

    The newly appraised Constitution was tirelessly assembled after the kanilai Syndicate Coup, by Dr Peters & Team, to BETTER Gambia from PPP days; the appraised Local Government Act, this time among others, made Local Government representatives, Governors, Chieftainships, Councillorships, Village-alkali heads, only answerable to, & dismissible by the electorates who voted them in; the Murderous kanilai yaya Killer DEVIL jammeh used the EQUALLY EVIL APRC MPs, to reverse everything, to placing ABSOLUTE power in the Murderous POISONOUS jaws of the kanilai Alligator…??

    This was after the prior removal of the Term-Limit INITIALLY in the original appraised Constitution, before the referendum; the Civic Education emphasis too, on the AWARENESS of the unschooled population was undermined, the so-called Civic Education Panel, instead, resorted praises in, of the kanilai Murderer…?

    Deyda, the Senegal Government & the NGOs participations & facilitations, of both countries, Senegal, Gambia, should get rid of the illegal illegitimate manipulations of the Cassamace voters facilitation & entrenching of Murderous Tyrannical kanilai syndicate in Gambia; the Opposition need to make the collective move to engage the Senegalese Government on the issue, to make it happen…

    Gambians will ENSURE NOBODY succeeds in destroying Gambia, for selfish aggrandizement; the profligate of State resources to buy, remunerate, & induce aid-abets, to facilitate oppression & murder innocent people…

    We’ll get there sooner, with resolved relentless efforts, hopefully, Insha Allah…

    God helps & bless collective endeavour to salvage Gamb

    • Deyda Haidara

      Bajaw, you are defiantely a GREAT guy. I share your comment 1000%
      Thank you brother for speaking the TRUTH.

  18. Dida and Lafia . I don’t think there is anything wrong with the name Haidara is using here . If you go by that standard then it is distasteful to use any name. What is important is the message he present . So please let’s focus on real issues. Campaigning to dislike the used of one’s name is malicious , intolerance and outright disingenuous. Lafia and Dida , both your names remind me of peoples I know , so did I have right to call you out that it is distasteful to use those names because you speak your mind on some issues which I disagree with you ? The answer is no. Lafia , the bigotry you are talking about is the same thing you are doing to Haidara because you don’t know how much that name meant to him , therefore you calling the use of that name “distasteful” might be consider malicious and intolerance . Bigot are very intolerance individual who always think that their opinions or views and beliefs are supreme .

  19. Deyda Haidara

    Dear readers, it is very unfortunate that most comments on what ever article is posted online generates little useful discussions and lot of the comments boils down to personal attacks, low intellectual discuss and very mediocre taste. When I visit other African sites and see the high caliber of discussions and ideas, one is proud to participate and learn.
    Gambian online forums in general is all about people, who is who and nothing else. I know there are lot Gambian academicians, scientists, and intellectuals around the world but you don’t see them in gambian forums sharing their experience and knowledge. This will not advance a country but rather isolates it and sets it back. Whether it is out of fear or mere laziness or indefference is not clear to me.
    I cannot close this comment without thanking Bax,Maxs, a great deal and Lafia, Luntango for their personal attack skills by not thinking above their nose. Lol!
    Thank you Kaironews for publishing this article and refusing to succumb to dictatorship.
    Long Live the Spirit of Deyda Haidara and may his soul RIP. As for his killers, let them ALL rot in Hell, Amen.

  20. Brother “DH” should be sensitive to the harm he may cause by the misuse of such a name…

    I can understand the harmless desire to keep the gentleman’s name in the public eye, but caution must be taken not to associate any negativity with the name..

    Opposition unity is good and I hope it happens, but it must be based on the political realities of The Gambia, rather than anything else… (in my view)

    And to give opposition unity a chance, we must do.all.we can to combat voter apathy and I.am not sure whether giving the impression that elections can’t remove Jammeh is the best strategy for that.. .

    I do not think service chiefs or civil servants should be answerable to the National Assembly due to the concept of “separation of powers”…

    I think the civil and security services are part of the executive branch of government, whilst the National Assembly is the legislature, which also keeps the executive in check (or supposed to)..I’m I right Lafia..?

    I do believe that the power of the Assembly to summon officials before select committees , either from the public or private sectors, to answer to queries and concerns of members (on our behalf) should be strengthened post Jammeh…

    This allows the assembly to keep a.watchful eye on how things are run, make recommendations to the executive on areas of concern and where improvement is needed and enact laws to either plug loopholes in the system or relax laws to enhance productivity…

    As.for.funding higher education to train doctors and engineer…well…may be maxs knows where professor Jammeh kept the CD with the oil data….as recovering “stolen” monies may take a life time…Can’t plan your budget on that…

    The economic data at the moment isn’t ready for such funding….Good idea though..

    • Deyda Haidara

      Bax, surely you have great ideas, we need people like you to rebuild the Gambia.
      Thank you again brother.

  21. Deyda Haidara

    Let me relate a personal experience to readers. One day in early 1996 I went to JK’s office because he needed my opinion on some issues. When I looked around the office I saw a map of the old Gaabu Empire hung in front him. Years later when I saw how developped Kanilai City is, I understood that JK had a big dream with the objective of making Kanilai village a proud capital city of the republic of “Casagambia”. The Jola hegemony is a reality today in the Gambia. Banjul the ancient capital of the Gambia is derilict, no roads, no new structures, filthy and stinky, JK does not care or proud about Banjul.
    Right now he is building very high walls around the extended State House just to beef up his personal security. JK spends more time in Kanilai city than Banjul capital city.
    People will be amazed the day they evaluate the infrastructure developments in Kanilai it is very close to $500 millions USD. Just google map it and see.
    Yankuba Jobe and Admiral, it is more than high time that you wake up from your slumber.
    Wake up Gambia!

    • Luntango Suun Gann Gi

      “Deyda Hydara”, answer the question!! You stated as follows:-

      “This goes to show that DK Jawara is a very DISGRACEFUL INDIVIDUAL …”

      Is that the “advise” you gave to President Jammeh – who, you say, wanted your advise in 1996???!!

      “Deyda Haidara
      August 23, 2015 at 9:12 PM
      Let me relate a personal experience to readers. One day in early 1996 I went to JK’s office because he needed my opinion on some issues.”

      Show some respect and withdraw your disgraceful statement that Sir Dawda Jawara “is a very DISGRACEFUL INDIVIDUAL”.

      • Deyda Haidara

        Luntango, no one supports you about my statement on DK Jawara. You cannot know our history more than we do. Look stranger, you know only your friend criminal president Jammeh who killed my brother Deyda Haidara. More over when ask who killed Deyda his arrogant mind cannot think of anything but tell the journalist “Go ask him in his grave”. Well Allah and Deyda are waiting for him and verily he will meet them.
        What I told JK was only good advice (he called me, I never ask to meet him) summed up to exercice restrain just like I told Baba Jobe your former boss.

  22. Burama Fabou Sanneh

    After carefully reading this article and the subsequent debate that ensued, i tend to get little confused as to what Deyda was trying to address to the mandinkas. Can you tell me or your readership were UDP as a party took it as an agenda to campaign and canvas mandinka votes at elections. I can attest and i am sure you will agree that Jammeh is the only presidential candidate who uses tribal setup to canvas votes by openly setting up grounds for other tribes to disguise mandinkas. I think you will be seen objective had you advised other tribes not to take Jammeh’s tribal politics to the ballot rather tell UDP not to think that mandinkas still holds majority in the Gambia. I also want to believe in Lafia’s theory that despite Yaya’s rant against mandinkas, he still enjoys more votes from them than all other parties combined. That simply goes to proof Lafia’s point that mandinkas are not voting at elections on tribal affiliations. You also mentioned the for a united front putting up a Candidate,but you failed short of addressing how do we come to the choice of this candidate. You talked about a friend telling you that UDP diaspora boys could help provide a candidate if they are back home. But you did not ask him if he knows UDP will not be able to provide a home base candidate should their party’s majority is respected and accorded the chance to name their chosen candidate for a united front. I think we all shared the fact that Jammeh needs to go and the best chance lies in the United front but as it has been the situation around the world that parties with large followers are always given the first choice of providing leadership is what has been denied the leading opposition in our situation and you also failed to address this despite brilliancy in your article .

    • Deyda Haidara

      Thanks for your comment, let us forget a little bit the tribal issue, it has been adressed the most on this forum.
      I open a new page on the single candidate selection process, let us debate that one.
      For your information some Gambian groups in Dakar began engaging the NGOs and the media on the foreigners voting in the Gambia. Good news indeed.
      Your thoughts are welcome.

  23. There are many senegalese (none jolas) and guineans (conakry) too who are issued with gambian voters cards solely to vote for evil Jammeh so it is unfair to single out only the cassa Jollas.

    Most of those jolas have had no opportunities in their own country due to the unfair/unequal treatment coming from the wolof dominated government of their country senegaL.

    Deyda Hiadara stop singling out the jolas ( be it cassa or gambian) as the problem, Jammeh and his evil machinery is the problem and this includes members of all tribes. the Jollas them selves are a victim of Jammeh’s evil plan – the majority are powerless, afraid and praying for his down fall every minute.
    Reading your past commends about jolas, i bet you will be happy if they get killed or something!!!! well we do not want that for we are all related,but that the real situation is more complex than the jolas support Jammeh because he is Jola…..

    Once again, the mighty Mandinkas have been mentioned in a rather familiar trend of mandinkaphobia filling the air for a long time now…Well, worry not for the Mandinkas will grow bigger, stronger and humbler and even more accommodating than ever before, living in peace along side all our brothers and sisters from all the other tribes long after evil Jammeh and his criminal gang are gone.

    The idea of a senegambia will never happen or be successful for even though we are all human and africans, the gambia, cassamance and guinea bissau ( tiramang bankolu )have more in common than the rest of senegal. The nation of Senegal should have and would have been limited to the wollof empire if it was not for the interference of the colonialists.

    Your piece have no new ideas this time sir…..

    please lets stop picking on the jolas and focus on Jammeh and his criminal gang. god bless……..

    • Deyda Haidara

      Ka, it is very amazing that you know very little about Senegalese demography and politics. The first president of Senegal Leopold Sedar Senghore was a Serer. Before Senghore, Momodou Dia a prominent Toucoulor was more powerful than Senghore. Senghore had to concoct a lie against him and put him in jail at the hot Bakel desert until Abdou Diouf freed him many years later. The second and third presidents were wolofs and the present one Macky Sall is a pulaar. All these presidents were freely voted in power so where is the tribalism you are talking about? For you saying that wolofs dominate Senegal is not true. Senegal’s body politics is concentrated in regions and whoever win Dakar region will most probably win the elections. Dakar has the highest concentration of the electorate reason why no president messes with Dakar. In fact Macky’s biggest problem is Dakar as the mayoral and parlimentary elections did not favor him. Hilafa Sallah the present Mayor of Dakar is giving Macky a good run for his money.
      Now back to Casamance. In fact in Casamance the jola is not the dominant tribe, they are the minority in actual fact. Casamance has a highly heterogeneous population.
      Do you know that the national Senegalese army is composing of over 50% of jolas? These are just little facts no Senegalese can deny. Let me just mention few prominent Jola personalities who have a lot of influence in Senegal’s government and body politics. Robert Sagniang, Bruno Jatta the longest serving chief protocol, Pierre Kujabi the mainstream architect, Innocence Ntap, Marie Diedhiou etc. There are many prominent jolas in Senegalese government who have lot of influence in Senegal. Now if you want to refer the MFDC rebels and fighters as the true owners of Casamance, then you don’t know a thing about the Senegambia region at all.
      Jammeh is very well aware of this chessboard and he plays his cards very well in maintaining his presidency. I will dwell on Jammeh’s influence on Senegalese and particularly Casamance politics. Never underestimate Jammeh he is a smart politician who accidentally saw state machinery fall in his hands in 1994 and the man is playing his military and political cards very well. We took time to study Jammeh on a daily basis for 21 years and believe me we will beat him in his own game. Finally Ka, please rest assured that we are not, will never victimize a tribe simply because they supported Jammeh NEVER. We are a peace loving people who are simply fighting against INJUSTICE and IMPUNITY. Take my word for it Ka. I love all tribes.

  24. Mr Ka, I think you missed the point here , the majority of those who came to vote for evil Jammeh are cassa jolas from casamance . This is the fact you and any one can deny .
    If cassa jolas are discriminated by wollof in Senegal , is that Gambian problem ? In fact your that assertion is not true . Why is cassa jolas only one tribe involve in rebellion when you have other tribes in the same region ?
    Jammeh has been doing a lot of favor for cassa jolas to settle in The Gambia at the expense of Gambians for the reasons i explained in my above posting. Why don’t you have lot of mandinkas or wollof in casamance come to vote for him? Jammeh’s tribalism is the naked truth and if we continue to deny it , it is just simply an hypocrisy or political correctness . Look at the heads of all the security apparatus in the county , which tribe lead them ? Jammeh’s jola tribe . I don’t agree that mandinkas are not majority but what’ I emphasized is that Jammeh has been systematically increasing the Jola population in the country through massive relocation of cassa jolas in foni , and kombos . Please do more research about jola population in The Gambia . In fact Jammeh’s personal security depends on these cassa jolas and the conflict in casamance is tremendous help to Jammeh. If We really want to solve our problem we have to talk about it but if we fail to do that because we don’t want to be seem as tribalists or offend others then we can’t solve it . The mindset in The Gambia is that people refused to speak the truth and pretend that all is well when majority despise the system . my question is ” why foni is no go areas for opposition parties ?”

  25. Correction , the majority of those foreigners who came to vote for evil Jammeh are cassa jolas from casamance . This is the fact you and any one cannot deny.

  26. Luntango Suun Gann Gi

    “DH”, don’t forget:-

    1. Give the late Deyda Hydara back his blessed name;

    2. Withdraw your statement that Sir Dawda Jawara “is a DISGRACEFUL INDIVIDUAL”.

    Peace,
    The Luntango Suun Gann Gi
    (Someone called me this on Senegambia News awhile ago, I asked Suntou what it meant, I liked it and adopted it. Far better than STEALING another’s identity)

  27. Lafia Touray la Manju

    Ka, Haidara is taking his points from Ebou Jallow a.k.a Ebou Bobb Judas as was being called in gambia by the junta supporters in 1995 when he absconded with $100,000 of our money, according to his own confession on freedom radio. Jammeh’s government put the figure at $3million.

    • Deyda Haidara

      I can teach both you and Ebou Jallow Senegambia history.
      Je ne vaispas m’engager a parler a des novices qui ne connaissent rien de ce qu’ils disent. Go translate that in english then we you will get a little window of wisdom. Merci.

      • Yes Manjou Touray Deyda Haidara sounds more like Edou jallow/sam sarr type gambians ( or should i say gambians how feel more like senegalese than gambian hence their only idea of a prosperous gambia can only be when it is senegambia lol)….

        i remember reading a narrative in one of the online newspapers a year or so ago, written by the colonialist describing the various tribes in the gambia based on what they the colonialist say were the traits and characters of each tribe with regards to their intelligence, honesty, attitude to work etc etc.

        Some tribes were showered with almost excellent traits etc while others were described less favourably like lazy, unreliable, dishonest etc. DEYDA HAIDARA’S comment was to say something like this…..apart from a few issues, almost everything was correct of the tribes mentioned….

        Now here we have a man who said he is or was an adviser to many african presidents, etc and holding such shameful believes about other peoples…….

        Deyda without a doubt has read a lot of books on the history of the region sure but probably all written by the toubab or toubab influenced. hence it does not take long to see….

        Once again, please lets stop singling out the honourable jolas only for indeed they too are been sucked into this mess by evil Jammeh. Mr

        Mr Deyda no disrespect sir and looking forward to reading you lecture on senegambia history ( if you happens to read this that is). god bless

        • Deyda Haidara

          Waw! Ka after castigating me to the dogs now you want read what I know about Sengambia? Is it of any use for you? For the records trying to associate me an enabler and thief like Ebou Jallow is not nice of you. I have seen Ebou Jallow in my life and all I know about him is that he liar and a big hyppocrite. Sharing certain views with certain people does not means we agree with everything.
          Ka I refuse to be a micro-nationalist. I refuse to be a tribalist. I refuse to be anti-white. My greatest hisrorian is Hampateh Bah of Mali. My greatest Master is Kwame Nkrumah. My greatest Antropholgist is Cheikh Anta Diop. My Greates Revolutionary is Stokeley Camichael. My greatest writer is Walter Rodney. My greatest revolutionary fighter is Amilcar Cabral. Just to name a few freat Africans not forgeting Nelson Mandela, Thomas Sankara, Ahmed Sekou Toure and of course Hussein Barack Obama.
          My phylosophy is an ALL inclusive one in theory and practice.
          If you know any of these African leaders then you will apprehend who I am.

  28. @Deyda Hydara. … “One day in early 1996 I went to JK’s office because he needed my opinion on some issues….”

    Comment…..So then, you are another JK “helper” turned activist, eh..? Did you advise him on financial/economic matters.? Did you introduce him to the “Jammehnomics” concept..?

    1996 was certainly a very early period in his rule…..when he started to formulate his ideas and put his plans into action…We now know one of his “advisers”….

    Hahahahaaaaa ! Maxs, your buddy and ally have been found out…Only a matter of time before we figure you too out…! It seems you know so much about late Baba Jobe that makes me wonder if you were not a junior disciple of his…a July 22nd member…

    • Deyda Haidara

      Lol Bax, I sat with over 10 Africans Presidents and exchange views with them.
      Are you jaleous?

  29. Deyda Haidara

    @Janko Camara, Burama Fabou Sanneh and Ka.
    I take solace for the fact that Lawyer Ousseynou Darboe knows I am far from being a tribalist. I am neither a mandinka nor a wollof. It is a fact that it is Mandingos and wolofs that are more tribally oriented than all other tribes in the Gambia. It is a shame specially when over the years hybrid Gambians born out of mixed Mandika/Wollof marriages are in the thousands. These kids will refuse to take part or side with a tribe against the other. I believe overtime tribalism will die down naturally in Gambian politics. I know for a fact that Jammeh is supported by all tribe but more so by the Jola tribe and why not? Those that think that Jammeh is stupid should think a thousand times again. Jammeh’s political education is very deep starting from the MFDC, to MOJA and to PDOIS. Jammeh had a master plan he was able to hide from his comrades in 1994 and it only recently that people begin to open their eyes to the grand design Jammeh has been working on from 1994 to date. Look at the composition of his security dispositive? Look at the composition of the money controlling apparatus “parastatals, departments and ministries within government?” What do you see? Need I tell you? It is apparent all over the place. There is a proverb that says, “don’t wish an elephant to grow big just wish it long life and you will see how big it will get.”
    I had to relate this important issue on a post hence I wrote:” When I looked around Jammeh’s office I saw a map of the old Gaabu Empire hung in front him. Years later when I saw how developed Kanilai City is, I understood that JK had a big dream with the objective of making Kanilai village a proud capital city for the republic of “Casagambia” to be proud of. The Jola hegemony is a reality today in the Gambia. Banjul the capital of the Gambia is totally neglected, is derelict, no good roads, no new structures, it is filthy and stinky, JK does not care or proud about Banjul and is a fact. Right now he is building very high walls around the extended State House just to beef up his personal security. JK spends more time in Kanilai city than Banjul capital city.” Who can deny this fact? No one.
    People will be amazed the day they see and evaluate the infrastructure developments in Kanilai city it is over $500 millions USD in value. Just goggle map Kanilai and see the scope of developments not to mention the underground facilities.”
    Well the jolas tell me stop the tribalism against the Jolas, but none cannot dispute the fact that the Jolas are favored in Jammeh’s regime, and it is natural.
    When Jammeh wants to bash to West, Senegal and Africans in general he uses non-jola tribes to do it for him after blowing it himself, when he wants to bash at the Mandinkas he uses the Mandinkas to do it for him. Jammeh also chastises the jolas only when they fail to join his political machinery or when perceive as someone accused of security issues. Jammeh is not tribalist per se but uses tribes to advance his master plans.
    We in the opposition have to understand Jammeh’s every moves for us to counter him adequately without rocking the boat. Jammeh always holds secret meetings with his tribal community, we know that for a fact and we know in essence what he tells them. He always tells them that he is here for them and that if they don’t rally behind him they will suffer as in the past during PPP days and specially so in post Jammeh era. He promised to favor them in all aspects of financial, educational and security issues and Jammeh delivered his promises to them. That being the case why should they not vote for him en masse? Jammeh only lies to other tribes but not his own. He lies to everyone when it comes to political propaganda with his visions this and that simply to attract votes on empty promises. African presidents are known to make false and sweet promises to the electorate only to turn their back on most of those promises when elected and Jammeh is no different from this bandwagon. The onus is on us to dissect and make counter proposals to the electorate and refrain from criticizing the incumbent on issues that the population has no clue of. Jammeh being an enemy of freedom of speech and very scared of information dissemination puts a veil on the eyes of the public on local media thereby making them doubtful of what the online information’s report on the net. Information is a key and the more people are informed, the more they open their minds. Jammeh knows that when people open their eyes, he is gone.
    I will address more on this issue later. Thank you.

  30. Lafia Touray la Manju

    When Mansa Kolley Bojang of Brikama was defeated by Foday Kombo Silla Touray of Gunjur, he, Mansa Kolley Bojang, sought Refuge and protection from the jolas of Foni. However, as Kombo Silla Touray was preparing for his assault on Foni, Mansa Kolley Bojang turned around and told the jolas, I don’t want to see your blood being spilled in protection of me because I love you so much. Today, he went on, I will leave foni for banjul where I will seek protection from the British.

    Mansa Kolley Bojang then crossed the river to banjul and averted war in foni. He died in banjul and was buried in Tallinding Kunjang where a large number of Brikama refugees were living.

    This is just to show that the good neighbourliness that exists between mandinkas and jolas dates back so many years ago. Therefore, we the mandinkas will always continue to ensure that Jammeh does not drive a wedge between us and our jola brothers, sisters, cousins and neighbours.

    Thanks

    • Deyda Haidara

      I love Jolas too but Jammeh is putting them on the lime light and those that are not careful will have a case to answer.
      ALL people are honorable provided they are sincere and honest.
      We are Allah’s children and the best amongst us are the righteous one.

  31. Lafia Touray la Manju

    Haidara, you are wrong again, the mandinka votes for Jammeh outnumbers the jola vote in every election since 1996. You don’t speak with facts but fiction.

    I did not call you a tribalist. It is yourself who held himself out as a tribal bigot. You keep saying you are not a tribalist even before anybody accused you of being a tribalist. Well in my experience, if a white racist keep telling you he/she is not a racist without any necessity for saying so, heshe is definitely a racist for he/she would have had no reason to keeping telling heshe is not a racist. It’s the same for the tribalists and tribal bigots.

    I suppose I don’t need to remind you of how proud a mandinka I am because I have said that here countless times, and I say it without a blink in my eyes.

    Thanks

  32. Bax” max , your buddy and ally have been found out ,.. Only a matter of time before we figure you too out “, hahaha lol that is good one. . I think it is good to know Haidara worked with Jammeh . Remember ,not all who worked for him are bad people I always emphasized that . There are geninue Gambians who quit from his Regime . My opposition to jammeh was as early as Halifa and lawyer Darboe because I was in high school . I used to read foroyaa a lot then. As long as my friend and ally has not committed any crime or didn’t advocate for oppression of Gambians , I will always work with him . If it is found out he did commit crime or oppressed Gambians , he needs to take personal responsibility of his actions , by facing justices , apologize to victims and denounced his previous support . This is my stand.
    I have known a lot of good people in Jammeh’s regime and My sources are within the corridors of power. This Is why I know where Jammeh sleep , all his family members , his sexual predatory behaviors , corruption and who is Jammeh. Jammeh’s character I will tell you includes he is very determine , arrogance , want name recognition , very security concerns , never leave traces of evidence behind , careless about what others think of him , never have permanent friends since his childhood and he is very unpredictable .

    • Deyda Haidara

      Maxs don’t listen to Bax, I have NEVER EVER worked for Jammeh.
      I will never work for anyone and will work for anyone else period. I am a selfmade man. I am my own boss. Thank GOD.

    • Deyda Haidara

      Maxs, don’t worry about me. In my lifetime I have never ever hurt anyone. I have never worked for any government in my life. I did advice few presidents if they seek my opinion and Yaya in his early days was one of them. In fact Yaya did call all the personalities of the Gambia one by one to seek their opinion and it was under those circumstances that he invited me. I told him to be tolerant, patient and honest. Halas! overtime his true criminal colors surfaced. I will blame Jammeh for everything because Gambians made him the monster he is.
      In post Jammeh I will be more than happy to be part of the “Truth and Reconcialiation Commettee” Finally Maxs be careful not to expose of yourself too much because since December 2014 the beast developed the tendency of going after your family if he cannot lay hands on you.
      Kaironews admin knows I live in the Gambia.

  33. Omar Khan

    Deyda Haidara please answer Luntango
    Luntango Suun Gann Gi
    August 24, 2015 at 5:37 AM

    “DH”, don’t forget:-

    1. Give the late Deyda Hydara back his blessed name;

    2. Withdraw your statement that Sir Dawda Jawara “is a DISGRACEFUL INDIVIDUAL”.

  34. Thanks Haidara . I know what you mean. Dictator Jammeh can not seize our freedom of speech and willingness to restore democracy and rule of law in The Gambia.

  35. Deyda Haidara

    My dear contributors, how do we about selecting a SINGLE candidate for the opposition?
    What will be the criteria and the process of selection.
    My peldge in this article depends on selecting one candidate against Jammeh.
    I would like to read your thoughts on the issue.
    Thank you.

  36. @DH…”I love Jolas too but Jammeh is putting them on the lime light and those that are not careful will have a case to answer.”

    I think you are among those who need to take care because you are helping Jammeh “to put Jolas in the limelight…”

    I also think you are a “bag of contradictions” due to these reasons….

    You call for a united opposition, but then you say ,”it is a waste of time and resources because Cassamance Jolas will out vote Gambians to make him win…”

    You claim to be an African and a Senegambian but looks at Jolas from Cassamance differently when they settle in The Gambia…Aren’t they Senegambians too ?

    You want respect for the name.of your dear friend ,late Deyda Hyadara, but use his name to show disrespect to others…

    You love Jolas so much but you single them out for blame, even for.other people’s errors of judgement…such as the Mandinka votes he enjoyed in the past, despite his ocassional vitriolic outbursts against a section of them…

    I think you need to reassess yourself, your strategy (with regards to the use of your late friend’s name) and your position on the change we seek…

    • Deyda Haidara

      Bax, here you are completely disconnected and snoring…to borrow a word from Luntango “did you smoke that green stuff before writing this comment?” In fact a some ‘ganja” smokers buy the green grass by “bax” I think it use to cost D1 per bax. Lol! hahahaha! Keep dreaming but make sure you don’t migrate to “kubeh jarra” Lol

  37. Malamin Fatty

    Uncle whose fault is that, our tribesmen need to check themselves. there is no foroyaa no love and respect for self and tribe.

    We as a people/tribe need to respect our selves first before demanding respect. how about we start looking in ward rather than outward

  38. Malamin Fatty

    Uncle whose fault is that? our tribesmen need to check themselves. there is no foroyaa no love and respect for self and tribe.

    We as a people/tribe need to respect our selves first before demanding respect. how about we start looking in ward rather than outward

  39. Malamin Fatty

    D.H Your ideas of discouraging and exposing foreigners who vote is an excellent ideas. I will forward this to DUGA.

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