Bright Lights at the End of The Tunnel – A Little Patience Helps
By Saul Saidykhan
Understandably, many Gambians that are oppose to the Jammeh tyranny are terrified by the prospects of another Yaya Jammeh coup as first reported by the tabloidist Pa Ndery Mbai and later echoed by others. But the news item – if one can call it that, is typical Pa Ndery: it’s chuck full of sensationalism, and light on facts. It’s based mostly on half-truths. Pa Ndery simply can’t help himself when it comes to these sensational stories. A week earlier, he had reported the death of the Paramount Chief of Kombo North, Pa Demba Sanyang, someone I’ve known for over thirty years when he was Sir Dawda’s butler. On reading the sad news through a Facebook friend’s link to Pa Ndery, I immediately called one of my brothers-in law who is a neighbor of the old man in Lameng to check on the family for me and convey my condolences. Imagine my shock when my in- law called back while I was taking a nap and told my wife to tell me that the old man is alive and ok. He has been feeling “a little out of it lately”, but he is alive and speaking!
Let me put this in a nice way: Pa Ndery Mbai is a jerk who has no respect for the most basic journalistic ethos and it’s about time serious people stop patronizing Pa Ndery and taking him seriously!
On the coup, while it is true that there is a small group of nutty opportunists around Jammeh who would rather Jammeh not have conceded the election, they clearly over-value their usefulness to their principal. What is important for every Gambian to understand is as much as he is reluctant to relinquish power, Yaya Jammeh has recognized and now seem to accept that the die is cast for him. Just as the Gambian people have long shown their disdain for him, the international community is finally done with him. And Jammeh knows those scheming in his name are doing so for themselves. Without exception, the rumored coup protagonists are motivated by personal or ethnic nationalist interests. Unfortunately for them, in Yaya Jammeh’s world, only Yaya Jammeh’s primary individual and family interest matter. And Jammeh at this point, is chiefly concerned about he and his family’s physical safety in the immediate, and assurances about their access to the vast material assets he has stashed outside the shores of The Gambia over the past two decades in the future, and the potential of prosecution for some of the horrendous crimes he has committed while he was in office. For him to get any of these privileges or reprieve for the crimes he has committed, he knows he MUST comply with the commitments he has made with current president Buhari and former president Obasanjo of Nigeria, former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan and other members of the international community. To the discerning, incoming US president Donald Trump has now entered the picture, none of which can be a good thing for Jammeh at all. Also, pertinent, to drive home its readiness to help Gambians, Senegal – at the prodding of both ECOWAS and the Europeans, has its military on alert to be ready for any eventuality in The Gambia. Further, there are other contingency plans within Gambia itself by Gambians backing the coalition that we wouldn’t go. The key thing to note is that just like we took down Yaya Jammeh despite all his chest pounding and bravado, we’ll defeat his so-called loyalists if they try anything stupid like a coup attempt.
For those doubtful, here are a few clues, the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) is the younger biological brother of Ensa “Jesus” Badjie, former Inspector General of Police. Ensa Badjie needs no introduction to many Gambians. This was the same man Yaya Jammeh had arrested, beaten so savagely that he openly wept in court and begged the presiding judge in his case to ask the NIA to stop taking him to their offices nightly to torture him in the most inhumane way, and then he was eventually jailed for years all because he confessed to selling drugs worth D600 million Dalasi on behalf of none other than Yaya Jammeh. Anyone can go to YouTube or Facebook and watch short videos of Ensa Badjie dancing and celebrating Jammeh’s downfall. Does anyone really believe Ensa Badjie’s younger brother will ally anyone who has sympathy for Yaya Jammeh? I know both brothers personally, Ousman more than Ensa. As I write this, what used to be the powerful Presidential Guards is now a shell of its past. Most have been transferred to other units around the country. Only a small team made up of completely new members are in Banjul. And all the heavy arms and ammunition that Jammeh stored at State House have now all been moved to Yundum. There’s been a seismic change initiated in the army since the election.
On Jammeh’s home-turf problems, it goes way beyond the Badjie brothers. Just fathom this: in Foni which he has made a “No Go Area” for the coalition, and they consequently couldn’t campaign in, they still received 2,874 votes according to results certified solely by he Yaya Jammeh’s polling agents. That alone speaks volumes! This shows clearly that even in Foni, people are sick and tired of Yaya Jammeh. From information, I’ve received from insiders, all those suspected of being hostile to the new dispensation in the army have since been disarmed.
However, the irony here is, unbeknownst to most Gambians, Yaya Jammeh to his credit formally did ask his army to “stand down” as of last Saturday morning. The story that Pa Ndery Mbai posted suggesting a sinister motive by the Gambian army moving some soldiers from Kaninlai to Banjul was in fact meant to de-escalate tensions and normalize things in the army. All the arms Jammeh moved to Kaninlai shouldn’t have been there to begin with. What Pa Ndery didn’t mentioned in his story is the ammunitions are being moved back as they should be. At this point, as far as Jammeh is concern, the members of the Jola community that bought all that constant ethnic demagogic sing-song distractions of his are fools not worthy of his time to worry about. He took care of himself, and he’s out!
I hear people speculating about Jammeh’s Cassamance backup plan. I believe it’s the Cassa’s who like to delude themselves about such ideas. My question is: does anyone honestly think Yaya Jammeh can live the life of a rebel leader or “hard-timer” again in Cassamance of all places? And where would Madam High Maintenance gold digger be? I mean are we so foolish as to believe such senseless speculation? C’mon!
Yaya Jammeh took some people for a ride despite all the warnings we gave them over the past two decades. Let them get over it. All he wants at this point is how to lay hands on his loot. He doesn’t really care about Cassamance people. My challenge to anyone who doubts this is to name ONE Jola person Yaya Jammeh has enriched in the twenty- two years he has been in power. He gave them jobs mostly in the security services with elaborate titles, but that’s it. Talk about a con man!
Which is why I’ve said it before and I repeat: unless they’re part of Jammeh’s killing machine’s, other Gambians should not blame ANY Jola person for Yaya Jammeh’s madness! One of the greatest giants of our time was a man name Shingle Nyassi who we lost only three years ago. He was Jola, but no one could be more different from Yaya Jammeh. I know we Gambians are a people with very short memories who tend to ignore our quiet giants while adulating shallow noise-makers, but one would like to remind all the role played by uncle Shingle Nyassi in the struggle whose end we’re currently celebrating. Shingle is among the true heroes of the struggle to free Gambia from tyranny!
This is not to suggest that the coast is clear. It’s not. The coalition need to worry about at least two things:
- Issue an alert to ALL banks in the Gambia not to execute any foreign remittance- OUTFLOW requests by Politically Exposed Persons hence (Jammeh, his various company proxies, his party, and party agents, his cabinet members, his business associates, and their families.) The interregnum between now and the inauguration of the new government gives Jammeh and his fellow crooks their final opportunity to steal what is left of the little money our country has. Thankfully, contrary to perception, the coalition DOES NOT have to wait until inauguration to make its position clear to the banks on this issue. By putting the banks on notice, that it would be going through all their financial records thoroughly, the coalition will ensure that the Gambian people’s money isn’t siphoned off quietly by Jammeh and his allies with the complicity of crooked bankers while so many of us are drunk in euphoria. Let the coalition make it clear that the relevant banks will be held to account and sanctioned in any such scenario.
This underlines the genius of the points raised by the erudite jurist Lamin J. Darbo in his latest opinion calling for the expeditious handover of power by Jammeh. Nothing good could come from a delay in Jammeh staying in office. Jammeh is too unscrupulous by nature to be trusted to do the honest thing. And when it comes to money, his Moroccan wife is much worse than him. Unless the banks are told in blunt language that Gambians will be coming to get our money from them if they help anyone steal from us in the next ninety days (a standard window), they’ll do so while feigning ignorance!
- Put the Lands Office on notice to cease issuing Leases forthwith. There’s very little bona fide activity going on there these days.
Gambians should exercise patience on other aspects of the transition. Things will start to pick up speed.
This is a very good info.I am sure that our leaders in coalition are very smart and not sleeping at all. The justice system under the leadership of president elect Adama Barrow and his team will take it’s course and do the right thing in the interest of peace and reconciliation.There will be some noises here and there from people who hate the success of the revolution but let them know that anything they are planing is going to destroy them farther.Gambian people are done with Jammeh and his wicked and selfish helpers.
Long live THE GAMBIA.
Thank you very much Kairo News Team
Very good article. Any military officers who plan coup will embark on suicide mission. As you rightly pointed out , president-elect Barrow has already been recognized internationally. All the key players in international community back his coalition and Gambian people for our victory. You hit the nail on the head when you stated that jammeh is concerned about his personal security and the money he looted in the past 22 years than staying another coup. We must make sure that he lives in The Gambia as a church mouse . We must ensure that Jammeh of post election victory becomes poorer than before 1994 when he criminally overthrew our indigenous people’s government . I want to see him lives like captain valentines strasser . All the tribal militia forces in our armed forces must be disarmed and those who are imported killers from cassamance should be arrested and taken to court along with Gambians who are part of his killing machine.
The acknowledgement of yaya’s “unscrupulousness” in this write-up which is an understatement & must never be taken for granted has indeed certified the Cassamace Rebel Warlord plans which are now undermined due to divulge of the information; the author can express sentiments on his/her level of sources & associate opinion to Pa Ndery BUT dismissal of the issue outright with ‘grapevine medals’ to EVERY other source bundle-packed is untrue & insulting; nobody can claim monopoly to information; it’s a give & take motorway; & learning from one another…
Isn’t it some of our very own brothers who aided & abetted yaya KILLER DEVIL for the past 22 years to kill, maim, rape & unleashed all barbarities unheard of on us all; you question Ousman Badjie’s collusion when he have been there (part of) all along when Jesus & all us were being through it; did you asked “where the highest-maintenance Moroccan Wench would be”? Well it’s established fact Zeinab was NEVER with the kanilai MURDER BUT for our monies & assets ONLY & not share with anyone else except her family which is why the kanilai DEVIL can’t marry another woman as would’ve; whilst KILLER yaya stays with Zeinab to date because of their children ONLY which would’ve been different today had there not been children involved…
It’s purely God’s answering to Gambians’ sufferings that yaya Jammeh & family are entrapped within Gambia at the rightful time; yaya thought would’ve manage to getaway with the rebellion plan & get the children & Zeinab to away to safety in case of any eventualities when the votes couldn’t be rigged; some of the unrecorded & undocumented weaponry dumped in kanilai & surroundings have already been smuggled out of Gambia before elections & during the results chaotic panic….
Yaya jammeh was unprepared & NEVER assumed the outcome of the collapse & crumble of it’s DEVILISH-authority which took the bandwagon by surprise as the new Dawn becomes clearer than noon-daylight in the Gambia; yaya got no choice at moment but to succumb to the dictates of nature by pretentiously cooperating with the flow…
I’m source of interests not without reasons for the Criminal kanilai FIEFDOM stupid NIA & the Western Intelligences (UK & US); whilst I managed to infiltrate the NIA (who have opened a file on Bajaw) & obtained some information from them at times in person when on the ground, despite never been a serviceman in security apparatus; their assignment & task was to unmask & eliminate me; everybody are suspects in yaya Jammeh’s world but Ousman Sonko in particular become a Formal Suspect when I divulged here that I met his wife Amie Ndong an NIA operative then returned from surveillance operations from Darfur as a “peacekeeper” whilst I was in Gambia; I also gave Ousman’s residence information & Amie’s family home in Gunjur on here when Ousman went to Lawyer Darboe’s home to torment Gambians in the Struggle; this was amongst the last of straws to compound Ousman to be earmarked for sacrifice & elimination by the Manipulative kanilai DEVIL…
The Western Intelligences’ interest is for the accuracy in my information & some of utterances; especially after the NOBLE December 30 attempt; YES the American & British agents tapped my phone & computer IP addresses from my comments on Kairo News Disclaimer Columns & do track & hack into my phone & computer time & again, to gather whatever they are looking for & possibly do me a Banka Manneh; the reason is they compare some of my comments with their own intelligence information they gather & share amongst themselves on areas of interests; I will charge my phone to full battery charge & go to bed; in morning when I wake up, my phone will be dead out of battery charge being overran while I was asleep; when I started switching my phone off on some nights, they would be hacking into it during daytime too; my phone will be in my pocket running very warm even when not in my use; agents will come in “Learner Driving” cars amongst different vehicles used to my doorstep, pretending teaching driving manoeuvres by, etc; (they know as they are reading this right now); I do lock eyes with some of them when stepping out of my house whilst some of them do engage me physicall in clandestinely in conversations in the street; they know my identity but I manage a step ahead of them so far for now…
I use an alias for my pen-name Bajaw which is same as my real Christened birth-name (& fondly called the name by one of my patrilineal grandmas) for two reasons; the first being I don’t crave & craze the limelight; the second is to safeguard my friends, associates & family including some of my children who are currently in Gambia & are always now & again; two of my children participated fully in this campaign (I have their pictures in Coalition-Adama Barrow t-shirts) & voted in the election; also my one-nose-friend (Aku (Aye Seneyaa) – for best friend) a full-blood Jola (both in mum & dad) is in the military & manned sensitive areas; this friend have no idea what I’m up for; I’ll tap some information out of him in conversation without him knowing; he’s never been involved in anything as far as I’m aware of (the Truth & Reconciliation will prove if any)….
Though the pending threat to my family & love ones is now averted, I wish to stay out of limelight & contribute my Constitutional quotas truthfully to my fallible abilities; if I would reveal myself, one like Omar (mam bartin) Joof, Dodou Jawneh, Musa Saidykhan, Dr Amadou Janneh, Dr Baba Galleh Jallow, MB (Momodou Babadindin) Krubally & Karamba Touray & many many more could all same something credible about my small (little) self…
Yes the lights at end of the tunnel couldn’t be brighter enough; God bless the Gambia; Ameen.
Sometimes when I’m out & about, some of the topics doesn’t appear fully for me to be able to access readily in mobile phone mode on my phone unless I switched the phone setting into desktop mode; this one is the same that’s why I couldn’t rectify some little mistakes in my above comment; I hope readers can understand…
Thanking all Gambians, friends & well-wishers…
Long live the Gambia..
Rational optimism pays. I love a Gambia on the right political track! Let God almighty guide the coalition members to the right path. Tolerance, openess and steadfastness towards the public’s questions and scrutinies is their best way forward.
Hope the coalition members and decent citizens in the public spaces and trusts of the Gambia, value their private socially-established-friendships and familly ties not more than their public offices’ responsibilities. Let us avoid the creation of ‘inner circles’ and hallmarks of friendships within the public space of the Gambia. Let’s give good advice to our family members who are working in the public’s offices. Let’s curb with the worsened level corruption authored by the Jammeh dictatorship. Let’s stop BRIBERY. Let them make plan to improve the living start of our security service so that bribery taking can be punished with mercy. Hell! How many people I’ve had a slightly forceful row with because they came from home and were trying to insinuate that Jammeh is at hardwork less you hate him. Lo! the many dreadful years have come to an end means begining of a new era yet with it human resources that still needs development with regard to our mindsets.
Hon. Opposition leaders! I mr. one vote will continue to criticise you maturedly even if tersely, if I am convinced you have failed on your policies and promises to the nation. This is the kind of political sophistication that can get the Gambia’s democracy and rule of law from heights to heights in the benefit of generations to come.
May be not all who have becomed hooked up here in Kairo news forum do aspire a bit of responsibilty in the public offices because they aren’t even intergrated for qualified for it but they do have an opinion anyway. Some of us will be able to employ ourselves back home and perhaps a few others if we really meant to be relieved from the twenty years of hardship. Let promote progressful love amongst us for extend families where iut all begins before we can even think of making a good government.
to write ‘progressive’, and also ‘from extended families…………..’
To write: living ‘standards’ of our security services………instead of,’start’
And, ‘ BIBERY taking can be punished WITHOUT mercy, instead of WITH
Thank you. It has been a great fight and it is won.They say the pen is mightier than the gun. At some point we began to question that in this struggle, and we got the answer. Thank you and thank you to everyone of you kaironews commentators. Long Live The Gambia.