A veteran Gambian broadcaster has had his life threatened by one Bakary Kujabi at Ebo Town in the Kanifing Municipality.
Alh. Sarjo Barrow, a radio broadcaster of 36 years, was on his way home when Mr. Kujabi confronted him threatening to deal with him mercilessly.
Kujabi, a militant of the ousted Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction party of Jammeh, had bones to pick with Mr. Barrow over his radio broadcasting. Barrow had been a local news presenter at the Gambia Radio and Television Services until last year when he switched over to Star FM, an independent radio station in Serekunda. Barrow’s daily Mandinka news broadcast has been gaining popularity throughout the country.
However, the likes of Bakary Kujabi see Sarjo as the man who is nailing the coffin on the APRC, an opposition party whose militants are bent on unleashing violence on their opponents.
“I have never known or seen this Bakary Kujabi who stopped me only to express dissatisfaction about my radio,” Mr. Barrow said in a circulated social media audio. “He uttered harsh words on and repeatedly insulted my mother saying I should be killed.”
Barrow did not take the threat lightly. He reported the matter at Serekunda police station but was referred to Ebo Town police branch. Two police officers escorted Sarjo to Bakary Kujabi’s residence. The man who had earlier bragged to neighbours that he wasn’t going anywhere was nowhere to be found. Neighbours reported seeing him sneaking through the back door shortly before the police arrived. The search to fish out Bakary Kujabi continues?
Mr. Barrow was earlier attacked verbally in an earlier circulated audio message. The anonymous attacker too had become upset with Sarjo’s news content. He too threatened to deal with Mr. Barrow, although he didn’t say how. Attack on journalists had become unbecoming in Yahya Jammeh’s Gambia where everything, including fire and gun, were used to tame journalists. The election of President Adama Barrow has guaranteed a free and safe atmosphere for journalists.
Ends
They would not like Mr Barrow’s voice because he is helping the indigenous citizens understand the real problems of Jammeh’s regime. Mr Barrow voice is the sweetest Mandinka journalist voice i have ever heard. I hope the GPU award him with best journalist voice of the century. Sarjo Barrow must be returned to GRTS as soon as possible. # Barrow for mandinka News Broadcaster. Every part of the country need to hear Sarjo Barrow’s sweet voice and how he beautifully translate the news in Mandinka for everyone to understand. I wish he could say the news in wolof or fula . With SARJO Barrow’s voice , his news reading goes through your soul. Let haters heart not be troubled by Sarjo Barrow’s voice.
# We need Sarjo Barrow at GRTS
#We need Sarjo Barrow at GRTS.
But attacks on Sarjo Barrow are not only coming from APRC militants. I saw Sulayman Bokar Bah attack him on face book. I understand he is involved in the media, somehow. Could such face book campaign not encourage thuggish behaviour, as in this story?
Dodou , there is no difference between APRC and PDOIS disciples. PDOIS is the mentor while APRC is the progeny. It is the same reason you will never see Halifa Sallah criticize Yaya jammeh. If you are following PDOIS closely over the years, you will see that they were an agents to legitimize dictatorship in The Gambia as evidence by their business interests and political strategy. Nowadays, APRC supporters are openly supporting PDOIS political leadership particularly Halifa Sallah. They are conniving with APRC members to stir tribalism and these are very people who keep ringing the bell of tribalism in online forum even though their Leadership ( Mr Sallah) never condemned Yaya jammeh about his tribal vitriol.
Max tell me, is it true that SEVEN sitting APRC NAMs, led by Suku Singhateh, have defected to the UDP and on tour with Lawyer Darboe. There is so much Fake News that it’s difficult to know what’s true and what’s not. You have “sources” that can provide you with real news.
Come on, my in-law! It is Africa! I have written a month ago that ALL APRC NAMS will join UDP. What is bothering you PDOIS people? At least you have Habbisatou Jallow in Nianija in PDOIS (Boy, bro, I will vote PDOIS just to sit next to her as Halifa is … I am JEALOUS!)
Even Asombi Bojang is now UDP supporter . Halifa is alone with only his big two friends , sam and seedia. I wish UDP put up a candidate at serekunda to teach Halifa some good lesson.
Stay out of this one for a sec. my in law. I am trying to get at something here. Btw, I am not surprised by the defections. In fact, I have opined before that the UDP’s insistence on party led, was partly motivated by the APRC factor. They know that unless thy are seen as the party in government, wooing APRC voters in significant numbers will be almost impossible, due to their history, but APRC voters will be very significant in any future elections. Hon. Abba Sanyang, one time APRC NAM for Foni Kansala (not sure if he’s the sitting member), said it during President Barrow’s meeting at Bwiam. The people of Foni don’t vote for the opposition. So, no surprises at efforts to present Barrow as UDP President and none whatsoever with the defections.
Bax, now you believe that i have reliable sources in the Gambia but before you were denying the fact that i have penetrated Jammeh inner circle. You need to defect to UDP yourself because UDP is the only political party that can truly transform our country. Suku was with Jammeh based on threat and intimidation just like a lot of Gambians were with him. now that Jammeh is gone , most people are coming to UDP . Everyone is welcome except the criminal elements . UDP will have landslide in this election and this is why APRC and their tribalistic supporters are stirring tribalism and violence. I will investigate your question .
Now that you acknowledged that even Asombi Bojang is UDP, would your reconsider your charges against PDOIS for conniving with the APRC. As far as we know, only one little unknown APRC member switched over to PDOIS, but even that was used by certain elements to paint PDOIS as being in collusion with the APRC. Mark you, that’s before we heard about Suku Singhateh and the six APRC defectors.
Now that we know where the loyalties of these “terrible” APRC guys are shifting to, it seems all have become cool and dandy. No surprises because it brings to mind the good old saying that “Birds of the same feather flock together.” How fitting that they should flock together in their numbers.
Gambians should brace themselves for more disappointments, because if one “twin brother” has not done it by himself in 22 years, there is no reason to believe that collusion with his “half brother” will make any significant difference, even in another 22 years.
We Fulas say, “Mburru foff ko foreign”, meaning,” bread is from flour”, regardless of size, shape and taste.
Bax , Thank you for revealing your tribal identity when you said ” we fulas say ” . You must also remember the people who voted for Jawara are the same people who supported jammeh . This is politics.
You must be a kid to say the least for criticism to PDOIS or you do not know anything about Gambian Politics. In 1994 Halifa Sallah Was the first gambian arrested by the junta for being critical about them. This continued up to the last days of Jammeh. Do not forget it was Halifa Who first pronounced that Jammeh will be a rebel after 19th January 2017 when nobody dares to say anything to JAMMEH. Please give the devil his due
ASS , welcome to kaironews, I have never interact with you here . I want to clarify with you that Halifa and Seedia arrest was about foroyaa newspapers which the junta wanted to ban at the time . Halifa Sallah and two of PDOIS founders protested that foroyaa newspaper was independent entity and was not part of their political party. They were taken to court and they defended their newspaper and won. This was in their business interest because foroyaa generate income for these people. I commended them for standing up to freedom of press at the time but their sole objective was to protect their business interests. In the process foroyaa was protected. Yaya jammeh made a tactical decision to never touch foroyaa newspaper. This was why during the 22 years of military dictatorship, foroyaa newspaper operated freely and none of editorial board members were threatened, arrested and the newspaper itself was never attacked. Other newspapers in the country such as independent newspaper , point newspaper, daily observer, daily news , standard and others were threatened, targeted and some of their journalists were silenced, exiled, killed and arrested . The question you should ask ” why foroyaa never attacked by jammeh despite they wrote about jammeh’s regime disappearances, illegal inprisonment of citizens?” . Yaya needed foroyaa and PDOIS as an agent to legitimize his leadership because he cannot killed or threatened everyone since he knew PDOIS and foroyaa posed zero threat to him . My brother, Gambians needs to think outside the box to have better understanding of politics and power / government. It is the same reason, Yaya jammeh used pseudonyms to provide sensational information to Pa Nderry to fool people. It is all about intelligence used to deceive people. Have you ever seen Halifa Sallah even called Jameh a dictator? He started to use the term when jammeh the left Gambia. Connect the dots . We need to use our brains to think outside the box .
Max, the dots are in place and the definitions learned. The only direction they all Point to is, Your Psychological Hatred for Hon . Halifa Sallah. May be the question to be asked is why so much Hatred for Hon. Halifa Sallah? Could it be that he is the one Politician whoes impeccable Character Credibility, Ethics, and Honorable Disposition Scares the “Hell” out of your living day lights? Simmer down, before you hurt yourself. Give it a rest.
Sidi Bojang , once again , i would like to inform you that i do not have any personal hatred for Mr Sallah but i do not think he is good politician because he lack clarity and honesty in his messages . He always proposed dumb ideas on every major issues . In fact , i used to like his politics but now that i have grown and become more mature and aware politically and intellectually , i see him as dishonest politician who never show clarity in his message . I do not question his love for our country and his desire to make differences in the lives of the people . but his bad strategy and lack of clarity in politics is turn off for me. Nothing personal from my end. I hope you get that .
Bax , read my comment below in my respond to ASS
” I want to clarify with you that Halifa and Seedia arrest was about foroyaa newspapers which the junta wanted to ban at the time . Halifa Sallah and two of PDOIS founders protested that foroyaa newspaper was independent entity and was not part of their political party. They were taken to court and they defended their newspaper and won. This was in their business interest because foroyaa generate income for these people. I commended them for standing up to freedom of press at the time but their sole objective was to protect their business interests’. .
You are very confused man when you stated that and i quote ” foroyaa was an organ of the party ” which was threatened . Halifa and Seedia protested about the ban on foroyaa because they saw it as an independent entity and therefore from the legal perspective the junta cannot ban the foroyaa newpaper since is a not a political party and it was registered as an independent entity . Decree #4 was about the ban on political party . I praised the efforts of PDOIS leadership at the time for standing up for press freedom and the same time they fought for their business interest since the paper is the source of income for its founders. In other words , the protest was about foroyaa newspaper which was why the court gave them the victory . why did PDOIS not protested about ban on political party instead of ban on foroyaa if they really care about fundamental rights of the people ? Was the ban on political party not affecting the constitutional rights of the people just like the attempted ban on foroyaa when other newspapers such as independent and daily observer were operational at the time? PDOIS LEADERSHIP showed it as unfair to target foroyaa because daily observer and point newspaper were not affected by this ban since the junta did not recognized that they were affiliated with any political party but they recognized that foroyaa was affiliated with PDOIS even though it was registered as an independent entity for business interest.. Use your brain to connect the dots . I will not waste my time to argue all the useless rambling you made to prove your unreasonable points. I hope you understand this perspective.
Let us not take the treating lightly because this will encourage violence against these people. The law should take its course and book those found culpable. Treating thugs lightly is illegal because these thugs should be dealt with according to the law of the land.
What is the role played by the Police? Do alleged VICTIMS must keep hiring taxis and drive over to police station, pick police officers to incident site? Why cant the police act on operational tactics rather than depending on alleged victims to provide transport?
We have got rid of Yaya Jammeh but we (Gambians), must change our attitude if we ever want progress. Change of government is a new chapter but until we change our ways and attitudes and selflessly work for the development of the country, we will be stuck in this corrupt system.
Very good points, @Love For The Gambia. A real change of government can’t be realised without an enlightened change in attitudes.
It takes a lot before a nation of people can be considered “civilize”.
Furthermore, the younger and middle-aged generation of a country who demonstrate bravery and uprightness by intimate abusing of mothers forecast nothing for a nation other than earthquake, volcano and shooting lava. Gambians take this advice or suffer the doom.
There are a lot of such abusive and offensive phrases in Afro-American music but I am very much surprised to learn that in real life African American neighborhoods in the U.S, uttering such foul phrases of mother-abuse, especially among strangers, could be answered by a gunshot. Gambians home and very much abroad, should refrain themselves from such wild-animal attitudes.
Mothers deserve to be called, MOTHERS.
The rule of law enlightens.
Sarjo Barrow live!
Quote: “They would not like Mr Barrow’s voice because he is helping the indigenous citizens understand the real problems of Jammeh’s regime.”
Max…
Let me first comment on the issue of Decree No.4, which featured in your response to ASS, before I address the above quotation.
You claimed that the actions of the PDOIS Leadership in 1994, was motivated by their desire to defend their business interest, which was threatened when Foroyaa, the organ of the party, became caught up in the ban on Fundamental Rights.
Firstly, any serious analyst would have quoted sales and expenditure figures of the business interest (Foroyaa in this case) to substantiate their claim. So, I will expect you to come back with those figures to proof that Foroyaa was so profitable, as a business, that it was worth dying for, because make no mistake, unlike the latter days of Jammeh’s rule, those early days were very, very tense and it was an act of immense bravery to defy the Junta at the time.
The PDOIS Leadership knew the risks involved and that was why they issued a statement asking all members to stay away from politics or political activities and took the unprecedented step of distributing Foroyaa by themselves, in the persons of Halifa and Sidia, who were not the usual distributors.
So, let’s see your figures. It may very well be that PDOIS was not making any money on Foroyaa, because:
(1) It wasn’t a daily, like the observer;
(2) It was very cheap, but still unaffordable to many unemployed youths. Even the employed can’t afford to buy Foroyaa because of pressing demands on their salaries. Ebou Jallow explained how a single copy of Foroyaa would make the rounds in Yundum Barracks during those days;
(3) The Gambian public wasn’t a reading one, and single copy of Foroyaa would be circulated amongst friends. I know guys who would go round literally hunting for Foroyaa from friends.
(4) It wasn’t widely distributed and thus, inaccessible to many. You would have to go to Foroyaa Office, West Field or Banjul to get a copy.
So unless you can substantiate your claims with sales and expenditure figures, I will ask this audience and ASS, in particular, to dismiss your claims for what they are: cheap and deceitful propaganda from a very ignorant and dishonest individual.
Cont….
Decree No.4 itself, was not aimed at banning newspaper businesses, as you seem to be claiming here, and PDOIS did not need to defy the Decree, if they were only interested in protecting their business interest. All they needed to do was register their business (Foroyaa) as a private business entity and they would not have to risk lives, as they did. You do not even require a grade six education to work that out.
The Decree’s intent was of a political nature: to curtail our rights to hold, express and dessimiminate political views.
Simply put Max, whether you have the decency to acknowledge it or not, PDOIS stood up to protect the enshrined RIGHTS and FREEDOM of a citizenry who has enjoyed these rights for three decades, against a regime that has no mandate to promulgate laws, never mind, abrogate our constitutionally enshrined RIGHTS and FREEDOM.
In my view, since the main intent of the Decree was to encroach upon our constitutionally guaranteed rights and freedoms, the first line of defense should have been The Gambia Bar Association, but they were nowhere to be seen. But that was not the worst betrayal, because through some of their members, the Bar became the brain behind all the obnoxious Decrees that Yaya Jammeh and his cohorts passed.
The Gambia Bar Association therefore, without exception, either by commission or omission, became the architect of the AFPRC military dictatorship that metamorphosed into the APRC regime, through the conception, development and promulgation of Decrees that legitimised the subjugation of The Gambian People for so long.
Finally Max, I will not condone any form of harassment against the media and journalists, and I emphatically condemn all the harassment directed against journalists and newspapers by the regime. However, it is important that we put things in their proper perspective to expose and discredit your lies against Foroyaa and PDOIS.
You constantly point to Foroyaa’s unscathed existence during all the years of Jammeh’s rule as indicative of their collusion with the regime. According to your reasoning, the regime has avoided Foroyaa because it needed Foroyaa to legitimise its dictatorship, despite grudgingly admitting that the paper exposes the regime’s poor human rights records. Now, how the exposure of one’s killing and enforced disappearing of opponents and critics could be seen as “legitimisation” of their evil rule will be interesting to know. Please come back and show us.
I think anyone who follows Foroyaa and is honest can see that, of all the newspapers operating in the country, it is the most critical of the regime and consistently so, since 1994. Foroyaa’s professionalism in news reporting is so professional and so accurate, that it leaves no room for the type of excuse the regime needed to harass journalists.
In adfition, the regime is also quite aware that the Editors of Foroyaa are so fearlessly committed to their roles, that no level of harassment and intimidation will shaken them. They will certainly not be intimidated to abandon their roles and either seek sanctuary in a safe place or flee the country.
As Foroyaa does not indulge in speculation and sensationalism, and knowing their resolve to be matyred than capitulate, one can see why the Jammeh regime did not mess about with Foroyaa and PDOIS, in general. You can explain that as being due to the fact that he considered them of zero threat, but that would contradict your reasoning with regards to the harassment of other newspapers and journalists. Did he consider all those as more of a threat than Foroyaa. You will have to be a “bold faced liar” to say so, seriously.
The fact is, Jammeh considers everyone a threat, even harmless individuals like Haruna and Marcia Jammeh. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have them silenced forever.
You stated that “THEY” will not like Sarjo Barrow’s voice because he is helping the “INDIGENOUS CITIZENS ” understand the real problems of Jammeh’s regime.
The problem I have with the above quotation is how subtly you have divided The Gambian citizens into, at least, two distinct groups: 1.the indigenous (who are being helped by Sarjo Barrow) and 2. the non indigenous, a section of whom don’t like what Sarjo Barrow is doing.
Obviously, Sarjo Barrow is Mandinka and delivers his news in Mandinka. Hence, according to you, Mandinkas are the indigenous citizens and those who are not happy with what he is doing, come from the non indigenous group of citizens.
Unless you don’t understand the word “indigenous”, which I doubt, the implication of your statement is glaringly obvious, because whether we understand the word from its lexical or political definition, it conveys, more or less, the same meaning:
‘It defines a group of people naturally existing in a place or country, rather than arriving from another place, sharing historical and cultural ties to that particular place and often seeing themselves as historically and culturally distinct from the rest.’
There is absolutely nothing more revealing of your bigotry and your intrinsic bigotted beliefs than the above statement, and when viewed in relation to your earlier claim that only Mandinkas can effect political change in The Gambia (which you later tried to modify), it becomes very clear that you are a Tribal bigot who subscribe to the belief that Mandinkas own The Gambia, because they are the indigenous people of the land.
This claim is indeed very foolish because it lacks both historical and cultural validity, as far as The Gambia is concerned, and if we must identify and give the title of indigenous people (just for the sake of it only and nothing else), then that title must deservedly go to the Jolas, as the earliest known inhabitants of the region.
We, The Gambian People, are all the indigenous citizens of The Gambia, with the same history and the same multifarious culture and religion, and anyone who seeks to divide us along tribal, religious or regional lines will fail miserably.
And Maxs, you have failed and fallen flat on your face until your nostrils got filled with mud mixed with cow dung and thus, every time you “open your mouth here”, it is that pungent, revolting, stinky “breath” that permeates the entire forum.
Borne needs to supply some Dettol disinfectant for us to sanitise the place any time you “open your mouth” here.
Bax , I would like to respond to your continue tribalist bigotry efforts to sow seed of tribalistic view to my comments . First of all , when I stated that ” they would like not Sarjo Barrow’s voice because he is helping the indigenous citizens understand the real problems of Yaya Jammeh ” , I was referring to those who continue to attack Sarjo Barrow . In this case , the word ” they ” i used means they are APRC supporters. Instead of understanding my statement in this perspective since the topic under discussion is about APRC thugs who threatened Mr Barrow , you attached your bigotry tribal connotation to my statements to indicate that i referred to Non-mandinkas in my statements. Your mischaracterization, bigotry and deception is a pattern of your continue desperate efforts to attach your tribalistic view to many of my statements . This does indicate that you have inferiority complex about who you are as you always attached tribal sentiment to my statements. I have used the word indigenous citizens to refer to Gambians citizens and in fact in many of my postings , i used term to describes all the tribes who live in the Gambia, Example i used the term to describe indigenous Jola tribe in the Gambia when i wanted to make a distinction from Jola tribe in Cassamance . In essence , i did such differentiation from nationalistic point of view rather than your narrow bigotry point of view based on who is the original Gambian settlers. You went further to expose your tribalistic view to indicate that term indigenous should be given to Jola tribe because according to you, they are the only one who deserved such tittle “because they are earlier known inhabitants of the region” and therefore Mandinkas , Fula , wolof and others tribes did not deserve to be called indigenous citizens. Before you disqualified all these tribes , here is what you said about the meaning of Indigenous citizens
‘It defines a group of people naturally existing in a place or country, rather than arriving from another place, sharing historical and cultural ties to that particular place and often seeing themselves as historically and culturally distinct from the rest”.’
Based on the above statements . I can said all tribes in the Gambia are indigenous tribes because they all shared historical and cultural ties to the Gambia. Then why you dishonestly indicated that Jola tribe are the only tribe who deserved that title . This is your words not mine. Since you have a mandinka problem and argued mandinkas did not deserved this title , you assigned the term to Jola tribe , is that not a tribalism or bigotry mindset you have exposed here . In analyzing your tribal sentiment , i believe you have inferiority complex which is why you are reading too much into my statements . This is not the first you asked me why i used the term , i told you at the time i used the term indigenous citizens to describes group of citizens who have deep rooted family connections and historical ties to our country because i found out that we have people in our country’ s leadership positions who did not have deep rooted family connection and historical ties to our country . Example Ousman Sonko , General Saul Badgie and some members of Jammeh’s inner circle. Hence i began to used the term indigenous citizens to refers to group of citizens who have deep rooted family connection , cultural and historical ties to our country . Why cant you get this in thick brain and bigotry mindset. you have failed in your stupid and bigotry efforts. if you deny this explanation above , then you need to go back to earlier discussion when you asked this question, the evidence is on the record here.
Bax
I would like to add to the fact that Jolas aren’t the only “known early inhabitants of the region” but would be amongst &/ one of the inhabitants of the region alongside other tribes if history is to go-by…
The Manding Empire (of Ghana, Mali & Shongai) before partition & colonisation comprised of the various tribes who dwelled in the region whilst they intermarried, migrated within & without the regions, influenced by factors most & mainly for survival & other social factors amongst others…
The Jolas were amongst settlers in mainly in Foni & Kombo areas for what’s known as the boundaries of Gambia today; the Jolas settled in the Kombos in particular were adversely affected by the “Soninke-Marabou wars”; during Foday Kaaba Dumbuya’s Islamic religious crusade most (Jola) had to relocate out of the Kombo areas which were easy proximity for Foday Kaaba’s harassing to forcefully convert those who chose & wished to remain “atheistic”; this movement is what most people tend to misinterpret in reference to the whole region of Gambia as a country as contrast to the two specific areas (Foni & Kombo)…
Otherwise anyone who has evidence contrarily can present & publish & help us to learn…
Thank you…
With regards to Maxs “kingmaker” analysis, I observed that there’s evidence on the ground in his claim as thus…
Bax’s claim that {Mandikas being (reportedly quantified) 45% of the population with rest of (all) other tribes collectively at 55%} Therefor 55% are the actual kingmakers if they chose to vote against as versus 45% in favour is mathematically correct & possible; but in mathematic there’s the probability factor in statistics which is influenced by single &/ numerous (catalysts) factors which influence the outcome of results & products when set in motion & play…
For example, the slander, insults & open threatening of the Mandinkas as homogeneous tribe with numerical strength influenced & facilitated the fastening of EVIL MURDEROUS kanilai yaya DEVIL’s demise; say if this slanderous threatening was say against about 5-10% of the population might not have yield the same quicker results…
Of course the overall effect of the probability factor have to be supported by other effects &/ factors as catalysts such as other non-mandinka votes casted against our late KILLER kanilai DEVIL…
This is why I opined that Maxs could have edited the analysis inclusively as others have observed; but there’s nothing wrong in the analysis itself for educative purposes based on the variables selected for analysis…
Thank you…
Thanks for the intervention, but you may notice that I don’t attach any significance to differentiation of people.
We are all Gambians, sharing everythiing in common, with the same destiny and that’s what matters.
How many of your forebears are buried in the Gambia is completely irrelevant, as far as Gambian citizenship is concerned. Sometimes, I just rubbish Max’s foolishness by making simple observations.
You know Bajaw, Gambians had to deal with Yaya Jammeh’s insults, killings, general impunity and rule of terror for a very long time. In fact, from the day he stood up at Mccarthy Square, insulted journalists as the illegitimate sons of Africa and got away with it, he has never looked back.
In the mean time, he has “won” FOUR consecutive elections and would have “won” the FIFTH very easily, if a fundamental change of how we approach elections was not achieved.
I am not disregarding all the events that preceeded 2016 Presidential Elections, but the single most turning point in our political fortunes, was the presentation of a single opposition candidate against Jammeh and the results prove it.
The simple margin of 18,000 votes would surely have disappeared between any number of contending opposition candidates, and if voter apathy is factored in, which would have been the case, as evidenced by last night’s National Assembly Elections, Yaya Jammeh would still have been there.
Your comment on this topic now is a distraction since you will never own your bigotry campaign to attach your inferiority complex to my analysis.
Bax, since there is yet to be any laws that can significantly change the dynamics of our politics, the outcome of the national assembly elections was predictable as it followed the same pattern as all the previous national assembly elections dating back to the Jawara era.
No surprises here. It is the power of incumbency and the executive powers of the presidency that were at play.
These are the two factors that mostly influence our national assembly elections although tribal affiliation to a lesser extend can also play a part. But I am more incline to go with the former.
The laws that are going to be enacted in the National Assembly, particularly the two-terms limit to the presidency and the second round of voting, will undoubtedly changed the dynamics of our politics as well as the psychology that goes with it.
This is the time that we will begin to impact the culture in our politics, and people can begin to see the transient nature in our politics that leaders can be here today and tomorrow they are gone. Political parties can be powerful today and tomorrow they are not so powerful.
.
Kamalo, stop complaining here about the power of incumbency and executive power of presidency as well as tribal affiliation as factors which are responsible for UDP victory. Are you not the same person who predicted that I and UDP supporters will be surprised what will await us during this election in as recently as few days ago when I made my analysis about how mandinkas majority support will always decide the outcome of the election for any candidate. . If you deny this fact I will pull the transcript of your comments. It is right here on the record . Are you not the same person who dismissed my analysis of voting pattern and now you dishonestly tried to attach tribal affiliations to UDP victory ? That is highest form of hypocrisy, dishonesty and bigotry. It is this kind of intellectual dishonesty that PDOIS will never succeed in The Gambian politics. With all these noises you are making online , look at how many seats you got , 4 seats thanks to UDP help , it would have been two for PDOIS. Gambian people have repudiated your party . Your party leadership needs personal and party evaluation because if you keep having the same results, something is fundamentally wrong about your political strategy and beliefs . Gambian people did not buy your dishonest political strategy and lack of clarity for the last 50 years. It is time you change strategy. Look , people think Halifa Sallah is educated, I do not believe that he is smart politician. He is a sole loser here because he will never be president and he will never the speaker of the National Assembly. His dreams are shattered thanks to bad political strategy.
Why are you blaming the power of incumbency? It is APRC who should have been complaining about power of incumbency and executive power of presidency. Halifa and PDOIS are part and parcel of the coalition. Come on, you guys think being eloquent is equal to smartness or intelligent. For 50 years , PDOIS cannot get more than four members of National Assembly is clear indication that the party needs autopsy. PDOIS is dead party which doesn’t need a life support because it is party of four people( HSSA) – Halifa, Seedia , Sam and Amie .
Bajaw , thank you for your brilliant analysis and great advice on this subject . I noted your comments for future analysis.
Max…A number of issues.
If Degree No.4 was about banning political parties, why are you asking why the PDOIS Leadership did not protest against the banning of political parties ? That is a question from a very illogical mind.
If Decree No.4 is a ban against political parties, defiance against it would mean a defiance and protest against all that it bans. A demonstration or protest against a bad law, is a demonstration or protest against ALL parts of the law.
I think before or after I made the observation about the Jolas, I made it very clear that all Gambians are the indigenes of Gambia. I don’t see any Gambian more Gambian than the other, regardless of how long your lineage to be traced in present day Gambia.
I also made it clear that the observation that Jolas deserve the title, “indigenous”, was only for arguments sake. No importance, of whatever matter, is attached to it. So your attempt to.paint me as a tribalist is nothing but the hopeless efforts of dumb guy.
Lastly, what makes you think that “they”, those APRC troublemakers, are not the “indigenous” people, because you obviously saw Sarjo Barrow’s audience as the indigenous, but not the APRC troublemakers, including the culprit who has a Jola sounding surname, though he may not even be a Jola.
Bax, your last line is what makes Gambia beautiful and unique. You cannot always tell what tribe a person belongs to just by their surname. Examples, Jammeh can be Jola, Mandinka or Serer, Camara can be Jola, Mandinka or Fula, Jarju can be Jola or Mandinka, Sallah can be Fula or Wollof, Sillah can be Sarahule, Mandinka or Wollof, the list goes on. This is why Jammeh failed when he tried to used tribe to cling onto power and that is why anyone else who tries to do the same will fail. Bax am beginning to wonder if there actually is voter apathy in the Gambia or is our voter register just bloated with bogus voters. All the parties in both the presidential and national assembly elections have really galvanized their supporters bases yet we have seen a massive differences between the actual votes cast and the registered voters. The IEC should conduct a fresh registration before the municipal elections. If they get a similar number of registered voters as currently on the register then we can say with all certainty that there is voter apathy. We should start civic education then to get people more engage in politics. If the number of registered voters is similar to the number of votes cast in both elections then we know the register was filled with bogus names.
Bax, the fact of the matter is that when Max used the word “indigenous” and knowing what the word means our concern is directed to his “intent” in using the word.
After Gambia has attained it independence we are no longer “indigenous” but “sovereign” citizens. It is therefore misplaced to use that word and to apply it to other Gambian citizens.
Thank you. Thats my point.
Yes, the unified front yield the desired result for us eventually which is the same probability factor (numerical strength) in play presented by the negotiated Coalition front…
“Voter apathy” will be here for some while though due to the political awareness levels of the (mainly “unschooled”) peasantry population; it’s the Civic education programs that will aware & politically “awaken” majority of the people to make informed decisions at times of elections to elect the best amongst contestant candidates to represent in the House of Representatives for effective political dispensations to activate, facilitate & maximize developments for societal advancements….
True; the late kanilai Lucifer got away with very much too long but no other “Servants of the Gambia” will ever be allowed to do the same again anymore…
Politics is ‘decent &/ legal’ name for undermining & deception tactics utilised by opposite contestants (political parties) when in contests against one another; that’s why there always will be bickering at times of contests; now that voting is over, all Gambians must congregate ideas & efforts to commence the much needed Nation building task awaiting; for a better, progressive & prosperous Gambia for all humanity, Gambians & non-Gambians alike…
Maxs
I see my younger (radical) self in you; now with age I’m still learning but with few experience; your analysis was factually correct based on your selected variable; just that blending inclusively at the material time when our politicians were at “each others’ throats with daggers drawn” would impact the calm-effect on the simmering tempers; but I love your spirit & all other contributors; I’m a follower of all of you in this educative forum of ours; will admit I don’t actually read through all comments due to time constraints but I’m keen follower of us all….
Buba Sanyang-nding(Ba) (Domorla-Koringo😎)
I actually think inline with your observation of a bloated vote register by foreigners & ghost names under the late Manipulative kanilai FIEFDOM; things will be lot improving now that there’s “government by the people & for the people”…
In fact I’m keenly awaiting to see the next census to take place which would be interesting & definitely give some better insights into the actual national demographics on the ground than what obtains from the current manipulated data that were being relied upon for national development planning…
Aprc hooligan criminals & the enablement have infested & contaminated all aspects of the Gambia strata to manipulate information & facts for dictatorship entrenchments only; it’s on the same false data & information our country has been driven through nefariously for past 22 plus years…
Now it’s time to put our political differences behind & exert our efforts collectively towards the much needed Nation building awaiting…
Thank you all…
Max Woo Maxy …Please leave Halifa Sallah and PDOIS alone…The time for politicking and competing for votes is over. The death of PDOIS is not for you to worry about. Let PDOIS Members worry about.
Get down to work. Your headache now should be how to turn the economy round; how to provide jobs for thousands of jobless youths that gave you their mandate; how to stabilise the erratic electric situation and build on that…
Like I stated elsewhere, you cannot do it all by yourselves, but the ideas, policies and strategies that we well follow is your responsibility. So leave PDOIS slone. Your plate is too full for any distractions. Wish you all the best.
By the way Max, are you going to stick with Babili Mansa’s budget and enjoy what he reserved for himself ? Remember, he is always generous with himself at the President’s Office.
Or are you going to bring your own budget for approval. Whatever you do, be rest assured that the “confused” PDOIS will be waiting for you. That’s why many Gambians are pleased to have those super FOUR in that house.