I found a week of barrage of unjust, negative personal media attacks on our president as very disturbing. President Adama Barrow has been personally accused and attacked of everything that does not favour his critics. Comments such as “it is the President’s fault; Barrow is inconsistent; Barrow is not in control; It is people around him” have been heard over and over. You even hear from his critics accusing UDP folks of calling the shots and not the coalition partners. The accusations are meant to undermine President Barrow proving critics point that he is deemed incompetent and unfit. This is tantamount to a smear campaign. There is an intended and undeclared crusade against the President by his arch-rivals whose single biggest goal is to portray the President unpopular in the eyes of the Gambian masses. By doing so his critics hope that they can hasten the eventual failures of the President which was why they designed the week-long negative online media attacks. There has been many good news happening in the Gambia recently but they were pushed aside by this so-called media online to give way to negative and unfounded news. The enemies know that positive news will no doubt boost the image of President Barrow which contradicts the enemies’ goals.
Here are some of the online media headlines published about President Barrow last week.
Gambia: An Open Letter To President Barrow On The Unconstitutional Appointment Of Mr. Alkali Conteh (Freedom newspaper)
In this article, Pasamba Jow (Coach) was very mad at President Barrow for the appointment of Alkali Conteh as a member of the Public Service Commission. I just wonder what Coach would have said if, in fact, President Barrow appointed him as a member of the PSC. Both Alkali Conteh and Pa Samba Jow were living in the diaspora, but their difference was that Alkali answered to the President’s call for Gambians in the diaspora to come home for nation building. Coach prefers to stay behind for whatever reason otherwise he too could have been appointed. He prefers to stay in the United States which is right, yet he wants to throw sand in the eyes of those who have proven their patriotism for their country. The unconstitutional appointment of Mr. Conteh Pa Samba has raised does not hold waters. In fact, President Barrow has exercised his constitutional prerogative to appoint Mr. Conteh even though you and your types think this Pie is Too Big for him.
Another Freedom newspaper headline reads Gambia: Repeal & Replace or Else; Gag Laws Could See Journalists & Whistle blowers Jailed for Years. This time by Alagi Yerro Jallow, former Managing Editor of The Independent. Folks, can you imagine that journalists and whistleblowers being sent to jail for years in Barrow’s Gambia? This is the negative notion Alagi Yerro Jallow has started selling. Knowing well that there is a constitutional review going on, nevertheless Alagi Yerro chooses to blame the President for not repealing previous bad laws. I just can´t get it in my head why these PDOIS people are so obsessed with the constitution so much so that they become so insensitive to other important issues in the country. You can see anger in both their tone of writing and speech.
Breaking News: Men Armed With AK 47 Rifles Robbed And Injured Darsilameh Mauritanian Businessman is another Freedom newspaper classic case of sensationalism. Taking into consideration that Freedom newspaper has no reporter on the ground in Darsilameh hence caution is needed here. This is again aimed at portraying Adama Barrow’s Gambia unsafe. There is a lot of contradictions and credibility problem in this report. From being a robbery to the assumption that it could be rebel related activities to disgruntled former soldiers. A well-calculated misinformation prepared by Freedom newspaper editor to simply create fear, havoc and mistrust in the Gambia. There must be a better way of narrating a story if there is a good intention.
Freedom newspaper editor sounded mockery in this headline: Gambia’s Rookie President Leaves Banjul Tuesday For China; To Be Accompanied By A High Powered Delegation. President Adama Barrow has been in power for almost a year and this Editor out of complete disrespect keeps referring to the man who was elected genuinely as “Gambia´s Rookie President.” Has anyone ever heard President Donald Trump being addressed as “America’s Rookie President” by the American media? NO! Donald Trump as we all know is not a good friend of the media. The young and inexperienced French President Emanuel Macron has never been called the “French Rookie President” by even the Far Right leaning French newspapers. As I mentioned earlier, there is an undeclared crusade smear campaign going on against Adama Barrow with the clear intention to undermine and ridicule his administration. For those people bent on pursuing this line be assured that we are capable of making critical thinking and can make sound assessment on what you are up to. Here is some of what has not been given attention to by the bad-mouthers and their media by this so-called balance and fair online media. Freedom newspaper IMF express optimism on the country´s ability to quickly rebound from two decades of functional mismanagement and fiscal indiscipline. That’s a good news worth celebrating in just a short period of time. The German President Frank Walter Steinmeier was in the Gambia last Wednesday for a two-day working visit. That also is very good news for our country and I think this is the first time a German President set foot on Gambian soil. Finally, the Minister of Youth Sports and Culture was in Basse to meet and interact with the youths. He had a town hall meeting and gave an inspiring speech to our youths. He also commend the government of Adama Barrow on the achievements gained so far. Where was the so-called online media in Basse with the minister. Nowhere to be seen because again that will boost the image of the President. Fellow Gambians, you be the judge and think critically for yourselves. We don´t need to agree with this government on everything, but let’s give credit where it is due. Thank you and God Bless you and our Gambia.
Alhagi Touray
Stockholm, Sweden
Ends