I’m celebrating the resounding victory over overlooked or underrated block of Gambians who are into politics with nothing but their unexplained conscience. The good thing is that our conscious National Assembly Members have made us emerge victorious in trashing the worst-ever discriminatory Constitution ever drafted in any democratic setting. Such a Constitution has never been heard of, let alone seen in the history of the world.
I spent my time, little resources and fought vigorously for a free and democratic Gambia where the era of George Orwell’s Animal Farm theory would later be dusted for good. History will forever judge the brains behind tearing our society apart.
I was expecting a Constitution that would guarantee rights and freedoms of all as well knock down discrimination in all its forms. But to my utmost dismay, I got the worst shocking package in the form of a so-called Draft Constitution that condemned my being as a human proud of being born and raised Gambian. Through greed and ungratefulness, architects of the document had completely alienated me and all Diasporan Gambians from all spheres of our political spectrum. How quickly have these drafters forgotten that myself and friends in the Diaspora have been recognized as the 8 region of our country by President Barrow mainly because of our untiring efforts in defeating 22 years of dictatorship and creating an enabling environment for all and sundry for self realization as well as open opportunities to reshape and actualize our lost dreams. How can a few individuals who were given the opportunity to consult on our behalf dare scribe in the draft that the Gambian diaspora and their kids need to give up everything before we are accepted back home as genuine members of our communities. Without giving up our foreign citizenship we will not be allowed to contest for public offices? How can a Gambian intellectual think so low and hateful that a country living highly on remittances from its Diasporan citizens have such hateful thought for them and their kids? Where was their intellectual conscience when they ganged together in unity and prepared a draft for our brothers to debate and expect them to give their blessings on the draft for a national referendum? Didn’t they think we have brothers that shared blood with the very law makers mandated to clear the Draft Bill? After all, they say blood is thicker than water. These and so many other questions should have rung in their gloomy minds to understand that being in the Diaspora does not and cannot disassociate us from our families.
I must thank all gallant and honourable members who voted to trash such an unacceptable draft. They have realised that Gambians undoubtedly deserve more respect than those accorded the opportunity to help move the country beyond Hatred and Bigotry. Victory for all progressive thinking citizens and shame on those think they are above all and deserve everything good.
Burama Sanneh
Ends