Mr. Gassama,

Once again I would like to thank you.  You have raised very legitimate issues some of which I will choose to address, and I hope the Coalition is paying attention to the rest of your concerns which are by all means quite serious.  I believe it is quite important to start from the first necessary questions about a problem before generating answers.  As such one should start a heuristic process by asking why is the coalition very necessary in contemporary Gambian polity?

Yaya Jammeh has enmeshed himself in a web of lies and deceit that prisons him in an iron cage.  This situation has two inevitable consequences in the long run: his own self-destruction and a sociopathic frenzy towards civil society...a perfect recipe for all these endemic civil wars we have in our sub-region.  Ever since he usurped power illegally in 1994, Yaya has repeatedly embellished himself by first declaring his original sin that he is a "soldier with a difference" but gradually morphed into an indifferent tyrant with an attitude; metamorphosed from a mouthpiece of probity into a paragon of impropriety; transformed transparency in executive affairs into a paranoiac conspiracy of cowardly violence towards the press; and finally changed the definition of accountability in government to mean a national liability of shameless charlatans.  Within few years Yaya Jammeh has turned the Gambia into a Kafkaesque penal colony of unnecessary fear, pain and privation.  All these are
 self-evident facts and lessons for any leadership ( PPP, UDP, NDAM, PDOIS, NRP) to learn from the consequences of misleading the people, lacking the moral courage to correct ones mistakes, and doing the right thing.  The price of chicanery is very costly and I doubt any future Coalition leader will have the guts to take that risk.

The Coalition should choose whosoever they think is "elect-able".  My personal preference is Omar Jallow (OJ) because I believe he has both rural/urban appeal and with the support of Lawyer Darboe's preponderant constituency, there is no doubt in my mind that Jammeh shall be toast come 2006.  Yet again the issue of leadership is open to debate online, however, I think it is better left to the party leaders to address.

One final point.   I think it is paramount for the coalition to speak in unison on one simple platform with one limited tactical agenda i.e to unseat Yaya Jammeh by democratic means through the ballot, period.    A strategic ambition at this moment shall only draw in ambiguities, inherent personality differences and individual party agendas thus creating an unwarranted chaos early in the process of liberating the Gambian people from the demon in Kanilai.

Again unity is the key to a successful victory in 2006.  This should never be compromised for any thing less.

Ebou Jallow





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