Karamba,

Like Dr Saine,my feed back from home during the campaign is that most
people were not comfortable with the UDP/PPP alliance.The UDP was perceived
to be a front for the PPP in their attempt to make a political come back, as
alluded to by many on this list.As DR Saine said,the UDP failed to make a
clear distinction with the PPP despite the alliance entered into ,which i
regarded as a tactical move but apparently ,many did not see it in that
perception and therefore,it cost the UDP many votes.

Beran



>From: [log in to unmask]
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: The October 2001 Presidential Election in The Gambia
>Date: Wed, 5 Dec 2001 18:37:49 EST
>
>Dr Saine,
>                 thanks once again for writing an interesting analysis of
>the
>past Presidential elections. I am in agreement with you in the overall
>thrust
>of your analysis regarding the process, the issues, the personalities and
>all
>but one of your conclusions. I don't think your apparent conclusion that
>the
>PPP adversely affected the prospects of the coalition atleast in the minds
>of
>the voters is supported by any conclusive evidence. On the contrary, in
>U.R.D
>where the coalition won all but one of the districts, the efforts of former
>PPP politicians like Omar Sey were crucial in making the Opposition win
>even
>more decisively. It is certainly true that the PPP politicians have lost
>some
>of their clout with the electorate especially in the greater Banjul area
>where time and changing demographics pose a challenge for even O.J who once
>controlled a formidable machinery in his district. If you look at Nuimi and
>Saloum in which two former PPP politicians namely Landing Jallow Sonko and
>Amulaye  Janneh used to win confortably , neither man could deliver in this
>last election. That points to the fickle nature of an electorate
>perpetually
>inclined to support whoever is in power rather than a sudden
>dissatisfaction
>with politicians they supported for years .
>        The elections were determined primarily by fear successfully
>peddled
>by the government coupled with electoral fraud and cash inducements. It
>worked and we have an illegitimate government to show for it.
>Karamba
>
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