Excuse me for forwarding this. It's the blood in me. When it gets hot, some
balk, while some stand their ground come what may. Just ask Baba Jobe who is
feared everywhere in The Gambia but in Jarra. Read on...
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The politics of Jarras in the Lover River Division on hindsight have always
revealed those in power and those in opposition as people of principles.
There is no administrative division in the Gambia that is as steadfast
politically as the Lower River Division, which comprises the Kiangs and the
Jarras. During the last parliamentary elections (1997) APRC won Jarra
Central, but lost the other two Jarras, Jarra East and West to the UDP. In
the late fifties and sixties when franchise was extended to the
protectorate, the whole of Jarra was one constituency and the first member
of parliament was Alhaji Yahya Ceesay a veteran PPP politician and former
minister in the ousted PPP regime who hails from Sankwia in Jarra West.
Alhaji Yaya Ceesay held many ministerial positions in the ousted Jawara
regime before the 1994 coup-de-etat. The twin half of the Lower River
Division which constitutes the Kiangs was also one constituency represented
by the Late Jerreh L. B. Daffeh. The Jarra in a constituency demarcation was
divided into two namely Jarra East and Jarra West. Jarra West had a very
stable representation at parliamentary level up to the July 22, 1994
coup-de-etat. Whilst the member of parliament for Jarra West has always been
Alhaji Yaya Ceesay, his main challenger was always Kemmenseng Jammeh, the
current minority leader of the National Assembly.
Kemmenseng Jammeh has always been a prominent member of the National
Convention Party (NCP). When multipartism was entrenched in the Jarras
especially in Jarra West, the biggest manifestation of political maturity in
the area was after the July 22nd 1994 coup-de-etat when the opposing forces
closed ranks against the APRC party. The diversified politics of the APRC
failed to penetrate Jarra West and East constituencies. Alhaji Yaya Ceesay
was banned under Decree 89 and his main challenger Kemmenseng Jammeh stepped
into his shoes and won an overwhelming majority from the PPP and NCP
political divide who close their ranks in a new political realignment.
Baba Jobe, the strongman of the APRC was defeated by Kemmenseng in 1997
parliamentary elections in Jarra West constituency even although he was
detained under Decree 57 at Janjanbureh prisons at the time of elections.
Baba Jobe's father, the late Alahji Kajali Jobe of Karantaba was Alhaji Yaya
Ceesay's strongest supporter and in the early days of Gambian - Libyan
relations, Alhajie Yaya Ceesay was very instrumental in sending Baba Jobe to
Libya. Jarra West is an opposition bulwark that has reduced Baba Jobe to a
political midget after Alhaji Yaya Ceesay, the veteran PPP politician was
banned. The question that needs an answer is can Baba Jobe take Jarra East
and West from the UDP? In the current campaign in Kiang East which borders
Jarra West, the slogan from the residents is that Baba Jobe cannot buy Jarra
West, let him know that Kiang East is not for sale.
The politics in Jarra East before the 1994 coup-de-etat was even more
dramatic as far back as the time of pre-independence politics in the areas
between the Darboes of the Burengs and the Kanyis of Jassong. The Darboes
were the chiefs and the Kanyis were the merchants. The fight between Sora
Darboe, the prominent head chief of Jarra East who supported the United
Party (UP) and Soli Kanyi, a prominent businessman of Jassong is legendary.
The Kanyis and the Darboes have ever since been in the forefront of Jarra
East politics. When Amang Kanyi died, the people of Jarra East opted for
Kemo Sanneh who represented them in parliament and was sudsequently defeated
in 1982 parliamentary elections by Saikou Barrow who originates from Jarra
Barrowkunda but was born in Niamina Dankunku in Central River Division.
Mr. Saikou Barrow's membership was shortlived when they ditched him in
favour of Momodou Saidywane, but the 1994 coup-de-etat terminated
Saidywane's membership of parliament. In the 1997 parliamentary elections,
the Darboes and the Kanyis locked horns in Jarra East, the Darboe from
Bureng were for the APRC and the Kanyis from Jassong were for the UDP. Seedy
Amang Kanyi, the current member of parliament defeated Ousman Darboe in 1997
parliamentary elections. In an odd demarcation, the enclave of Jarra Central
district was transformed into a constituency comprising a few hamlets, the
biggest of which is Jappineh which comprises the twin Alkaloship settlements
of Tembeto and Marikoto.
The constituency is the only one in the whole of Lower River Division that
the APRC captured in 1997 parliamentary elections. The reasons advanced for
the APRC victory is that there was a division and a long standing feud
between the Damphas and the Sannehs clans. Foday Lang Sarr, the APRC member
of parliament from the area may not find it easy in the next parliamentary
elections as the UDP and NRP supporters in the area contemplate an alliance
to oust him.


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