Letter To The Opposition Parties On A New Proposal For A Coalition
The Gambia is going through a very decisive period in its history. This is
a period which requires all those who claim to be genuine leaders of the
people to be bound by the dictate of conscience and the national interest.
Few people would deny that democracy is inconceivable without an informed
people who can make enlightened choices. Awareness is the greatest weapon
against intimidation and inducement. Awareness is the foundation of genuine
democracy.
It is precisely such awareness which is inadequate in the country. The
careful examination of the situation reveals that the transition from the
abolition of the first republic and the restoration of the second republic
was not accompanied by a serious effort to enlighten and empower the
people. Nothing had been done to conduct civic education or improve the
constitutional and legal instruments to enlarge the liberties of the
people. Political inclusion was retarded for years and political exclusion
conserved through provisions which ostracise the citizenry by age and other
unjustifiable and unreasonable restrictions. Political parties do not have
access to the national media to promote divergent views. This does not
avail to the electorate equal opportunities to know the programmes of
political parties in order to make informed choices.
The government intends to roll back the mandate and longevity  of the
Independent Electoral Commission. All indications exist that genuine
democracy is a hostage and the regime has not shown any sign that it is
either willing or capable of giving it wings to broaden its scope.
Gambia is therefore in need of a transition programme, just like the two
year transition programme to restore a republican constitution and the
sovereignty of the people through the holding of elections to chose leaders
to build genuine democracy. We still maintain that the transition programme
should be less than the two year transition programme. A one year term by a
coalition presidential candidate should be sufficient to open the national
media for civic education to enlighten the people in the country so that
they will no longer be susceptible to any form of intimidation or
patronage, eradicate all provisions which impose unreasonable and
unjustifiable restrictions on any one from exercising his or her political
and civic rights, open up the national media to every political party on a
weekly basis to put their programmes to the people without insults or
promotion of any sectionalist form of politics. This would create a new
political culture. The reorientation of security forces, the establishment
of a complaints commission to settle grievances and the concerted
utilisation of the powers of the courts to provide redress would provide a
cornerstone for a genuine democratic society. Standards would have been set
for the emergence of a new political order.
New presidential and National Assembly elections could be held for any
party to seek the mandate of the people on the basis of its own merit.
A one year transition programme which will not allow any personality or
party to entrench itself and which will be designed to build the democratic
instruments, institutions, structures and practices that would make free
and fair elections possible, so as to come up with the undiluted choice of
the people, should provide the basis for a coalition. We need a coalition
to empower the people not one to share power by political elites. This is
what sincerity and honesty call for. In that light ,we wish to propose that
the opposition parties draw up a list of personalities especially women who
are known to have the interest of the nation at heart and who have no known
party affiliation so that one of them could be selected as an interim
presidential candidate for a coalition. This will create a level political
foundation for presidential elections after serving a year’s mandate. Such
an interim candidate can simply undertake not to stand in any presidential
election after the expiry of one year mandate.
We hope that all parties shall react to this proposal by 20th August 2001.
We shall send an envoy to consult with each of you to ensure a timely
consideration of the recommendations.
While anticipating your favourable response, I remain.
Your compatriot in the service of the nation.


 For the Central Committee

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