President Jammeh lashes out at the opposition
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
The president of the Republic has once again lashed out at the country’s
opposition politicians, saying they are bent on playing tribal politics. His
Excellency Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh was speaking Wednesday
evening at State House in Banjul during a political meeting he held with a
high-powered delegation from the Kanifing Municipality.

The delegation, which was led to the seat of the presidency by the lord
mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) and APRC national mobiliser,
Yankuba Colley, included the Council of Elders, APRC women and youth
stalwarts, as well as lawmakers in the Municipality, amongst other
stakeholders.

The meeting came in the wake of two successive ones held at the presidency
over the past few days. It was an interface between the party leader,
President Jammeh and his militants meant to not only renew loyalty to the
party, but also to highlight critical issues and chart the way forward,
especially given that the November 24th Presidential Election is
approaching.

At the meeting, which was also attended by Cabinet ministers, President
Jammeh declared that there is no opposition in the country, maintaining that
what is prevalent is “tribalism and greed”.

He also decried the ‘unrealistic’ nature of the opposition politicians, and
further described them as ‘not genuine’. “We all know that from 1996 to
date, if you look at places that are opposition strongholds, guess what
tribes are there? What they said in their meetings where all tribes are
present is that President Jammeh has not done any work, human rights, and
democracy,” he stated, while asserting that tribal politics is the hallmark
of the opposition any time they campaign from house to house.

The Gambian leader told the meeting that what patriotic Gambians are
standing for is the cause for truth and development, asserting that they
disregard tribalism and don’t care what tribe one belongs to.

He continued: “Anybody who is Godly, you will not indulge in tribalism. If
you look at the so-called opposition, their leaders, tell me, which mosque
or church do they worship God? Somebody who in fact does not believe in God,
can that person have sympathy for a fellow human being, talk less of ruling
a nation?”

Real opposition
President Jammeh stressed that a real opposition is one that is interested
in the development of the country, acknowledge the achievements of the
government, criticise constructively where there are faults, and above all
participate in national development. This, according to him, is what is
opposition and real democracy, one he vowed to respect. He then made it
clear that he will never respect any democracy based on greed and tribalism.

Emphasising further on the unrealistic nature of the Gambia opposition, the
president cited the monthly cleaning exercise, saying: “I initiated a
monthly national cleansing exercise but I don’t ask anybody to go and clean
Kanilai but your own surrounding. If you are not clean how can you even
worship God? But who has ever seen an opposition participating in the
monthly cleansing exercise? What I just asked is for all to clean wherever
you reside in.

But how many years now no one can tell me he/she has ever seen an opposition
cleaning his/her environment. This has shown to Gambians that their heart
and where they reside is not clean and that anybody who follows them will
also be unclean.”

President Jammeh seized the opportunity to reassure that he will remain
resolute on the cause he is standing for vis-à-vis the development and
progress of the country; something he said is what he is and will continue
to live for.

“I will do whatever it takes to see to it that the country moves forward.
But anyone who wants to be an obstacle to that, you are asking for serious
trouble,” he concluded, while thanking the Kanifing Municipality for the
move.

The vice president and minister of Women’s Affairs, Her Excellency Aja Dr
Isatou Njie-Saidy harped on the strides made by the Jammeh Administration,
something she said is recognised far beyond the borders of this country. She
also stated that she has not seen any development that the opposition could
show to her that the Gambian leader did not bring about.

VP Njie-Saidy then urged Gambians to reciprocate the president’s
achievements by voting for him in the upcoming November 24th Presidential
Election. She commended the party members in Kanifing Municipality for their
steadfastness and told them to keep the momentum.

The ministers of Tourism and Culture, and Youth and Sports, Fatou Mass
Jobe-Njie and Sheriff Gomez respectively, who double as the Municipality’s
liaison officers all took turns at the meeting to pay glowing tribute to the
Gambian leader for the developments he initiated, which cut across all
spheres of the society.

The liaison officers also urged the party’s stalwarts to remain steadfast,
intensify commitment and step up their efforts, especially in mobilising to
ensure that all those that have registered vote en-mass for President Jammeh
in the election.

Stalwarts’ gratitude
Stalwarts of the ruling party in the Kanifing Municipality who spoke on
behalf of the delegation expressed gratitude to the Gambian leader for what
they described as the proliferation of developments in the country, which
they maintained has been the hallmark of his administration since the dawn
of the July 1994 Revolution.

They also lauded the president’s humanitarian gestures, especially his
recent provision of high quality cooking oil, meat and sugar to the people,
which they said are meant to enable the citizens buy these affordable basic
commodities, thus curbing profiteering on the side of traders.

However, the need for mobility and the provision of campaign materials to
boost mobilisation and political campaigns were tabled before the party
leader. The NAM for Serrekunda West and APRC desk officer for KM, Honourable
Sulayman Joof; Majority leader and NAM for Serrekunda East, Honourable
Fabakary Tombong Jatta; APRC divisional chairman, Sosseh Colley; Councilor
Momodou Jaiteh; Divisional youth mobilizer, Lamin Camara; Alhaji Essa
Camara; and Aji Amie Jatta all assured the Gambian leader of the
Municipality’s resolve to register a very high percentage for the ruling
party in the upcoming election.
Mayor Yankuba Colley moderated the meeting.
Author: *Hatab Fadera*

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*
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GOD BLESS THE GAMBIA.
LET US JOIN HANDS AND SUPPORT SHEIKH PROFESSOR DR. ALH YAHYA JAMMEH (NASIRU
DEEN) TO BUILD OUR COUNTRY. *


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