Mr. Coly,

I join Mr. Kujabi and KB in welcoming you back. It's about time you come pay
us a visit. There's nothing like the type of first hand info that you
supply. Your knowledge of the m.o. of the Jammeh inner sanctum is
invaluable. Kujabi picked up on Yaya Jammeh’s refusal to pass on info
regarding the Farrafenni attack by Kukoi and his boys. I don’t see any
surprises there. Yaya simply doesn’t know how to handle that info. Beneath
all this “Gambian Unity” crap that he (Yaya Jammeh) puts out, lies the
biggest tribalist in Gambian public history. From his blatant nepotistic
interference in appointments in our Civil, and Security services, to his
equally audacious tribal gerrymandering a.k.a. (Constituency Demarcation
exercise,) Yaya Jammeh is hell bent on super-imposing his ethnicity on our
national consciousness. Period. So, when President Joof informed him that a
fellow Jola like Kukoi is determined to kick him out, he simply couldn’t
believe it. That news flew in the face of his subtle –many now say open-
quest to unite ALL Jola people behind him. So, he didn’t tell the Army
chiefs, not because he wasn’t concerned, but because he was simply
stupefied! Make no mistake Sir, what we’re dealing with is a
provincial-minded autocrat, with delusions about his own grandeur, and the
aim of avenging all past slights –perceived or real- committed by the rest
of that country against his native group. And tragically, MOST Jola people
are buying into the BS. This is sure to send some people to the bathroom,
but God knows that’s what we’re dealing with here. I wish there were another
way of describing this man and his tactics. But Welcome back all the same!

Mr. Kujabi: You're right about my take on our country folks. It simply
hasn't been able to stand the test of time. Indeed, my faith in The Gambian
species is at an all-time low. When one is in search of trendsetters in The
Gambia, the last place one may look at is Kiang. That much, I knew. But,
this whole “My Vote/Your Money” swap, is a new one for me.  But generally
speaking, I’ve realized that I need to follow my own advice to Tombong: Get
out of the “election outcome” prediction business! (The only mitigating
factor in my favor is that I made my prediction from afar. Tombong made his,
after spending some time on the ground in Dakar.) Fact is, this isn’t The
Gambia I grew up in. It simply isn’t. EVERYTHING that I had ever taken for
granted, or as a given (Gambian to Gambian decency, basic integrity, a
minimum fairness threshold, etc) just doesn’t seem to exist anymore down
there. On the other hand, things I could never have imagined happening in
The Gambia are happening. Examples: a character like Modou Pika is not only
invited to State House, but from incontrovertible sources, the fellow
literally has a standing “Walk In” right to demand an audience with the
“prez” because of how important he is “to national security;” And there is
the great Baba (need I even give you his last name?) To think that Baba is
virtually the second most powerful man in our country is unfathomable to
anyone who knows this guy’s background.  But, that’s The Gambia of today.
So, frankly, I didn’t know what the heck I was talking about. Don’t look for
any more predictions from me. I just hope you didn’t rely too much on my
prediction.

But ironically, this defeat ('cause it IS a MAJOR defeat for the
opposition,) may be a blessing in disguise. Very early this morning, I broke
another personal vow to totally ignore old friends who eke out a living
running after unscrupulous characters in this regime. I spoke to someone who
was with an ecstatic Baba Jobe yesterday. This guy confided to me that FOR
THE FIRST TIME since Baba appeared in our public life, he (Baba) believes
that they don't need to use violence, or out-right vote-rigging to win
elections. The guy told me that, vote buying wasn't just one of the APRC's
strategy in the by-elections, it was the ONLY strategy! And it worked in
Kiang. He quoted Baba as boasting that, "people trust our briefcases more
than the promises of drunkards." So for now, Baba for one, has been lulled
into a new sense of (false security?)or optimism that with the right size of
a war chest, they can in fact BUY enough votes to win in October without
killing their opponents. This guy, who was with Baba in both Kiang and
Baddibu throughout this electioneering period, said there was nothing secret
about their vote buying. He said, their position is that, they're not
forcing anyone to sell them their votes. People have to feed their families:
APRC has money in plain view, UDP has nothing but promises. The choice was
clear for the simple-minded.

After speaking to this fellow, I find some of KB's suggestions very
pertinent. The position of the APRC basically is that people should be glad
that they’re only buying votes. And there’s nothing any person, or oversight
body –most definitely NOT Mr. Roberts of the “IEC”- will do about it. It’s
simply inconceivable that “IEC” reps in Kiang and Baddibu didn’t see
CONCRETE evidence of vote buyouts. According to this  participant I spoke
to, they simply couldn’t care less who was listening to, or watching them:
people had merchandise (votes,) they had money. The most we’ll ever get from
the “IEC” about this phenomenon (if they say anything at all,) will be some
lame letter “admonishing” the APRC. If this body was truly independent, the
open “voters card LUMO” that happened in both Kiang and Baddibu, would not
only land many in jail, but would automatically require a re-run. We all
know that isn’t gonna happen. So realistically, we have to evaluate our
choices. We need to identify the things we can control, and the things the
“IEC”, or we can’t control. The courage of the children last April has made
it clear to the APRC that Gombians are not as afraid of death as they
thought. So, this shameless and open vote buying is their NEWEST, and main
strategy. Somehow, we have to counter that strategy. I’ll find time to
expound on this theme, but KB’s suggestions are very good starting points.
Otherwise, what the APRC did in ’96 through sheer ruthlessness, will be
effected again this through Dalasi bursting briefcases.

Good morning.

Saul.


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