haruna,thanks .you are very much needed where young brians like ours 
needed exposure.i personally gain from you and others here.keep the touch 
and tell mr edward we need you more than he does.

haruna,read what kayatta have to say about the topic.

Nice piece Santafara. I did not read Sam Sarr's article you referred to, 
however while i have to admit that tribe continues to affect African politics,I 
agree with your position that tribalism is not a driving force in Gambian politics.
I am not sure about Sam's motive for initiating a dialogue about the future of 
the Gambia, but I think the best way for the dialogue perhaps should start 
with his accountability for his role in the crimes committed by the GNA and the 
AFPRC/APRC.government.
I would like to add a few things to your reference to the origins of the PPP. 
The PPP evolved from a little known organization started by Sanjally Bojang of 
Brikama called "Linlahiwarasullu", later changed to "Kombo/Niumi kaffo".You 
probably all remembered Bojangbaa's role at Sarro during the colonial days. 
The initial purpose of this organization was to help the people of the 
protectorate (provinces) who came to Banjul metropolitan area looking for 
work at Sarro (GPMB) and other places. The assistance was mainly limited to 
burial and other religio-cultural circumstances.
When the British were ready to transition the Gambia into a republican self-
rule,Chief Sanjally Bojang and others convened a meeting at his house in 
Brikama to form a political party based on the organizational structure of the 
Kombo/Niumi kaffo. Sanjally Bojang was the founding father of the PPP. Their 
biggest setback was illiteracy in English, so they had to summon the 
leadership of the small educated class. Their first choice was Dr. Marena of 
the U.N.(Jawara was not even at that meeting). Dr. Marena declined the 
offer, but said that he has a friend in the person of Dawda K. Jawara, then a 
young ambitious graduate from Glascow University in the U.K, who might be 
interested in political leadership. That was how Jawara came into the scene 
and selected as the leader of what has now become the Protectorate People's 
Party (indicating its rural or provincial origin).
As Jawara became entrenched in power and started co-opting some of the big 
names and influential people in the Banjul metro it made sense to then change 
the name of PPP to the People's Progressive Party. This name-change kind of 
nationalized the PPP and purpotedly ended its regional and class affiliation, 
although the PPP continued to enjoy wide support in the rural provincial areas. 
I think Jawara also tried very hard to reciprocate this massive support of the 
rural dwellers who were largely poor farmers by utilizing various tactics such 
as supplies of free food (Jawara mano), scholarships and government positions 
to DESERVING children of the provinces, and the annual 'Meet the farmers 
tour'.
So afterall, i think the PPP was not representative of tribe . Rather it was 
more representative of class, but by the time the PPP was ousted by Jammeh 
in 1994 it had evolved a lot from its earlier nature.
I hope this adjoiner enriches this discussion. Thanks.

my response to his comments.

thanks kay for that historical master piece.you are very right.the ppp was 
form in sanjalli's house.samsideen will dorge all questions relating to his role in 
the now imfamous coup.he is what many army personel call an 'arm chair 
colonel'.he love his military background so much ,that is the only picture we 
see of him in the echo.but in reality what distinguist service did he provide to 
the gambia when the need arise ? i can't see any.still today kay many urban 
dwellers can't come to terms with the fact rural folks have done good in both 
education and businesses,they thought we the rural masses are meant to be 
occupying the lower socail ladder .that is part of the problems the likes of 
samsideen is sufering from.look at his arrogant comments he made against a 
dead person.who he barely knew.dk jawara's first wive was an aku,his second 
a fula from basse lady chiley the daugter of famous fula business man 
momodou musa njie and his third wife presumably a wolof ,njeme .yet sam call 
such people tribalist.i hope the likes of kondorong ,karamba etc can enlighten 
us concerning this very sensitive topic.

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