Morro Jawla's Victory




The Independent (Banjul)

November 20, 2000

P.K Jarjue
Banjul

In the wake of Kebba Fanta Comma's defeat in the chieftaincy elections in Sami,
violence between his supporters and those of Morro Jawla the winning candidate
had erupted, leading to some arrests Friday, a day after the results were
announced.

The violence had involved members of the APRC youth wing and supporters of Morro
Jawla. Meanwhile The Independent has also received unconfirmed reports
suggesting that APRC youth wing members from the Kombos visited villages in Sami
after the results became clear, urging their inhabitants not to recognise Morro
Jawla as the district's chief. Mr. Jawla was being seen by Sami's APRC youth
wing as a United Democratic Party (UDP) militant. Our correspondent in Sami said
the ruling party's supporters in the area 'were creating problems for Jawla's
supporters'.

In Janjanbureh police arrested a member of the APRC youth wing who was accused
of inciting violence and making indecent remarks against Mr. Jawla and his
supporters. The man, identified as one Lamin Ceesay, was reportedly released
after a short spell in the Janjanbureh police station. There were also reports
of more violence in other places within Sami. Around Pachonki, clashes broke out
between APRC youth wing members who were supporting Mr. Comma and Mr. Jawla's
supporters over the use of public taps in the area.

It was reported that the defeated former acting chief's supporters tried to
prevent Jawla sympathisers from using the taps. In Lamin Koto one Momodou Jallow
told The Independent that after the Sami election results were announced
Thursday night, Mr. Jawla was 'provoked' and 'insulted' by undisclosed members
of the APRC youth wing. Meanwhile the police who were said to be combing the
area for 'law breakers' have issued a warning that they 'would not show any
mercy for individuals trying to disrupt the peace and tranquility of the
district'. They have dispatched personnel from the Police Intervention Unit to
restore law and order in areas affected by the violence.

Morro Jawla the chief-elect has appealed for calm, extending the 'hand of peace'
to supporters of his opponents. Speaking shortly after the results of the Sami
chieftaincy elections became clear, Mr. Jawla called on the people of the
district to 'bury' their political differences and 'join hands' as he tries to
implement the development plans he has for the area. Mr. Jawla, a 49-year-old
customs officer captured 2, 338 votes, beating the incumbent Kebba Fanta Comma
to second place with 1785 votes. Mr. Jawla thanked the people of Sami for
bestowing their confidence in him and said his assumption of the office of
district chief would be of immense benefit to the people if they cooperate with
him in his quest to improve the conditions of the area. He said their political
differences should not stand in the way of providing a united front to develop
Sami.

Mr. Jawla who appeared heartened by his victory also expressed gratitude to the
Independent Electoral Commission for the 'professional manner' in which the
election was conducted. On his part, Mustapha Carayol, the returning officer for
the elections thanked the seven candidates and their supporters for the peaceful
manner in which they exercised their voting rights. Mr. Carayol said that the
success of the Sami election was a clear manifestation of the ability of
Gambians to conduct elections in a free, democratic and peaceful manner. The
returning officer said it was a successful experiment, which could be applied in
the forthcoming local government elections. He also advised the chief-elect to
bear in mind the daunting challenges inherent in assuming the mantle of
leadership in the district.

Election day Speaking about his impressions about the elections, the Deputy
British High Commissioner Bharat Joshi said he was pleased with the way the
election was conducted by the IEC, inspite of doubts expressed concerning its
successful completion. Mr. Joshi said he visited most of the polling stations
and did not see any violence or intimidation. He expressed the hope that both
the forthcoming local government elections and the presidential elections would
be held in a similar atmosphere.

However, in the run-up to the elections the non-partisan nature of the campaign
was questioned by people of Sami especially non- supporters of the former acting
chief Kebba Fanta Comma. A few days to the votes Morro Jawla's supporters and
those of Lamin Ceesay and Abdoulie Mbacke had alleged to The Independent that
former 'militants' of the defunct July 22nd Movement were campaigning for Kebba
Fanta Comma despite calls for a non-partisan electioneering. They alleged that
APRC supporters visited villages asking their inhabitants to vote for Kebba
Fanta Comma whom they described as 'President Jammeh's candidate'.

'If this was the way things should be then the election should have been on a
political platform,' one Jawla supporter remarked. Another man who claimed to be
a native of Pachonki alleged that they were 'threatened by elements of the
defunct July 22nd Movement from the Kombos to vote for the incumbent or else we
would suffer'. However, our reporter in Sami saw former members of the defunct
movement in Kebba Fanta Comma's vehicle, which was laden with gallons of fuel as
his campaign convoy crossed from Janjanbureh towards Lamin Koto.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L
Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html
You may also send subscription requests to [log in to unmask]
if you have problems accessing the web interface and remember to write your full name and e-mail address.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------