MOBUTUISM RESURFACES IN THE GAMBIA
Mobutuism is perhaps yet to be given a bitter political definition,but what
ever the case the appropriation of the state by the head of State,the routine
abused of political responsibility and the continuous degeneration of the
State into a state of insecurity and brutality as a method for political
control will be very central in such a definition.
The resurfacing of Mobutuism in the Gambia is a sad story,given the fact
that we have a young president who have been very indignant to the state of
affairs not only in his own country the Gambia but throughout the continent,a
president who would have jubilated like any other ordinary Gambian,soldier, at
the overthrow of the decadent PPP regime.Coming from a poor rural area and
family,no one should have been in the position of understanding poverty with
all that it contains than this young man.The Independent editorial of july
22-23, concluded that we have something to jubilate after five years under
the regime of the Junta because we have new
hospitals and roads.When national development is been reduced to building
hospitals without medication and roads,it shows a picture of how technological
backwardness weigh down so much on our consciousness ,to the extend that
national development becomes no more equated with human development.For
without clean waters you can never have enough hospitals beds,without clean
environment you will always have mosquito colonies like Banjul,thus more
malaria,without enough food you will malnutrition and hunger,without jobs you
will have more crimes and social disorder,thus more soldiers,more police
brutality etc,etc what then becomes the essence of hospital and roads.What
happen when Taiwan can no more pay for the salaries of Cuban doctors ?We know
that our new hospitals have been lacking incubators,and political clans were
on the scene to make their presence felt,they when on collecting money to buy
incubators without questioning how is it possible that the president of the
republic of the Gambia Dr Yaya Ajj Jammeh is able to have a zoo,with animals
from all over Africa feeding them every day,and that Gambian hospitals are
lacking incubators, basic medications ?In an interview with the BBC Dr Jammeh
said among other things,
QUESTION :I want you to tell me about your animals because like we
are in an animal farm.I was really surprise when I I came here ?
ANSWER: You see,the animals are a source of inspiration for me.You
see..watching these animals..I have always love through out my life...I have
seen them behave better that human beings.
.....But what I want to tell you, among the animals there are no lesbians
,no guys or what ever.I have animals from different countries-some from
Mali,some from Niger,some from Mauritania and The Gambia.They have leave here
without discrimination.But we human beings,we are always at each other.
Well people this is Dr Jammeh speaking.It seems this was really George Owels
animal farm.Dr Jammeh blamed human beings for "been after each other" and just
some sentences after he was again lunching attacks against Lesbians and
guys,not only saying that his animals are better than these people(guys and
Lesbians) but that they behave better than other human begins.
In this same issue of the Independent Eagles EYE wrote :
"....Some of the money could have been so well spent on our deteriorating
roads in the sprawling greater Banjul area.At least,in the name of the
revolution,our leaders should have thought of doing something about the
wretched conditions of our roads,which have now been transformed into pools of
dirty water,and impassable for both human beings and vehicles.......of
course,Eagles Eye thought,the owners of the revolution would not know about
the terrible condition of our roads,driving in air-conditioned 4 wheel drives
"
If roads are no longer passable for Human beings as Eagles Eyes said,then if
people must pass that road,Dr Jammeh should not be surprise to see that
Gambians turned to animals by his regime should behave better than his animals
when crossing these pools,they dont have the qualities.His animals will not
swear at crossing these pools,Gambians might do it not only because it is
frustrating but that it is degrading.
I am as concerned as Eagles Eye,do they need all these comfort,4 wheel air
conditioned vehicles, if they are committed to national development,how would
they be able to feel the conditions,the realities on the ground even though
most of them are from poor families,5 years is too long a time.Does president
Dr Jammeh really need Caravans to leave in Kanilia ?How is he expecting to
have contacts with the mosquitos,what about the leaking roofs,how much does it
cost the nation to have those Caravans at Kanilia ?
And in this same Independent issue of july 22-23,UDP was questioning the where
about of the 35 million dollar loan from China,this seems to be different from
the Taiwan deal.The UDP claimed;
"Yahya Jammehs revolution has made him one of the richest men in the West
African sub-region after the looting of 35 million dollars Chines aid to the
Gambia,and other shady deals that has earned him the reputation of being the
most corrupt head of state in Africa "
After five years in political power Dr Alhaji Abdul Aziz Yahya JJ jammeh have
not only gain more names but also being referred to as one of the richest men
in the sub-region.If he is manipulating state property and sending people to
mecca,the caravans,the zoo and still insisting that he has seen his animals
behave better than some human beings,then I have all rights to ask were is my
country heading to !!
Among other things is the unemployment situation.The increasing unemployment
in the country is getting out of hand,a president who is committed to national
development will not think of having a personal Zoo in these trying times,the
resources that are being use to maintain the Zoo could have been used to
,among other things,built a Tomato paste factory,this will not only reduce the
foreign exchange needs of the Nation but will also create jobs for the
youths.
Our People are hungry and are getting poorer,the social consequences are many
and this is no good thing for a small nation like the Gambia.A sister in this
forum was appealing that talks about war in the Gambia be stop because Gambia
is a small nation and could afford war,that is true ,but such appeal should
not be directed to poor us,who are only concern with the state of affairs in
our country,we could turn blind eyes to reality,we all know the reasons behind
the war in Liberia,in Congo,Sierra Leone ect.Any such appeal should be
directed to those who are using force to marginalise the people.People who are
hungry and have no political and economic rights would not care if there is
war,for they would prefer to live than just to exist.The social consequences
are not only drug abuses,the rising crime rates but also the increase number
of young Gambinas who are not able to complete their schooling,this is serious
as far as national development is concern.
There are political thinker who insisted that religion is a drug.It can be
used to arrest the development of the minds of the people.Dr Jammeh did try
this method.He built himself a Mosque at the State house,he brought the
arrogant Imam Fatty to be the face of State House,this did not work.With our
hot sun he dressed himself up as if snow balls are soon to fall down.He used
mosque to make national speeches.And at one time he lunch a serious attack on
our women liberators,accusing them of being in the service of the West.Yes
here is a president trying to tell us that the idea of freedom is that of the
western world,our sister are not capable of thinking freedom.But since these
sister do not entertain bullshitts,their response to Dr Jammeh did not only
proved to him that he could not threaten them to silence but that they have
human minds to think Freedom.Their letter to the president was one full of
dignity,maturity and responsibility.
We have now in the Gambia,the ministry of religious affairs,do we really need
it and for what reason ?and this is even at a time when the Ahmadiyya movement
was put under serious attacks because people like Imam Fatty did not like
them.These are people who have for ages been offering the Gambian People
educational institutions,hospitals without costing the State a single
penny.They have never recruited any Gambian by force.Did the religious affairs
ministry defended their right to existed,their right to practice their
believes ?I am just wondering !
One day when the Gambian people could no longer be silence by the NIA and the
July 22 movement,Dr Jammeh would have to answer many questions.We know he has
only cosmetic infrastrucutures to show,a typical sign of the development of
the underdeveloped,but for how long can hear him telling them that he has
built hospitals for them,when they are dying like flies because of lack of
incubators and basic medical facilities.
The Gambian army is bigger than ever before,it has more military equipments
now than any time of our history.The spending on the military is diving into
the skies.What is all this for,are we in the state of paranoid,when everything
becomes threatening or are we preparing for Kokoi Samba Sanyang ?What is all
these military thing for ?in a hungry country like the Gambia,I am still just
wondering !!
If Mobutu had died for 40 years ago,those who believed in reincarnation would
have swear that he is alive again,only this time in West Africa.But the
personification of the State by Dr Jammeh is no hidden fact.He needed this in
the process of building his new personal image,which has also increased demand
on our national TV and radio station.To head such departments will no longer
be a national issue but a personal issue ,he will fire and hire as he wishes
as far this department is concern.Perhaps this is one of the most important
departments in his propaganda crusade,but this is not his personal property,it
is that of the tax payers.Members of this forum have all rights to believe
that the Director of GRT will never jeopardise the interest of Dr Jammeh in
favor of national development,we have seen his naive defense of Dr Jammeh in
this forum,that made some of us to conclude that he can never be neutral and
loyal to our national interest.
When Syngle Njase was set free,we thought that unlawful arrest and detention
was in and out.The recent arrest and detention of the Independent Journalists
was no comfortable news,whose turn it will be next has again ed returned into
our minds,no matter how long it will be there,it was must never threaten us to
silence !!!
For Freedom
Saiks
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