Mose, thanks for sharing your experience about the going ons during the
recently held parliamentary elections.  Like most Gambians I'm happy that
Halifa, Sidia, and Hamat won.  We needed more seats to balance the equation
some what, however, it was not meant to be due to the boycott by the UDP.  I
understand the UDP position for boycotting but I disagree with their move
and this is why.

I hear a lot of people talk about the boycott being successful and I'm
wondering what success are they talking about.  For, their voting members
have been disenfranchised; the APRC can and are going to ram through any
legislation that has Jammeh's blessing with only three people to stand in
their way as opposed to a potential 12 or more opposition members; Gambia
becomes worse-off because the mismanagement continues; those countries and
organizations that did business with the APRC are still doing business with
the APRC and more might be added; more loans are going to be signed and
squandared in the next five years; and Jawara has abandoned the coalition.
So, I ask again where is the success in this move?  If the reduced numbers
in the voting boots is what is called a success, what is it for Gambians in
the next five years?  In my opinion, boycotts are followed or preceeded by
civil disobedience.  If they believed that things were rigged, then do like
other oppositions in other countries that want to boycott and demonstrate
against the system to create an athmosphere that the observers if any, would
have to address or at the very least the international community would have
to weigh in, just like is going on currently in Zimbabwe.  On the other hand
if the IEC is the issue, put pressure on them by picketting or sit-ins at
its doors until the issue is resolved.  Alternatively, be active on the day
of the elections and conduct rallies on all the constituencies that were
boycotted and keep the preasure until justice is seen to be done.  Please,
let none tell me that that would have caused bloodshed, for Jammeh's convoy
was blocked at the Sere Kunda Junction during the Presidential election
campaign and nothing happened.  That is an excuse that have been abused and
is getting real old.  Sheriff has already used most of that milage too.  Now
that the UDP does not have any members in the parliament who is going to
listen to them especially when folks are worrying about where their next
meal will come from?  Compounding to that, you now have Jawara jumping ship.
  That to me translate as the death of what's left off the PPP in the
coalition, for the following was to Jawara and not OJ.  President Wade's
trip to The Gambia is also a political point in the APRC score card.  Now
that the international community is signing all kinds of deals with Jammeh
and his rubberstamp parliament, what is the victory in this for Gambians in
general and UDP supporters in particular?  The worsening economic conditions
in the country might also be in favor of the APRC because you cannot tell a
hungry person to not take bread from anyone including the APRC should bread
presents itself, from the vintage point of the marginalized, poor, and
hungry of our lot, not to mention the opportunists abound.  We have to see
things from the viewpoint of those that are in the trenches and not some
where out west.  Five years is a long time in the eyes of our people given
our economic state.  These are my opinions regarding the boycott and would
entertain alternative view points from mine.  Hopefully those in the know
regarding the inner workings of the UDP can help me clear the fog.


>From: Musa Jeng <[log in to unmask]>
>Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list
><[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Recent trip to Gambia continues
>Date: Sat, 16 Feb 2002 20:53:24 -0500
>
>There are other aspects to my recent trip to The Gambia that I intend to
>share with the Bantaba. Hopefully, these other contributions will not
>ignite the emotional and passionate earthquake the first one has generated.
>
>I was in the Gambia during the National Assembly Elections, unfortunately,
>unlike the Presidential elections, this was one election that political
>junkies like myself hated to see. It was a political reality that the UDP
>boycott had a tremendous effect to the whole election process, especially
>in the Greater Banjul Area. The interest level was very low, and the
>election rally coverage on TV was really boring at best. For me, I tried to
>remain focus listened and watched many of the rallies, and to try to enjoy
>and understand political campaign Gambian style. On one of the coverage,
>for the first time I saw and listened to Mr.S.M.Dibba and it was sad. SM
>Dibba, one of the greatest opposition leaders that the country ever had,
>has now become a praise singer to the status quo. The issues are gone, the
>principles fading away, and he is still running against his nemesis
>ex-president Jawara. One may ask, why the sudden change of hearth? Simply,
>there is nowhere else for SM Dbba to go. The man has become a deadwood who
>has spend all his political capital and needed to be rescued. One of the
>realities that daunted on me was that, Gambia’s political generation has
>shifted and changed, the Jawara’s and the Dibba’s do no longer carry that
>emotional following.
>
>There were lots of spinning about the boycott. The APRC was spewing the
>argument that the only reason the UDP boycotted the elections was because
>of the lack of funds, especially when they are absolutely certain of not to
>carry a single constituency. According to them, the UDP, who is still
>wrestling with their presidential disappointment, is in no situation to
>launch a countrywide election campaign, both emotionally and financially.
>As for the UDP, their spin was, the IEC has conducted itself and has
>allowed the institution to be used by the APRC to orchestrate a flawed
>registration process. According to them, the process is so flawed and
>rigged that it undermined the usefulness in participating in a process that
>is already stacked against them. The issue of voter registration switching
>to constituencies that the opposition has a chance of carrying, and the
>IEC’s playing along with the APRC government was enough reason to boycott
>the elections. There were charges and counter charges about the boycott.
>The political reality was that, the boycott was very effective and has
>definitely affected the voter turnout and has brought into question the
>legitimacy of the whole election process. The APRC did not come into power
>through the ballot box; therefore any election boycott fairly or unfairly
>would definitely brought into question the fairness of the process. The
>other point was how would this boycott affect the UDP as a political party?
>Is this the beginning of the end to the UDP party? These are the very many
>questions that only time will tell.
>
>Halifa’s Sallah finally winning a seat in the National Assembly was the
>best news of my entire trip. As a PDOIS supporter, this win was a therapy
>for all of us and a well needed win. It reaffirmed our beliefs to the
>Gambian people, and maybe, difficult as it might have been over the years,
>especially with election disappointment after and other, maybe the PDOIS
>message has been slowly seeping through to the Gambian people.  It is a
>political truism that elections have been won in the Gambia because of
>these fundamental factors: securing vote from a core constituency, and this
>is usually done by appealing the tribal sentiments of the group; using of
>finances and resources, basically appealing to the vulnerability of “what
>is in it for me syndrome”; the creation of structures—selecting of your own
>Division Commissioners, Alkalos, Community leaders and youth organizations;
>and having the power structure of government behind you. This is the
>political reality that PDOIS had to deal with for the last two decades, and
>yet still staying far away from these political dynamics as possible. For
>the APRC, like the PPP before them has used these unfair incumbency
>advantages to the fullest. Even Hamat Bah, the one person that was touted
>for his performance during the Presidential elections, has taken his notes
>directly form the APRC playbook. The candidate has put a TV set with wheat
>grinding machine in every hamlet in Upper saloum, and in a very subtle way
>has appealed to the tribal sentiment of his tribe, the Fulas. Just like the
>jolas voted for Jammeh in droves, the Fulas were also attracted to Hamat
>Bah, the Pularr candidate. And let me be very clear, I am not suggesting
>that Hamat Bah is a tribalist, but with subtlety has exploited the tribal
>benefit to the fullest. And this also goes for the UDP, they have exploited
>the tribal leaning to garner vote. Only PDOIS of all the parties cannot in
>no way no how be associated with capitalizing on tribal politics.
>
>Halifa sallah-PDOIS won the Serekunda seat strictly on principles and
>issues. Every voter that walked into that voting booth and voted for
>Halifa, voted his or her conscience. Yes, it has taken fifteen years, but
>commitment, honesty, decency and staying with strong political beliefs have
>prevailed. Who are these Gambian people that voted their conscience? For
>the first time, with excitement and exuberance I walked into the PDOIS
>headquarters at Churchill’s Town. The compound was full with mostly poor
>average Gambians, no prominent socialite or celebrity, and one of them in
>particular caught my eye. He is one of the voters of conscience. He is a
>handicap gentleman with walking and speech disabilities. He strolled past
>me giggling uncontrollably, with emotions and tears hogged Halifa and would
>not let go. As I continued to watched him, I can see that this win meant a
>lot to him, not because Halifa appealed to this tribal sensitivities, or
>promise of financial gain or a job, but Halifa and PDOIS represent what is
>good and ideal for all Gambians. Like me, the man is stung with what I
>called the PDOIS bug. The PDOIS bug reinforces the importance of
>commitment, truthfulness, honesty and the ideal Gambian democracy that will
>bring about political stability and an environment of socio-economic
>development. There was one general consensus among all Gambians, including
>APRC supporters, and that is if anyone deserves to be in the National
>Assembly is Halifa Sallah.
>
>When I finally sat down to talked to Halifa, and this was just after him
>(Halifa) going through an interview with GRTS, the man was definitely in
>demand. Clearly, my point to him was that he has always been a national
>leader and this win has definitely raised that political reality. As a
>PDOIS supporter, we are interested to see more of PDOIS seats in the NA,
>but also there is a tendency that he would be bugged down with big national
>issues at the expense of representing Serrekunda Central. There is the
>expectation that both him and Sedia are going to take leadership role on
>issues of national importance, and this might affect their elected role as
>representative of Serrekenda Central and Wuli respectively. And wouldn’t
>this tendency to get bugged with big issues jeopardized their elect ability
>next NAM elections. As usual, the response was vintage Halifa, “I am
>elected by the people of Serrekunda Central for the next five years and I
>am going to concentrate my energy an commitment to just that. Any
>re-election in the next five years will have no bearing to my
>responsibilities. Immediately, I will be putting together committees of
>people in Serekunda Central and together we will start addressing the
>issues confronting our community and development efforts” (Well, reading
>from Malick Kah contribution, the formation of these committees have
>already begun). What is very consoling to me from my trip as far as
>politics in the Gambia is that, as far as we still have the Halifa’s and
>the Sedia’s, there is hope that our political process will eventually be
>cleansed and we can all work towards creating a better tomorrow for our
>children.
>
>Thanks
>
>Musa JEng
>
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