Mr. Sanneh,

I think you need to make a distinction somehow.  I basically agree that
most of the failures in Jammeh our most African heads of state are
personality failures witin a political context bereft of institutions
strong enough to check the abuse of power.  I will argue that no wise
or good president can avoid the cult of personality if there are no
constitutional guarrantees to check their power.  Power in itself is an
aphrodisiac that corrupts any one if unchecked be it Mandela or Jammeh.
Quoting from your response and echoing Sister Jabou's comments... "one
man rule, a corrupt elite, no term limit,breakdown of the rule of law
and a rubber stamp national assembly."- these are all institutional
problems because the electorate have this blind faith in "vox populi
vox dei" i.e. the paradox of freedom and majority rule.
The Gambian people should focus all political energy towards
institutional changes and not the personality of Yaya Jammeh.  Playing
musical chairs with our pet politicians may bring a short term relief
but will never solve the long term problems of tyranny.

Ebou

Sorry for any errors, I am just waking up from from bed.


>

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