Jammeh’s victory was based on sectionalism Opposition member asserts

Amie Sillah of the People’s Democratic Organisation for Independence and
Socialism (PDOIS) has stated that President Jammeh’s victory in the recent
presidential election was based on sectionalism and tribalism. In a chat
with The Independent Sillah said that many Gambians voted on sectional and
tribal lines instead of policies and programmes brought about by the ruling
party, adding that voting on sectional and tribal lines would do the nation
no good. Asked to elaborate on the issue of sectionalism and tribalism in
the country the female politician said that “going deep into Gambian history
only Edward Francis Small tried to enlighten Gambians on nationalism, but by
the time political parties had surfaced sectionalism was already growing
rapidly in the country.”

She asserted that as an incumbent president, Jammeh has the advantages of
access to public fund and control over the instrument of peace and violence.
“He can intimidate and threaten people, engage in corrupt practices and even
issue important Gambian documents to non-Gambians”, she said. She called on
Gambians to shun tribalism, especially the people of the Fonis who declared
their area a ‘no-go-area’ to other political parties during the campaign
period to the extent of violently confronting PDOIS. According to her, only
three percent of the electorate who voted for PDOIS are true Gambians
because they voted for the party’s programme, while the remaining 70 percent
voted for sectionalism and tribalism. She also called on the president to
stop arresting people and sacking civil servants, citing the case of Tombong
Saidy, as an example whom, she said, worked tirelessly for the APRC but
became an unfortunate victims of the regime..






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