Suntou, was the party-led coalition concept developed or fully
explained.? Was its objective and purpose communicated to the
understanding of people who might register an interest in it?
Where do you want to go with this party-led coalition? We don't know.
And don't tell me only those you negotiate with behind close doors
should know. We are also interested to know.
And I will tell you why we are interested to know. Under our system of
governance, we have an executive presidency. The president is elected
by the people, and it is only the people who can remove the president
from power. The parliament can also remove the president from power
with a vote of no confidence. But given the nature of our parliamentary
system and the role that the executive play in it, this is not likely
to happen. It has never happened, and it will never be.
Second, the nature of the presidency itself is such that the president
has a lot of powers. With such powers the president can, and has the
tendency to manipulate all the structures of governance, to the extend
that an atmosphere of invincibility and longevity is created. This is
turn creates an aura of patronage, sycophancy and loyalty, that
undermines all democratic efforts and inclinations to change. This
results eventually to the perpetuation and consolidation of power. Thus
the reason why Presidents stay in power for years wining all election
cycles.
Now the question we want to asked is : what would be the nature of the
government under a coalition led by the U.D.P?
Remember if the UDP presidential candidate is also the coalition
candidate, if elected it is only that candidate who can form a
government. The coalition cannot form a government. The candidate who
is elected can form that government.
The second question we want to asked is: how can other parties in the
coalition, given that they have different programs and policies as
individual parties, participate and influence the programs and policies
of the coalition government?
As the government that would be in power, the UDP would have had their
own programs and policies.
The third question we would like to ask: what would be the duration of
the coalition government before another national election is called,
whereby all the parties in the coalition can contest on their own?
Remember, also, according to the Gambian constitution elections can
take place every five years. In that case does it mean that the
coalition candidate who is elected president should serve for five
years. Or should there be a constitutional amendment to shorten the
duration of the coalition candidate to serve for a lesser term? This
also brings into question the issue of term limits.
All the opposition political parties want term limits. They want terms
limits to be introduced in the constitution, or in an amended
constitution that they will conceive. However, at what point should the
terms limits be introduced and become effective?
The UDP manifesto has term limits of two five year terms for the
presidency. If the UDP presidential candidate, who will also be the
coalition presidential candidate, is elected president at what point
should terms limits become effective. Should he serve a term of one
five years, then elections are called and the next person who is
elected will start the two five year term limits. Or should he serve
the full two five year term limits for a period of ten years, it
elected again by the people.
Suntou, these are types of issues that we would want to see addressed.
These are the types of questions that a developed party-led concept
would try to answer. Give us the answers and if convinced we will
support you.
The task here is not merely to change a government or a leadership. The
task is to change the way our government has been administered for over
three decades.
Rene
-----Original Message-----
From: suntou touray <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Sat, Aug 13, 2011 8:17 pm
Subject: Re: [G_L] [>-<] Mathew K on Coalition and the Point Newspaper
"But this time around a new concept was introduced. A party-led
coalition. This concept was not developed or fully explained; its
objective and purpose was not thoroughly harnessed, and as a
consequence lost its traction. Nobody knows what are the objectives of
this agenda, and therefore, nobody takes it very seriously." Rene
"Your statement above is untrue and a clear testimony of the hangover
of foolish pride in the so-call intellectual capability of the the
PDOIS guys. If indeed somehow they are the Messianic brains Gambia is
waiting to lift us from banishment, why is it that, after 26 years,
they are still an infant in a small nation of 2million people?"
Was the party-led coalition concept developed or fully explained? Was
its objective and purpose communicated to the understanding of people
who might register an interest in it? Where do you want to go with this
party-led coalition? We don't know.
"Better you tell us that, with all the grandstanding and prelude
to self-sanctification, PDOIS cannot be the way, because, they don't
know how to get the votes. If they exist to write academic papers, they
should open a University and leave politics alone."
,
When was any of their political ideas tested for its workability?
Never. Why then can't the Great Halifa mastermind his own way to
national Assembly with his great Brains?
Enough of your truncated half-wit as fact.
A party led Coalition is the simple mechanism the Senegalese use, the
Kenyans, the Indians, the Brazilians etc. It is the majority party line
the British use, now tell me where has the Agenda 2011 being tested?
May be in the Wulli Bye-Election I forgot. It seems the great brains
get it wrong when it comes the testing of their scientific ideas,
somehow, the whole mechanics collapse to nothingness.
Party Led Coalition is base on the workability of allowing the party
with more votes and the capacity to generate even more with the combine
force of other minority parties. The logic is so ordinary, time is not
wasted on banana republic plots to put a stiff fight against an
incumbent.
The perticipant parties come together, agree on issues incrementally
and fight the elections.
You don't need merry go round just because a less popular leader thinks
he can hijack the system by refusing to acknowledge his limitation as
in the case of the whole NADD scenario.
Unless PDOIS make it clear that, they're uninterested in the removal
Jammeh, but more interested in been seen as the Intellectual power
house of Gambian politics, which will be more visible in a dictatorship
than otherwise, folks should stop twisting the truth.
By the way, PDOIS does not even move their own agenda or idea let alone
that of the opposition. The unnecessary noise will continue to drum on
you, but we know their dept and leverage.
Suntou
On Sat, Aug 13, 2011 at 2:25 PM, <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
Haruna, what sentiments do you share with Bamba Mass about what I
wrote? Do you also disagree that it is PDOIS that drives the opposition
political agenda?
Well, there is a basis for my acknowledgment that it is PDOIS that
is driving the opposition political agenda. What is the opposition
political agenda anyway?
There is an agenda for the individual opposition political parties,
and there is an agenda for all the opposition political parties that
they wish to share in common.
The agenda for all the political parties is that they wish to form
a coalition, a united front, against the ruling government to bring
about a change of leadership and government. This agenda first started
when the opposition political parties decided to come together to form
NADD.
PDOIS has been instrumental in the development of the concept,
objective and purpose of this agenda, to the extend that some people
surmise that the NADD agenda was a PDOIS agenda. This is the first
point to note.
After the collapse of NADD, for reasons too familiar with most of
us, and having realized that it is almost impossible for the opposition
political parties to singularly make an impact against the incumbent
government, the idea of an opposition political agenda resurfaced.
And it is the same idea, getting all the opposition political
parties together to form a coalition, a united front, against the
ruling government to bring about a change of leadership and government.
But this time around a new concept was introduced. A party-led
coalition. This concept was not developed or fully explained; its
objective and purpose was not thoroughly harnessed, and as a
consequence lost its traction. Nobody knows what are the objectives of
this agenda, and therefore, nobody takes it very seriously.
Then comes Agenda 2011. Characteristic of PDOIS, the concept was
fully developed, it has an objective and a purpose.
And it is the only opposition political agenda on the table at
the present. So who is driving the opposition political agenda?
Rene
-----Original Message-----
From: Haruna Darbo <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Fri, Aug 12, 2011 7:21 pm
Subject: Re: [G_L] [>-<] Mathew K on Coalition and the Point
Newspaper
Uncle Mass, I share your sentiments on Rene the no.1 PDOISard. I just
want to caution you that he's your brother not sister. I made the same
mistake when I was first introduced to Badjan. I must admit the name
Rene is not usually for males in Gambia. Perhaps he could start
spelling his name right.
Haruna. Thanx Mass for sharing. I haven't even read all of what Badjan
wrote in that note but I know I'm safe with your reaction knowing the
history of Badjan, the diehard PDOISard. He could see a redhot iron and
grab it to find out if its really hot.
-----Original Message-----
From: Bamba sering Manka Mass <[log in to unmask]>
To: GAMBIA-L <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thu, Aug 11, 2011 12:54 pm
Subject: Re: [G_L] [>-<] Mathew K on Coalition and the Point
Newspaper
It looks like my dear bajan is day dreaming when she suggests that
PDOIS drives the opposition political agenda. That is what most of you
think and thats why most of you think you can take us all for a ride?
Well madam you are in for the surprise of your life if you and your
prophets think Gambians still live in the 18th century.
Just continue day dreaming I only pray you don't knock anything that
might hurt you for despite political differences you still a Gambian
and my sister. I must tell you with your comming out for the first time
exposing your thoughts out to all readership, is good but maybe others
didn't know as for Us in the UDP we knew already that PDOIS thinks they
drives the opposition agandas and we laugh at those thoughts. Because
if that is the general feeling, then how comes you cannot drive
politics in the Gambia. You know thats a detard illussion of the 16th
centuries come up and mature up please those days of cat and mouse are
gone Gambians are far mature than those childish thoughts of yours.
Gambia has a bigger problem that affects us all and together we can
tackle it. Stop your those thoughts at the doors of your party
headquaters please and confront the Gambia problem thats what you set
your party up for not playing cat and mouse with the lives of Gambians.
As for whether UDP would stay well as you are not a member of the
party, you cannot know our policies and there so ignorant you would be
about us. But not to waiste time, only time will tell you if we are
here to stay.
Thanks and stay dreaming.
king
Date: Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:43:25 -0400
From: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [>-<] Mathew K on Coalition and the Point Newspaper
To: [log in to unmask]
It looks like Mathews take on PDOIS is not govern by any sense of
rational inquiry, but by a desire to malign and castigate as is always
the case when he writes about PDOIS.
It also looks like Mathew does not have a through grasp of the
dynamics that surrounds the political reality in Gambia, if so, he
would not have been making statements that runs contrary to what is
actually happening on the ground.
When opposition to a political dispensation is not characterized by
a sense of principle and purpose; when such opposition is merely the
desire to change the leadership of the country, because it has fallen
into the wrong hands (into the hands of the JOLA minority), the
political narrative becomes an intensive campaign of vilification,
demagoguery against the status quo, and criticisms just about anything
and anyone who stands in the way of bringing down such a leadership.
PDOIS bears the brunt of these criticisms because of its principle
stand on issues of governance; and the mission and vision it has
articulated so profusely that does not favor the "lets get rid of them
by any means possible" or "lets get rid of them now, then decide the
fate of the country later," that is being propagated by our political
pundits and diaspora intellectuals who will rationalize any argument as
a justification for their position.
Because Mathew is so critical about anything PDOIS, he will jump at
every opportunity to make scathing statements about PDOIS or its
leadership, even if such statements are not grounded on facts or
reality.
For how else can Mathew infer that the fate of PDOIS is
inextricably tied to the success or failure of the United Democratic
Party. This is the most lamentable statement I have ever read as a
political commentary in Gambian politics. It is neither grounded on
fact or reality. The fate of PDOIS has never been tied to the success
or failure of the UDP, and never will.
The simple reason for this is that, the vision, mission, principles
and policies that guide the existence and survival of PDOIS as a
political party for more than three decades, just cannot be equated
with the UDP that has a different vision and mission. And If Mathew
tends to make this summation based on electoral gains, let him be
reminded that it took almost a century for the ANC to succeed in South
Africa.
And no matter how big a political party or its following, without a
strong foundation it will come tumbling down like Humpty dumpty. What
happens to the P.P.P.? Whats happens to the N.C.P? They were the
largest and biggest political party and opposition political party in
the country prior to 1994.
Who drives the opposition political agenda? Mathew may not agree,
but certainly it is PDOIS. They are the ones who are making the public
statements; writing the political blueprints and objective standpoints
that seek to guide the evolution of a process, that will help
eventually to bring about a change of government. What irks people like
Mathew is that they don't want a process; they want PDOIS to fall
behind the UDP and help to hand over the government to them. This is
not going to happen. All the name calling is not going to do the trick.
"In my singular opinion, PDOIS owes it highest loyalty to itself,
and its storybook in The Gambia’s political
landscape has been solely a marketing strategy whose aim is to
articulate by word and actions, the brilliance of the ideal; its own
ideal, with the hope of attaining political power by whatever means
through a highly suspect and superficial political brinkmanship.
PDOIS’s trite approach to the formation of a coalition is predicated on
its nebulous, if not Ad Nauseum subliminal references to the leadership
of the United Democratic Party. But the UDP does not answer to PDOIS’s
agenda nor is it obliged to fulfill what the PDOIS leadership seems to
characterize as the precondition to a coalition formation. For a
coalition to come into fruition, PDOIS must subordinate its authority
to UDP without attempting to dictate the agenda, for only then will its
hope for an eventual elevation to national and international prominence
ever come close to becoming reality"
Arguably the above statement is devoid of intellectual inquiry, that
has the basis to argue any of the points that enumerated.
From: suntou toura <[log in to unmask]>To: The Gambia and
related-issues mailing list
<[log in to unmask]>; gambiapost
<[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thu, Aug 11, 2011 4:57 am
Subject: [>-<] Mathew K on Coalition and the Point Newspaper
www,senegambianews.com
Excellently written and well argued. The UDP have to up the anti, the
base is there and the youth connection, the brave Gambian women wing is
prime and ready. Let us give peace a chance by politically standing our
grounds. Let the Leadership continue to appreciate the urgency of NOW.
We can do it.
Thanks MKJ.
Suntou
Mathew backs UDP-led coalition, lambasts PDOIS leadership, The Point
newspaper
Published 08/10/2011 - 9:27 p.m. GMT
Rate This Article:0
Credit - ousainou
Ousainou Darboe, UDP leader speaking at a political rally
Slide Show
Of phantom heroes and degenerate journalists
By Mathew K Jallow
In today’s Gambia, the Orwellian dystopia is no longer that vision of
impending doom. It is real and it is here; surreal and mind-numbing,
not just because we let it to fester, but also because a whole nation
has allowed its dignity and pride to be subservient to Yahya Jammeh’s
unforgiving Machiavellian small-mindedness. Any effort at qualifying
The Gambia’s level of despondence under Yahya Jammeh will be an
understatement.
But now, as another election season dawns on us and the political echo
chambers churn out a false sense of outrage and fake fury, the
political debate is being framed for failure, and no one is impressed.
It is painfully obvious that the Peoples Democratic Organization for
Independence and Socialism has still not learnt from simple arithmetic
that under Yahya Jammeh’s monarchy, its fate is inextricably tied to
the success or failure of the United Democratic Party; and not the
other way around. The past three election cycles saw an alliance of
political parties marketed as the panacea for the opposition’s woes;
the terminal solution, if you will, that will write the last chapter of
Yahya Jammeh’s inglorious reign and his Armed Forces Provisional Ruling
Council party’s post-mortem and epitaph. But I beg to differ; even
though I have oscillated from a coalition advocate, to my impersonal
but scurrilous criticisms of UDP’s leader Ousainou Darboe’s failure to
recognize, not only the existential threat UDP poses to the reign of
Yahya Jammeh’s military regime, but also to his party’s seeming
inability to leverage the obvious threat of UDP’s power and prestige to
Yahya Jammeh menace, in order to turn that political advantage into
electoral success.
The absence of coalition notwithstanding, Ousainou Darboe’s UDP has the
potential to grow into a formidable political war machine that can
overcome any barrier created by Yahya Jammeh’s infinite state power and
resources. But even this close to the elections, the UDP’s ground-game
appears to lack the sense of urgency Gambians attach to ending the
political tyranny and economic nightmare that have turned our country
into an Orwellian oasis in the middle of our part of Africa.
Consequently, this make or break election season has yet to assume any
broad significance to the general Gambian electorate, not necessarily
out of political apathy, but in my view, out of the opposition’s faulty
messaging and irrelevant message. This reality was encapsulated in two
recent editorials primed on the pages of both The Point and Foroyaa
newspapers. Once again, impelled by dogma and fixated on scoring cheap
political points, PDOIS set the blogosphere ablaze with its moral
grandiosity and delusional political brinkmanship; all to no effect.
But what drives PDOIS’s veneer of messianic sanctimony and its sense of
its mythical aura, also drives its inflated sense of its political
statute and clouds its sense of objective judgment.
By its imperial pontification, PDOIS has seized the opportunity to
gleefully; if not maliciously frame the debate entirely around painting
the UDP leadership as godless political straightjackets. But the
reverse is the reality. My point is this, PDOIS’s demagoguery and
holier-than-thou approach to the formation of a coalition has a
disingenuous quality to it that is textbook Darwinian. But the sooner
PDOIS recognizes that in spite of the make-believe image it tries to
project of itself for public consumption, it is UDP that drives the
opposition agenda; not PDOIS. In my singular opinion, PDOIS owes it
highest loyalty to itself, and its storybook in The Gambia’s political
landscape has been solely a marketing strategy whose aim is to
articulate by word and actions, the brilliance of the ideal; its own
ideal, with the hope of attaining political power by whatever means
through a highly suspect and superficial political brinkmanship.
PDOIS’s trite approach to the formation of a coalition is predicated on
its nebulous, if not Ad Nauseum subliminal references to the leadership
of the United Democratic Party. But the UDP does not answer to PDOIS’s
agenda nor is it obliged to fulfill what the PDOIS leadership seems to
characterize as the precondition to a coalition formation. For a
coalition to come into fruition, PDOIS must subordinate its authority
to UDP without attempting to dictate the agenda, for only then will its
hope for an eventual elevation to national and international prominence
ever come close to becoming reality.
In the same vein, The Point newspaper’s attempt at sanctifying Yahya
Jammeh’s image and that of his AFPRC party, whether done deliberately
or inadvertently, underscores the paper’s lost glory and its lack of
purpose and direction.
In its editorial, the paper admonished politicians to hone in on issues
relating to agriculture, education and health, but failed to make any
reference to the corruption and gross human rights violations that
include murders and extrajudicial killings, which are uppermost in the
minds of Gambians. The Point newspaper’s effort at defining the
political talking points for the opposition is not only mischievous but
appears to be self-serving, and goes beyond mere self-censorship to
currying favors with the regime.
The Point newspaper’s visionary, the late Deida
--
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