This is a very important issue one needs to look at, especially in Gambia.  You guys are right one needs to understand how this system of Patrimonialism and the Politics of Personality operates to be able to understand the political situation.

 Present day Gambia is a unique example were there is systematic concentration of political power in the hands of  Jammeh who has a monopoly on all decision-making within the society.  As a result of this, the entire political and administrative system is characterised by relationships of personal loyalty to Jammeh.

He promotes a cult of personality around him. His presence and every movement dominate the national media. His image is stamped on stamps and his portraits are hung in all public offices. He projects himself as a benevolent father figure directly responsible for people's welfare.

He relies on the award of personal favours to secure his power base. He award public sector jobs to loyal supporters. He distributes public resources to supporters in the form of contracts, cash, jobs and projects. Under these conditions public officials come to occupy their positions more in order to acquire personal wealth and status than for the purposes of providing a public service. Although they receive a salary, they also exploit their access to a number of forms of petty corruption which they see as an entitlement of public office.

This tends to produce a policy of increasing president’s intervention in the economy and the allocation of state resources. Privatised public resources, on the other hand, are for the benefit of presidential loyalists. The impact of these practices on the national economy is profound.  

 Finally, Jammeh’s involvement in the abuse of state resources for his political legitimation and his cohorts is costing the nation a lot.  The constant way in which Jammeh routinely siphon funds from the state treasury to meet his own political needs has become a normal routine.

 These are things we take for granted and assumed it to be human nature but it is not human nature but a habit. Jammeh view himself as both the ruler of the country and its proprietor. He sees his political authority as an extension of the rights of property ownership, with both land and people at his disposal. Citizens are assign duties but have no rights. These in a nutshell weaken democratic development and foster a close relationship between business and politics. Situations were politicians, businessmen, media entrepreneurs and security forces use the political process to vie for control over the economy.

  I believe a complete understanding of Patrimonailism and Politics of Personality in the Gambia and Africa, as a whole will help to readdress the problems we are facing. I hope this debate will continue as Sidibeh has said.

The Struggle Continues!!!

Ndey Jobarteh