My Dear Demba,

Thanks for sharing with me your concerns. I will make a good attempt to respond to them to the best of my understanding and knowledge.

For convenience sake I will leave out the quoted versions from the Foroyaa editorial and concentrate on your notes. You wrote: “Political representation is indeed a contract... actually the responsibility of changing the status quo lies on the shoulders of the leaders and citizens.... if leaders cannot convince citizens to follow them... then they should consider given a new generation the opportunity to lead....”
Demba you said it all and if I am to add anything onto it is to bring back your statement vice-versa. If citizens cannot convince leaders to follow them, guess what will happen. Probably they will end up having gollohs and derrmo’s as leaders.
And for the last bit of your statement quoted above, I will refer to my lovely brother and namesake Modou Mboge’s signature messages to the confused Mathew K Jalllow published in the Gambia Echo. As Mboge asked “where the hell is the new blood”, I will add who is or has denied them the opportunity to lead.

"The future of the Gambia is no longer in the hands of the leaders". Foroyaa. “I disagree with this statement... and add that as long as leaders aspire to represent the people.... the motivation for change equally lies on their shoulders...” Demba

Demba, you have a right to disagree. However, the fact is that it is the who form the majority that can determine the future. The Gambian people have a choice to make and all that those who come before them asking for their consent to lead them do, is to offer them choices. So the choice is theirs. Opposition I unity/alliance or not, the people will have to decide between Yaya Jammeh or from among the rest or yet still to either go on with their ataya. It is theirs hence I agree fully with Foroyaa on this statement:

“No body should love the Gambian people more than they love themselves They should now take a decisive stance on whether they want change or maintain the status quo. They cannot afford to remain apathetic. People give up when they do not have the leaders who are worth the salt. Leaders also give up when they do not have the support of the people who are worth the salt.”

“Politics is about winning... not staying around until chance find you there.... individual party supporters and citizens should start to question how long will their leaders stay around and lead the same failed policies??? Does leadership term limit only applies to the party in government? Charity begins at home... Parties should institute term limits within their ranks.... practice what you preach..... should be the norm.” Demba

Demba, politics is not entirely and exclusively about winning only. If that is the case I see no reason why you should question someone like Hamat calling him a seasonal politician. Demba, let me share this with you. When I read PDOIS’s analysis of it’s participation in the 1987 general elections noting that the future is bright and that they were well aware of the long road ahead, I promised my self to commit to that future struggle. We at PDOIS are well aware of the situation we are in and consciously choose the type and manner of politics we employ. If it was all about winning sake we would not be talking about what obtain in the Gambia. There is also what is called winning with dignity not only winning at all cost.

Whenever, there is that somebody who is willing, able and capable to take the baton, we will assign them the responsibility to lead our party. Until that day comes. But not wannabe’s strolling everywhere except to the battle ground.

Failed policies? You have to elaborate Demba, so I can talk on far my party is concerned. Term limit withing parties? An opinion worth looking into.

Nyang

--- On Wed, 6/16/10, Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

From: Demba Baldeh <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Foroyaa Editorial: 2011 and the Opposition
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Wednesday, June 16, 2010, 5:37 PM

Mr. Nyang,
 
Thanks for sharing foroyaa editorials here:  I thought this paragraph was pretty powerful and leans towards what many are advocating for....
 
Foroyaa has reliably learnt that PDOIS is intensifying its propagation of Agenda 2011 and intends to hold a rally on 31 JULY 2010 at Latri Kunda Yiringanya mosque where it held its first meeting in 1986, to open up its campaign to promote Agenda 2011 on a National Platform.
 
Foroyaa will monitor the activity and tell the people the level of participation of the people. If this initiative lacks popular appeal then Foroyaa would recommend to PDOIS to start a cadre training programme and devote its energy and resources to preparing a new generation of political representatives who would be able to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. No body should love the Gambian people more than they love themselves. They should now take a decisive stance on whether they want change or maintain the status quo. They cannot afford to remain apathetic. People give up when they do not have the leaders who are worth the salt. Leaders also give up when they do not have the support of the people who are worth the salt. It is a contract. Both must see the need to respect it, otherwise the contract will be honoured with utter disregard.
 
The future of the Gambia is no longer in the hands of the leaders. It is now in the hands of the people. What the people give importance to is what will triumph. Hence each Gambian should give importance to what he or she truly believes will serve the National interest in the long run.
 
 
Political representation is indeed a contract... actually the responsibility of changing the status quo lies on the shoulders of the leaders and citizens.... if leaders cannot convince citizens to follow them... then they should consider given a new generation the opportunity to lead....
 
"The future of the Gambia is no longer in the hands of the leaders". I disagree with this statement... and add that as long as leaders aspire to represent the people.... the motivation for change equally lies on their shoulders...
 
Gambia's current opposition leaders need to start thinking on those lines.... we can't continue to do the same thing and expect different results... It has been apparent that the current opposition leaders have not succeeded in convincing the people for the need for change....
 
Politics is about winning... not staying around until chance find you there.... individual party supporters and citizens should start to question how long will their leaders stay around and lead the same failed policies??? Does leadership term limit only applies to the party in government? Charity begins at home... Parties should institute term limits within their ranks.... practice what you preach..... should be the norm.
 
Thanks

Demba
 
 


 
On Wed, Jun 16, 2010 at 11:02 AM, Modou Nyang <[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]> wrote:
2011 and the Opposition

Foroyaa has followed the PDOIS and UDP Congresses and is waiting for the holding of the NRP,NCP, NDAM,GMC,GPDP and PPP Congresses to be able to access whether the opposition parties have alerted their minds to the criticisms that they are yet to build internal party Democracy.

PDOIS held its Congress at the Atlantic Hotel without relying on any external financial support. Hence the Gambian Public will never accept finance as excuse for not holding future PDOIS Congresses. The Public is promised that one will be held next year to facilitate the transformation of the structures of the party, internally and externally.

The UDP held its Congress at the party Headquarters in Soma and the UDP/UK claims to have raised D100, 000 dalasis for the Congress. The Gambian public will also not accept finance as an excuse for not holding Future UDP Congresses. The other parties are yet to hold Congresses and the Media fraternity should find out why.

PDOIS has left the position of Candidature for President open and has agreed to endorse Agenda 2011 which holds that the candidate should be determined through a primary involving the combined force of all those who want change.

The UDP leader claimed that NADD’s registration was a disaster. Hence he has written off any Alliance that is similar to NADD. However the UDP Congress did not state very clearly what type of alliance UPD will accept. Interestingly enough, the NRP leader left people with no doubt that his party is not a part of any coalition at the moment by announcing that, at this moment his party stands alone and that he Hamat is the Leader of NRP. He is yet to indicate when he would stop individual party activity and be part of an Alliance.

The PDOIS Congress was characterised by presentation of papers, their translation into the language of the Congress participants, debate by participants and the final adoption of binding resolution. The UDP Congress was characterized by addresses by party leaders which lasted for two hours, the withdrawal of the leaders and the establishment of working groups. We are waiting to publish any resolution which may emanate from the Congress.

Finally the UDP held a rally on Sunday, 13 June 2010. The attendance was not up to their expectations and the rain did not permit Mr. Darboe to speak. Foroyaa has reliably learnt that PDOIS is intensifying its propagation of Agenda 2011 and intends to hold a rally on 31 JULY 2010 at Latri Kunda Yiringanya mosque where it held its first meeting in 1986, to open up its campaign to promote Agenda 2011 on a National Platform. Foroyaa will monitor the activity and tell the people the level of participation of the people. If this initiative lacks popular appeal then Foroyaa would recommend to PDOIS to start a cadre training programme and devote its energy and resources to preparing a new generation of political representatives who would be able to meet the challenges of the 21st Century. No body should love the Gambian people more than they love themselves They should now take a decisive stance on whether they want change or maintain the status quo. They cannot afford to remain apathetic. People give up when they do not have the leaders who are worth the salt. Leaders also give up when they do not have the support of the people who are worth the salt. It is a contract. Both must see the need to respect it, otherwise the contract will be honoured with utter disregard. The future of the Gambia is no longer in the hands of the leaders. It is now in the hands of the people. What the people give importance to is what will triumph. Hence each Gambian should give importance to what he or she truly believes will serve the National interest in the long run.

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