Barrow and the Broken Promise
There are moments in history when people rise up to speak against evil. In 2016 when our country was at a time of maximum danger, Gambians stood up to condemn the dictatorship that wreaked havoc in our society for 22 years. Our actions proved to the world that no regime, military or political force can crush the will of a people united by a collective desire for freedom.
During the course of our struggle, a popular catchphrase emerged — ’The Gambia Has Decided.’ This mantra symbolized our resolve and common purpose to defying tyranny and once again setting our country on the right path. We were unified by an unshakable will that never again shall we allow the abuses of the past 22 years to be repeated on our shores. When truth prevailed against evil, we celebrated in unison to the rebirth of our nation; a tiny liberated country that became a beacon of hope for Africa and a global symbol of democracy for people living under the brunt of tyranny.
The coalition government has undoubtedly made significant strides in some areas. On the domestic front, the media is free, arbitrary arrests, disappearances and unlawful detentions have all ceased. The economy is improving and our standing in the international community has also improved significantly. The Janneh commission, the work of the CRC and the TRRC are all testimony to the competence and capabilities of illustrious Gambians making a huge difference in the new government.
However, recent events and political developments in our country also show that we our nation has been freed from the clutches of political tyranny, but we have not completely escaped from the imminent dangers and risks that attend many successful liberation struggles. With the passage of time, as true colors emerged and various political intentions manifested, severe political fault lines developed that sent the coalition government into a tailspin.
The political rhetoric and distraction that followed the refusal of the president and a few of his coalition partners to abide by the electoral promise of serving three-years left the country in uncertainty. Politically, the country is deeply polarized with a landscape that is becoming increasingly toxic. The current mood in the people is starkly different from the fanfare and general optimism that greeted Barrow and his administration when they assumed office.
Today, many are concerned that the old dirty tricks, political deception, ungoverned ambition, economic greed, arrogance and unethical behaviors that were hallmarks of the previous APRC regime are alarmingly at play in our country again.
Gambians at home and abroad are demotivated and left with the feeling that our country has ran out of one abusive relationship into another.
How did we get to this state of political gridlock?
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This is an intriguing question, however, finding the answers is certainly beyond the scope of this paper. What is paramount and most salient at this crucial juncture is how to motivate political action and honest dialogue towards addressing the lack of visionary leadership that threatens to stifle the opportunities that followed the 2016 electoral victory. To keep our political leaders honest, it is important to keep steering the pot. Democracy survives on questioning and constant motion.
Democratic citizenship demands selflessness — a selflessness that compels us to rise up to defend the weak and speak our minds when things are not going right. In order to ensure good governance and inclusive development. for every Gambian, it is important we remain vigilant and not allow our gains from December of 2016 to slip through our hands. Our political leaders and public officials should be held accountable. As nation that is emerging from 22 years of political tyranny and economic mismanagement, it’s imperative we oblige our leaders to respect our sovereign will and work towards the common good.
As the old Gambian proverb, “a hut that is thatched in deception will never fail to leak.” The refusal of president Barrow and his coalition government to respect their electoral promise could have severe ramifications in our current political leadership. As custodians of the law, the coalition government is expected to be led by a man of high moral standing who upholds the truth. A leader that lacks uprightness is certainly not a leader that could win the confidence and respect of his countrymen or partners within the global community. The Gambia is at crossroads and what we need in our country now more than ever, is an ethical and inspirational leadership. A compassionate political leadership guided by truth and humility. We need a political leader to soothe our pains and assuage our fears, not a leader whose actions or words remind us of the dark days we endured.
Individually and collectively we are perception creators, the level of tolerance we show dictates how we should be perceived or treated. When we don’t like their political behaviors, we have the means to change that. With the veil of fear lifted, the onus now falls on us now to decide what course The Gambia will take into the unknown future. One thing that certain is this; if we fail to stand up for what is right and fight the injustice rearing its head in our country, we will continue to wallow in decadence.
A great political debate has emerged recently between advocates clamoring for the current administration to honor the three-year term and those propagating for the five year constitutional mandate. There is interesting paradox to the argument surrounding the three year promise and the five year constitutional mandate. The paradox is when Barrow and the coalition partners sold the three year mandate to the voters, were they oblivious to the five year mandate? If they were, that lends credence to the criticism that Barrow is an inept and incompetent leader with a limited knowledge of the laws and certainly has no business to man the affairs of our state.
If Barrow and the coalition partners were fully knowledgeable of the law, then one can argue that when they sold the promise of a three-year term to the voters, they were in utter contempt of the constitution. Whether the promise was genuine or not is immaterial. President Barrow nor his band of political brothers in the government have a weak case in using the constitution to their defense. An ethical leader with a true conscience should be ashamed of embracing the provisions of a constitution he disrespected in the first place to climb to power.
The constitution unequivocally called for a full five-year mandate, however, based on their past and present actions, the writing is also clearly on the wall to see if our political leaders in power be trusted?
God bless The Gambia!
Sheriff Kora
