|
Momodou
Denmark
11803 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jan 2006 : 18:44:58
|
The following is a reply by Modou S. Sidibeh to Gambia-L on a discussion Re: NADD or the Birth Throes of a Political Alliance. It seems there is a misinformation going on and the whole thing is sad. I just hope the same mistake of 2001 is not being repeated.
The mole inside NADD executive should be found and weedded out because he/she is tearing the coalition apart by leaking information. I am not saying that the masses should not be informed but that is the job of executive to hold press breifings.
Comrade Kabir and All,
Though hard pressed at work, I felt I need to chip in some observations counter to your informed ones. I have no love for this search for a "leader". Though quite necessary, infact, I think it is almost petty-bourgeios, a population's frantic groping after the most qualified individual capable of delivering us from damnation. Herein lies buried the root of the question "are there any guarantess...". It is a futile business, this looking for a god, a god that will eventually fail.
From inside NADD, Sidia Jatta, Sam Sarr, Halifa Sallah, are all quantities I would bet my life for. (Kindly post here Sidia's classic resignation letter from government sevice when you find it). But considering our wider national political and voting history, whose choices for preseident will any of these gentlemen be?
If the coalition is to remain a coalition and decides to choose a leader from within, capable of kicking out the junta, then Ousainou Darboe is the most obvious choice! He simply commands the largest following in the country; he polled the largest share of the opposition's vote in the last two elections - infact greater than the combined votes of the other presidential candidates. Infact for whatever Gambian reason should he step aside to allow someone else inside NADD to lead? Just why, never mind Pa Nderry Mbaye's pagan reasons about public pressure on him to do so? Which public?
[True, Pa Nderry has every democratic right to report what he wants. But NADD is an ongoing process, and thus can suffer derailment if its deliberations are wired around the world even before reaching conclusions, for obvious reasons. But that is a NADD problem. They must simply shut down Pa Nderry Mbaye's "unimpeachable source" from leaking on matters that are still being debated inside the EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE! Because he is nowhere, Mr. Mbaye is practically everywhere].
ALL over the place, the SOPI coalition in Senegal that ousted Joof in 2000, the NARC coalition in Kenya that kicked out KANU, the six-party coalition that failed to wrest inherited power from Faure Gnassimbe in Togo, it is always the leader of the largest party that leads! But NADD crafted a formula that allows equal representation (from its constituent parties) in its structures, to sort of equate that with the democratic content of subsequent decisions and choices it makes. How wise that is should be a matter for debate. In Senegal, more than twenty leftist parties (or rallies, or movements) joined Wade's liberal PDS to effect the Joof ouster! Looking at it this way, it needs to be said that it is the other qualified candidates who need to rally around Darboe, inspite of all past diferences.
But the problem then becomes what the enemies of the coalition will do about Darboe as flag-bearer. Buharry and others have so eloquently showed us the potential juridical risks. But are those risks compelling enough to outweigh the other weighty risk of a weakened, unorganised and unprepared NADD without a Darboe flagbearership? I do not know. However, it is interesting to note that Dr. Kizza Besigye of the Forum for Democratic Change in Uganda is now dividing his time between appearing in court and campaigning. [Ugandans, unfortunately could not form a coalition against Museveni, another god that failed, now bent on re-authoriting the constitution to perpetuate his rule.
Sister Jabou Joh's question about debunking the NADD agenda for the exercise of personal power is important. How do we guarantee ourselves against such a menacing possibility? A swift pick of flag-bearer must be immediately followed by mobilising all supporting parties to create an organisational body with structures that must promote and sensitise the entire population on the NADD objectives anad strategic goals. A programme of education in theory and practice that must continue even after the elections. The leadership qualities we have come to know from all NADD executive committee members, progressive journalists, youth and gender organisations, all democratic forces including ourselves must get invovled in this democratisation process of the transition period before NADD self-destructs.
In other words NADD must simply get ORGANISED democratically around its agenda. We the people, when strongly organised can ensure that whoever is elected answers to our call. That is why the question of a flag-bearer, as important as it is, should not overshadow the even more important issue of a robust organisation with concrete goals. That I think is the only possible guarantee.
To end this, allow me to reiterate Bambalaye's call for patience. These are historic times in our country. We have never been here before. That is why all progressive and democratic forces need to unify around NADD. It does not mean that we should not debate rigorously. It means that we must exercise humility and tolerance for the views of others, with the hope of playing at least an advisory role to those on the ground in Gambia. Naturally disagreeing on important matters is part of the process. But it is possible to do that in a climate of civility. I think this is a reasonable way forward for those of us behind NADD.
Cheers,
Sidibeh
Source: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list: Gambia-L
|
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
|
Topic Locked
