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BornAfrican
United Kingdom
119 Posts |
 Posted - 11 Feb 2006 : 00:49:39
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I am surprised that not many people reacted to what happened to NADD recently. I have spoken to some people back in the Gambia, and they told me that they are so sad and disappointed that they don't want to find out what lead to the disintergration of mighty NADD. Once again African leaders (in the Gambia for this matter) have shown their true color. The color of hatred, greed, jealousy, wickedness and above all they are nothing but a failure. The future shall judge you. NADD leaders let us all down. Here is an excerpt from what happened on one miraculous day during the first world war:
"On Christmas Eve many sectors along the Western Front did not experience any fire or very little when compared to the previous days in December. Christmas carols were sung between trenches. In the dark of night time, groups of German and Allied soldiers met in No-Man’s Land. No one is sure who started this truce and impromptu meetings but they certainly took place in many areas on the Western Front. Captain R J Armes of the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment arranged, with a German officer, for a cease fire in his sector that was to last until midnight on Christmas Day.
Christmas Day itself started with unarmed German and British soldiers collecting their dead from No-Man’s Land. This has been a pre-condition for a cease-fire. On Christmas Eve night, when the soldiers from both sides had met, they had done so among the bodies of their fallen comrades. In one burial service, German and British dead were buried alongside each other near Lille."
On that day, British and German soldiers played a football match. Who won? i assign good historians to that question.
Couldn't NADD come together just for the sake of Gambians and fight for a common goal? No matter how rough and raggedy the road is, they know we need them. They know what is good for the Gambia, but some evil minded materialistic people who have no intrest of the black Africans at heart have decided to destroy what they helped build with the help of so many great people out there in America.
I AM HEREBY SAYING THANK YOU TO THOSE GAMBIANS IN AMERICA who spent their precious time and meagre incomes to see a new Gambia. Unfortunately, realising the dawn of that new day has been pushed far away into the horizon. Africa has always been a failure. We have failed our brothers all over the world. We remain to be the laughing stock of the world. It hurts. Its distressing as young black people with potentials but scared of heading back home. Tyrans come tyrans go. They have subjected young africans to horrible deaths. We are still digging graves and burrying our brethen from curable diseases like malaria. Yet still this nation with such an ample potential cannot stop and ask ourselves why.
The truth is, those people struggling for power within the ranks of NADD are only intrested in subjecting more people to poverty while opening big fat bank accounts and sending their children to good and expensive universities here in the West. I am not in the Gambia, but i am sure, they are now enjoying all the money given to them by my brothers working in warehouses and restaurants here in the West with sleepless nights. They will buy expensive cars out of that money. The same things happen with all the help that goes out to African governments. Recently the spotlight is on Kenya. With all the aid given to them, their leaders can think of nothing but draining the government coffers. This is African leaders for you. It is us who become leaders. Like my teacher once told me: " if you are not honest with small things, you will never be honest with big things". For us to clean the top, we have to start clean as youth.
FOR THE GAMBIA OUR HOMELAND...
...LET JUSTICE GUIDE OUR ACTIONS
TOWARDS THE COMMON GOOD...
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me |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2006 : 02:07:50
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I am not sure where to start. I have run out of steam and have no energy now to ponder over what is going on at home.
There is an old saying that history repeats itself but i believe it does so with a difference. In or around 1962, Gambians were fighting among themselves for position of Chief Minister to succeed the colonial governor as we were moving towards independence.
I tell you Born African, the same problems that they encountered then is still with NADD. The problem of tribe, region and personal egos have not left us. PPP came into existence as a result of the division between the so called elite in Banjul and the desire of people of the Protectorate to be part and parcel of the future of the Gambia.
It is said that some of those leaders never touched the Gambian dalasi because the hatred they had for Jawara. Those divisions still play in gambian politics. We are yet to ursher in good leaders that have the interest of the governed and personal success takes precedent over national interest.
If you worked in the public service you cannot escape hearing " KEN DUMA REY DESS". This means i am not ready to sacrifice for my country and allow others to enjoy it. Until then, we must be prepared as a people to wallow in poverty, misery and servitude at the doors of those we come to depend on.
Independenec has no meaning unless you are able to provide a descent standard of living to your people, guarantee freedoms without let, and protect life and property within a conducive environment of hope, happiness and respect for one another.
I am pouring my heart out. I cannot but continue.
Colin Powell said that hope is a force multiplier. But you can only hope for some time. To continue without any light in the tunel is to dream with one's eyes open which is very dangerous.
NADD is an alliance that was formed based on conveience. The PPP hated Darboe and for those Gambian who were old enough in 1981, can attest to the fact that Darboe represented many accused people in the foiled coup. Sherriff Dibba owes his life to Darboe and even his job because he would have been jailed and under the present constitution, he could hold public office.
PDOIS was the greatest headache for PPP even though they did not command a lot of following then. The members of the coalition have different political agenda but i believe they should have a common objective of changing the reigns of power.Coalition in its simplest terms means compromise.
Fighting over who should lead to me is a manifestation of individual desires for success at the expense of those they have claimed to be helping. I guess the fate of the Blackman is failure. That is all we grew up seeing around us: poverty, war, hatred, apathy, indifference to the need of others and above all continue to perpetuate hardship on our own people.
You made mention of Kenya. The monthly salary of a Kenyan member of parliament is $5000.00 (United States) in 2004. For some of you who are curently overseas this is no small money here let a lone a country that depends on foreign aid to be able to service its recurrent budget.
i rest my case and predict without fail that so long as we remain as a people divided along individual interest and patronage lines, we are doomed to fail and history will have judged us as a people who not only saw, but knew the signs and chose the part to self destruction.
Long LIve the Republic of The Gambia |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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Galo Sowe
Sweden
116 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2006 : 02:28:32
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| Gambia need people like Dr. Omar Touray who in 1992 elections contested against his elder brother Sajo Touray for the Sami district seat. Dr. Omar Touray at the time stood for PDOIS whilst his elder brother of the same mother stood for PPP. I wonder how many Gambians would take that bold step today? |
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Amna
Gambia
76 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2006 : 07:01:30
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Dear Kondorong,
We are all disappointed with the UDP withdrawal from NADD but please let us be honest with the facts, first there will be no UDP without PPP, GPP and NCP who came together to contest against the APRC.
Secondly you have easily forgotten that NRP, PDOIS and NCP refused to support the UDP-PPP coalition that fought against the APRC in 2001. It was the same OJ who is now villified by the UDP-ists who threw his support after Darbo.
Now Darbo's excuses for leaving the NADD are not only lame but sad. He as a constitutional lawyer took the lead in drafting the wonderful MOU that brought NADD into being, he as The Gambia's foremost constitutional lawyer led the case against the State and IEC in the removal of the UDP, PDOIS and NRP mambers of the National Assembly on the grounds that the registration of NADD rendered the others NULL and VOID. The same Darbo lost that case and was instrumental in NADD fielding and winning 3 out of 4 contested seats for the National Assembly.
Frankly for a lawyer, it is sad that Darbo can do this to all of us. Now having said that, Darbo himself will see UDP disintegrate just like the NCP has been reduced to next to nothing. NADD can and will stay as the Nation's biggest opposition. Kemenseng will not abandon NADD nor will OJ or Halifa and Waa.
Darbo has been perenially a poor politician and though the withdrwal of UDP from NADD is a big blow, it is not a very big blow and if NADD stays on message and on course, it is and remains the most viable option for removing the murderous Junkung regime.
But the first casualty in any conflict is the TRUTH. Darbo's confused and convoluted betrayal and explanation has nothing to do with PPP but Darbo and Darbo will NEVER be PRESIDENT of The Gambia.
UDP will fragment and die or remain a minority party and UDP can succeed in re-electing Junkung for another 5 years and Darbo will go down in our history as the man we trusted for 10 years for him to sell us OUT and HE HAS.
I am on record for supporting and respecting DARBO but that is gone now and FOREVER.
LET US TELL THE TRUTH NO MATTER WHAT.
PEACE |
Amna |
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mldoe
United Kingdom
4 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2006 : 07:46:39
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Amna,
Sure? according to earlie posting on this forum, Darboe said on hiss press conference will held a UDP rally at Brikama where Hamat Bah will be present how is that gone be? If their parties are NULL? |
ml247 |
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Amna
Gambia
76 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2006 : 08:49:12
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MLDOE,
The fact is Darbo is being a dramatist. NADD was meant to be an alliance of parties namely PDOIS, NRP, PPP, UDP, NDAM and GPP but when forced under the Electoral code to register as a PARTY because the code will not recognise NADD unless it is registered and when registered, it is considered a PARTY, the Junkung Government kicked out UDP, NRP and PDOIS out of parliament.
The argument was that registering NADD meant the National Assembly Members have joined NADD and the Constitution does not allow one to belong to two parties and there is a stipulation that if a NAM changes party affiliation, he loses his seat.
So the NAMS of PDOIS, NRP and UDP re-contested their former seats in the Assembly as NADD.
Now, even though Jammeh used the State and the Courts to kick out the UDP, PDOIS and NRP NAMs, NADD -meaning National Alliance for Development and Democracy is an alliance of parties with all parties having equal standing. So the parties were never dissolved, maybe submerged and made domant for the Presidential and Parliamentary elections, and as agreed in the MOU which brought NADD to being, NADD is to dissolve after the RECTIFICATION PERIOD OF 5 YEARS and the NADD FLAGBEARER and PRESIDENT was not to run for a second term or join any of the constituent parties but be a NEURAL ARBITRATOR.
So in fact, NDAM, UDP, PPP, PDOIS and NRP all exist even though NADD was forced to operate as a Party. Darbo is being intellectually dishonest because he took the NADD case against Government and now he is taking Jammeh's position.
NRP is being watched as Darbo has claimed that Hamat will be joining him. The fact is NADD can still proceed because at the end of the day, the only count that matters is that of Gambian voters and the Gambian electorate will chose who they think best to govern and represent them and I think a lot of people who supported UDP did not support UDP in principle but OPPOSED the APRC and UDP was the most viable option in 1996. In 2001, the PPP by joining a UDP led coalition which got about 32% of the vote ensured that UDP does not still know its true strength and Dibba's NCPs single digit vote also means that some NCP stayed with the UDP-PPP coalition [see results attached below]
Now given the last 5 years hardships with both rural and urban folks, and the fact that an estimated 30-40,000 non Gambians voted, from Senegalese especially Casamancais, Peul Futas and Sierra Leonean refugees, that is about 6-8% points as with an electorate of 500,000 each 5000 is 1% vote. Now you can discern why Jammeh changed the constitution from 50% + 1 vote to first past the vote as he know he polled less than 45% in fact to a combined opposition vote of around 55% [this is from Observers who objected to the last minute change by Gabbie Roberts allowing people not on the Electoral roll to vote, these people were largely registered by Ablie Kujabi and housed, coordinated and maintained by Lai Conteh]
Now you can see why it is feared that UDP breaking ranks can cause real problems and give Jammeh a victory in default like Mwanawassa in Zambia, he got in the State House with around 33% of the total vote.
if UDP gets even 17%, that NCP retains its 3% or joins the APRC, that leaves 80%, if Jammeh can get even 41%, then the remaining vote is 39% and Jammeh wins.
So if UDP breaks ranks, the NADD coalition especially the PPP must first retain Hamat Bah's 3%, PDOIS 3%, NDAM will get about the same 3%, and PPP must poll for NADD at least 35% for victory at around 41%.
Without the break in ranks, NADD could have easily secured 50% of the vote.
NADD must first try to coopt UDP again and failing which NADD must run against both Jammeh and UDP and cast a vote for UDP as a vote for Jammeh.
One must also note that the APRC is weakened..after the loss of Baba Jobe [its financier and muscle man, Lai Conteh to deliver Banjulians and its reported corruption which has disappointed many die hard believers in the boys, the wealth and obsequious display of new found wealth by Yanks, Edu and the APRC elite and lastly the hardships, there is real hardship and the development agenda or the parroted developments have stalled and are stale: the airport terminal is collapsing and leaky, the transgambia highway has deteriorated to the pre 1965 levels from Brikama to Brikamaba, even the monolithic support in the Fonis have been eroded by interfighting and arrests and detentions of Chiefs, Alkalos, party militants]
Yaya cannot win 2006, only the OPPOSITION can lose and UDP and Darbo have taken a step in that direction, sadly.
Long Live The Gambia and God BLESS
..............OFFICIAL RESULTS OF 2001 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN THE GAMBIA........................................
Candidate: Yahya A.J. JAMMEH
Party: Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC)
Valid votes received: 242,302
Percentage of valid votes: 52.96%
Candidate: Ousainou DARBOU
Party: United Democratic Party (UDP)
Valid votes received: 149,448
Percentage of valid votes: 32.67%
Candidate: Hamat BAH
Party: National Reconciliation Party
Valid votes received: 35,671
Percentage of valid votes: 7.80%
Candidate: Sherif Mustapha DIBBA
Party: National Convention Party (NCP)
Valid votes received: 17,271
Percentage of valid votes: 3.78%
Candidate: Sidia JATTA
Party: People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism
Valid votes received: 13,841
Percentage of valid votes: 3.03%
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Amna |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 11 Feb 2006 : 09:14:10
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This is very interesting and complex. If one party can achieve over 50% that is a very high mandate. In Uk it is nothing like that.
How come people not on the register are allowed to vote???? How doyou stop people voting more than once if that is the case????
I agree that the airport and the main road needs improvement.
Now bags are scanned coming into the country the arrivals room is chaotic. If there are going to be more flights coming in to the country (Gambia experience is talking of more regional flights from uk) the arrivals area needs expanding.
Departures, by contrast always seems well organised to me......
The road needs improving to stop further deterioration.
To return to the original point.....Gambians just need to unite to make sure the opposition become the government. Please just concentrate on that. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 13 Feb 2006 : 18:56:53
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Amna
I agree with your analysis of the situation on the ground. i have no hatred for APRC NADD or any political party. They are all Gambians who have a right to elect and be elected.
I hope we are a party that represents the needs of Gambians. it is very unfortunate that UDP is no longer with NADD but that should not deter us from winning the minds of Gambians for a change of power at the elections.
To give up is to accept defeat.. We must continue determined like never before and democracy always needs nurturing and vigilance otherwise it will be gone before you know it.
I am not sure how effective the remaining parties in NADD will be. By the way is NCP part of NAAD or has it joined APRC or are they going to contest the elections alone. I am confused because Sherriff has not resigned from the NCP and he is the speaker of the house. He is second in line according to the constitution to be president incase Yaya and Isatou Njie Saidy are incompetent to hold office.
The whole political landscape is a mess. If kemeseng is still in the coalition and his party is out where is he. I think the electorate needs to be enlightened sooner than later as to what is going on otherwise there will be a lot of confusion on the gorund.
We all have to accept that come 2006 November, APRC will sweep the polls because every division is a gain for the incumbent assuming that APRC memebers have not switched.
I wish all the politicians the best of 2006 at the polls and hope they all have the same objective of improving the lives of every Gambian in every corner of the country.
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“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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Amna
Gambia
76 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2006 : 07:40:39
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Dear Kondorong..
No NCP is not a member of the opposition NADD alliance. NCP did ally or enter an alliance with the APRC in the 2002 National Assembly elections but did not manage to get any one of its members elected to the National Assembly, only defeated NCP Presidential candidate Sheriff Dibba was nominated and made Speaker of the National Assembly which led to cries of sell out, that Dibba sold out the NCP for personal gain, a position I hold.
Kemenseng stood as NADD candidate and won in the last by election. It seems he is stayong with NADD which is welcome news for those who support the Opposition alliance. Hamat Bah has already broken ranks and in Brikama, he claimed that after Yaya, it is Darbo and himself Hamat who have had the most votes and therefore they should lead the OPPOSITION alliance. I am convinced these two have concluded in their minds that they have defeated Jammeh and seems to be fighting for the Presidency and Vice. Dembo byforce Bojang of Bakau and Shyngle Nyassi have also abandoned NADD for UDP.
NADD now is made up of PDOIS-PPP-GPP-NDAM and still has in the National Assembly Halifa, Sedia and Kemeseng.
Peace |
Amna |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2006 : 09:05:44
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Sorry Amna, can you eplain that last sentence a little more for me. Can you tell me what the acronymns stand for, who are the leaders of each individual party and which group in society they originate from...ie who are their main core of supporters and who do they proport to represent.
I am reading ALL the policital postings as I am very interested in the election and the future of the Gambia..... But as an outsider I do find it hard to follow. |
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BornAfrican
United Kingdom
119 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2006 : 18:05:16
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kondorong,
believe in me a lot of people have given up. Can't you see the defeat written all over the place? Do you think those two evil Bah and Darboe can unseat King Kong Yaya? He will crush them like cocroaches (which they are). Amna's statistics is very correct. I know King Kong does not still have the 52% he had because a lot of people don't trust him anymore, but the split in NADD has angered a lot of people. Infact, i am forseeing a lot of people abstaining from voting next elections because they know the reality already.
The NADD leaders are an embarassment to all of us. I won't blame it on only stupid Darboe and Bah but all of them. There has been fights among them, which they all know will lead to one thing: "break up". They could have stopped it but they were individually busy trying to find where to lay their pawns on the chess board. When selfish people come together with their personal agendas, they never achieve anything. The story of NADD is over, there is no other way to put it.
Gambians will have to pay the price unfortunately. |
me |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2006 : 18:43:05
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Yes. sadly ordinary Gambians will pay the rice if no cahnge hapens at the elections. As dictators go on and on.they feel their power stronger and tighten the reigns...things will get much, much worse. I fear for the lives of some of my friends.
Please vote for the opposition ........ |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 14 Feb 2006 : 23:18:27
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It is often said that we are who manages us. Inshort, we are are a reflection of our society. Gambia has been very unfortunate throughout its history. The British never developed the colony and followed by a period of ineptitude and complacency under the PPP,terror under King Kong and betrayal by NAAD to save the motherland.
I think our National Anthem means nothing to Gambians. The words are very powerful and should be a source of inspiration for all of us. The problem that we will be facing will affect all of us. standard of living is falling so rapidly and providing three square meals is a thing of the past. There are no more "NYAMI MBAM". In fact all the MBAMS have died in Serrekunda a testimony of the times.
i have lost hope for now and will quietly follow events from a distance and still dream that some one patriotic will be able to galvanise and unite the country before November 2006 polls. May be i am day dreaming.
Kondorong |
“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it--always.” |
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Amna
Gambia
76 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2006 : 18:51:03
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Hi Bev,
Sorry I have been busy of late. The PPP-GPP-PDOIS-NDAM are the party initials of People's Progressive Party, the Independence and former ruling party that was overthrown in 1994 by the military clowns under Junkung,
GPP- Gambia People's Party wss formed in the 1980s by former Vice President Assan Musa Camara who is now chairman of NADD;
PDOIS - People's Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism started as a psuedo communist loony left party in the 1980s and has now jettisoned Marxist Leninism under now NADD coordinator Halifa Sallah and NADD MP Sedia Jaata.
NDAM - National Democratic Action Movement was formed in 2002 by Lamin Waa Juwara, former UDP strongman, former Independent Maverick MP in the last democratic parliament overthrown in 1994 and former maverick and dissident PPP MP who suffered greatly under Jammeh and the AFPRC and left the UDP in disgust at what he termed Darbo's cowardice.
UDP - the United Democratic Party was formed hastily in Aug 1996 to contest the first elections after the coup when all the first republic parties except PDOIS were banned by the military junta.
NRP- National Reconciliation Party was also formed in 1996 by Hamat Bah, former Hotel Manager and contested the 1996 and 2001 elctions.
NADD- National Alliance for Democracy and Development came into being in 2005 to form a united front to dislodge the APRC.
The APRC -Alliance for Patriotic Re-orientation and Construction was formed in 1996 as the successor party and vehicle of the AFPRC -Armed Forces Provisional Ruling Council, the name of the 5 man military junta that overthrew The Gambia's democratic government in 1994.
I hope this is helpful.
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Amna |
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gambiabev
United Kingdom
3091 Posts |
Posted - 16 Feb 2006 : 19:27:39
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| Very helpful thank you..... |
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