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Momodou
Denmark
11644 Posts |
 Posted - 01 Mar 2007 : 13:04:38
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FOCUS ON POLITICS
THE ROAD TO INDEPENDENCE, BUMPY
By Suwaibou Touray
Continued from: http://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3195
The road to independence was bumpy precisely because the political parties which emerged in the 60s to lead this country were not based on sound political principles. It was like most of them simply took opportunity of the situation and formed parties without actually getting prepared for the challenges of national emancipation and development.
This was the time when the Gambia needed very committed and genuine leaders to propel the country forward not only for the political aspect but also to diagnose the impact of colonial rule as well as the possible solution to the socio-economic realities left behind by the colonialists. This was the vacuum to be filled.
By 1960s there was a proliferation of political parties for struggle for power. Many of these parties were based in Bathurst or in the colony area, but one party eventually emerged purportedly to represent the protectorate area.
It may interest the reader to have a look at the parties that emerged to replace the colonialist.
POLITICAL PARITIES DEMOCRATIC PARTY Apart from the party formed by Pa Francis Small to advance the cause of Gambian Independence and Democracy, the first party was the Democratic Party founded by Rev. J.C Faye in 1951. J.C Faye had been a member of Bathurst Town Council and had a long association with the colonial government as a nominated member of the legislative council since 1947. He was also elected as the first member for Bathurst in the 1951 elections.
THE MUSLIM CONGRESS
The 2nd party to be formed was the Muslim Congress under the leadership of I. M. Garba Jahumpa. It came into being as a result of a fusion of the Bathurst Young Muslim Society with a number of similar organisations in the Kombos and protectorate. The Muslim Congress was designed to link religious affiliation with political activity. Jahumpa too was a member of the Bathurst Town Council since 1942 and was elected to the legislative council as the second member for Bathurst in the 1951 elections.
THE UNITED PARTY
The third party, United Party, was formed as an outgrowth of the 1951 elections when Mr. P.S Njie in 1948 came back after his law studies in Britain. Sponsored by prominent Bathurst elders, he contested the 1951 election and lost to Rev Faye and Garba Jahumpa on individual basis. The U.P was formed in 1952 which paved the way for the party's victory at the elections to the legislative council in 1954 at the head of the poll.
THE GAMBIA PEOPLE'S PARTY
The G.P.P. also based in Bathurst emerged in the 1954 elections and was founded by St. Clair Joof. The party was short-lived, for Joof lost the 1954 elections and died after wards.
THE P.P.P
The Protectorate People's Party, P.P.P, was formed in 1959 by people who originated from the provinces, but residing in the colony area, since franchise was extended to the protectorates by the 1960 constitution. Mr. Dawda Jawara eventually took the position of leadership. Jawara was a trained veterinarian who resigned his post as head of department in the colonial administration, and eventually took the position of premier after the 1962 general elections when he defeated U.P's P.S Njie.
The 1965 constitution gave internal self-government. Section 32 of the 1965 constitution states that "there shall be a parliament which shall consist of her majesty and House of Representatives". It was also the duty of the governor General to appoint a constituency Boundaries commission to determine the boundaries of constituencies. The other short-coming of the 1965 constitution showed clearly that the Gambia could not attain independence at the time as quoted from the 1965 constitution itself "the executive authority of the Gambia is vested in her majesty." It further gave powers to the Governor General to exercise executive authority on behalf of her majesty the queen of England directly or indirectly.
Further more section 63 of the 1965 constitution also stated that "there shall be a prime minister who shall be appointed by the Governor General.
As you can see, there are many sections that went to show that the Gambia had not attended full independence from the British crown. For example, section 70 indicated" that "The Prime Minister shall keep the Governor General fully informed concerning the general conduct of the government of The Gambia and shall furnish the Governor General with such information as he may request with respect to any particular matter relating to the Government of Gambia".
According to Section 60, "The Governor General may at times prorogue or dissolve parliament. "Subsection (4) reads "In the exercise of his powers to dissolve Parliament, the Governor General shall act in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister provided that if the Prime Minister advises a dissolution and the Governor General considers that the Government of The Gambia can be carried on without a dissolution and that a dissolution would not be in the interest of The Gambia, he may refuse to dissolve parliament."
At this stage the British were supposedly grooming the new Gambian government on the modus operandi of the Elizabethan system of government since Ian Macleod was skeptical as to whether The Gambia could go it alone and become a viable state.
Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 024/2007, Feb 28 - March 1, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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