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Momodou
Denmark
11644 Posts |
 Posted - 17 Mar 2007 : 14:21:43
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FOCUS ON POLITICS
WERE THE PEOPLE’S EXPECTATIONS MET?
With Suwaibou Touray
Continued from: http://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3308
We have been narrating the political history of the first Republic. We have stopped where Mr. D.K. Jawara got rid of many chiefs who refused to support them in the 1959 to 1962 elections. Let us pick up from where we stopped. The year 1973 had been a difficult one Sir Dawda had a medical operation in London which was shrouded in secrecy, but when he returned to the Gambia on 23rd June 1973, he received a tumultuous welcome from the people.
Many opposition politicians competed as to who would join the P.P.P first, until there was hardly any thing left of the United Party (U.P.) There was an out-cry from the general public, who then gave support to the U.P. People in Banjul condemned them from left and right.
For example, in 1973, a Mr. Sename who was a popular figure in the U.P. and represented Banjul Central, won his seat in 1966, and was returned but according to the “Progressive” Newspaper, at the time, this M.P had what the paper described as the largest rostrum in the land available to him; that as a back bencher in the opposition, this enhanced his position as agitator for public good all the more. But according to the “Progressive” 1o and behold his dynamism, if not this genuine interest in the public cause, seemed to have deserted him.” What was worse, the paper said, “was his stand on public issues became lukewarm, if not down right hypocritical, and the U.P had been utterly disappointed with him,” The paper stated.
So as you can see, at the time, some people felt that Sename had betrayed the UP when the life of parliament of which he was a member ended only to joined the P.P.P. On the other hand “others were convinced that his switch to the PPP was a manifestation of sheer opportunism and not something that sprang from a genuine motive,” said the progressive. The people refused to return him in the following election which he lost to Mr. J.R Forster. Since then, Gambians became disgusted with cross-carpeters and branded them all as selfish and opportunistic, but Foday Minteh and a few others like Gibou Jagne struggled in the U.P.
Because of the vacuum created by the inactivity of the U.P. as the majority opposition party in the Gambia, a number of independent candidates sprang into the 1972 elections and made surprises. All of them put together polled over 21,000 votes but the independents who had no close connection later complained bitterly of the lack of fairness and freeness of the elections. They alleged that the elections were rigged in the sense that campaign period was too short; that Government monopolized the media; that voters cards were suppressed and or bought; that chiefs and civil servants played a decisive role; that storage and transportation of ballot boxes were unsatisfactory; that intimidation was rife; that registers were unsatisfactory and so on and so forth. Mr. M. E Jallow was part of these independent candidates who were not linked to any party at the time. Many however anticipated that the independents might come together to register a formidable political movement. Many also thought that since Mr. Dibba was expelled but later joined the PPP when he was Minister of Finance, and a Yusupha Samba and Lamin Mboge were all expelled but went back to the party, it was also possible for the independents to either join or form their own party. Many however went to the PPP but Mr. M.E Jallow instead continued with his union activities.
Even though Mr. P.S. Njie maintained his seat, he at one stage refused to attend sittings of the Parliament and the PPP majority decided to amend section 66 (1) (g) of the constitution against absenteeism,” that if he is absent from two consecutive meetings of the house without having obtained before the terminations of either meeting, from the speaker, permission to be or to remain absent there from, and any person vacating his seat under the provisions of this paragraph shall not be qualified to be nominated for election to the house of representatives or appointed as a voting member or a nominated member during the period commencing with his vacating his seat and ending with the first dissolution of parliament thereafter.
Mr. P.S Njie who appeared not to have noticed what was going on later explained to the people when he was confronted by them. He said his reason for being absent from the house was because of the fact that he could do very little as a lonely voice because as he complained. Whatever he had done in the past, in or outside of parliament was blocked without members giving due consideration to the merits. He then called on Gambians to support the U. P. and move the country as everybody wants it irrespective of ethnic origins. His exit however effectively wiped the U.P of the political scene. The prediction of public opinion however was that it would take some serious hard work before the PPP organisation could be beaten.
By 1973, life was not all well with the ordinary Gambian. The Gambia workers’ union continued their militancy by continuing their strikes for better pay. For example there was a strike meant for the pay increase of night watchmen and another one for the dock workers. The price of rice, Gambia’s staple food was going up not steadily but drastically. It was increased from D30.75 (Thirty dalasis seventy five bututs) to D43.05 (Forty three dalasis five bututs). This was a time when the average house-hold earner earned D75 a month. Sugar too was increased from D25 to D45. Many Newspapers wrote stories of people sleeping on the floors of the then Royal Victoria Hospital.
Because of these and many things people applauded the mechanism of the price control unit and its work. Farmers also complained about the price of groundnuts which was D230. 40 per ton for decorticated nuts. The Cooperative Union and the Gambia Produce Marketing Board (GPMB) were doing well, but then the re-evaluation of the dalasi in terms of Pound Sterling and the high price of rice had to be tackled.
At this stage, Mr. Lamin Saho and Dr. Momodou S.K. Manneh arrived newly as graduates and were seen to be very critical of the P.P.P. administration. They used what the “Progressive Newspaper” called bombastic of the queen’s language. Many young people followed them to hear what they had to say. It did not take long for them to be absorbed into the P.P.P.’s magnet.
THE BUTUT SCANDAL
Within this period or shortly before this period, a brother of Mr. S. M. Dibba, one Kutubo Dibba, was said to have been caught with a lot of Gambian Butut coins with S. M’s Public vehicle in Senegal. The coins were said to have been used for earrings etc. which the scandal said was being sold in Senegal. The pressure of public opinion was so intense that it could not be ignored; Mr. Dibba had to resign which he did. Nothing clear was explained to the people, but it eventually cost Mr. Dibba his cabinet post. He was later reinstated as ambassador Extraordinary and plenipotentiary with special responsibilities on the European Economic Community. But his reinstatement to such a high position of international importance beat the imagination of many an intellect not to talk of critics.
What was the motive? Was Jawara afraid of losing Dibba? Many critics afterwards considered him weak and inconsistent. Before July 1974, rumours were already rife that Jawara was going to reshuffle his cabinet and on Wednesday 10th July 1974, the President reshuffled his cabinet, as follows:
1. Hon. A.D Camara, Vice President and Minister for Local Government, Land and Mines.
2. Alh the Hon. Yahya Ceesay, Minister of Agriculture and Natural Resources
3. Alh the Hon. Kalilu Singhateh, Minister of Health, Labour and Social Welfare.
4. Alh the Hon. A. B. Njie, Minister of External Affairs.
5. Alh the Hon. I.M. Garba-Jahumpa, Minister of Finance.
6. Alh the Hon. M.L Saho, Attorney General.
7. Alh the Hon. Sir A.S. Jack, Minister of Works and Communications.
8. Alh Hon. M.C Cham, Minister of Education Youth and Sports.
9. Hon. B.L. K Sagnia, Minister of Information, Broadcasting and Tourism.
10. Hon. S. M Dibba, Minister of Economic Planning and Development.
11. Hon. K. N. Leigh, Minister of State at the President’s Office.
See next issue for more on the emergence of the NCP.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 32/2007, 16 - 18 March 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Sanusi
70 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2007 : 18:25:24
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| What a sad way to write the political history of Banjul Central??? Banjul Central never had an MP by the name of Mr Seneme |
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Momodou
Denmark
11644 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2007 : 19:15:43
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quote:
Originally posted by Sanusi
What a sad way to write the political history of Banjul Central??? Banjul Central never had an MP by the name of Mr Seneme
Hi Sanusi, what was the name of the MP i 1973? I have never heard such a name either. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Sanusi
70 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2007 : 19:48:04
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Momodou
Thanks for asking. In actual fact the man's name is Mr MB Jones- the Proprietor of the Gambia Outlook Newspaper. For further reference on this matter please read the newly publicised book on the Gambia- A Political History of the Gambia from 1816-1994 by Arnold Hughes and David Perfect. |
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Momodou
Denmark
11644 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2007 : 20:09:14
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Sanusi, thanks for this clarification, history is sometimes very easily distorted.
Who was the proprietor of the “Progressive” Newspaper that Suwaibou quoted? |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Sanusi
70 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2007 : 20:20:44
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Momodou
Bai Trawale was the Proprietor of Progressive Newspaper |
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Karamba
United Kingdom
3820 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2007 : 21:24:44
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Ba Trawally.
Little correction there. Ba Trawally sounds like Bai Trawally but he is known and best referred to as Ba Trawally. |
Karamba |
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Sanusi
70 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2007 : 21:36:17
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Karamba
You are right! Its BA not BAI |
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Momodou
Denmark
11644 Posts |
Posted - 22 Mar 2007 : 22:32:34
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| Thanks to both of you. |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 00:44:45
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| Ba Trawally passed away a few years ago. May his soul rest in peace. I know him personally. He lived in Latrikunda Yiri Nganya just adjacent to Latrikunda Primary or commonly called Latrikunda Danso. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 00:53:54
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I am not sure if the chiefs were dismissed because of not supporting the PPP.
In addition, Sename was not the only person who cross carpeted to PPP. Jahumapa disbanded his party to join PPP and later became Ambassador. There are many unfortunate instances of political sucide. |
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Momodou
Denmark
11644 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 01:02:52
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| Kondorong, so this Sename in fact existed? I've never heard the name before. Was he an MP for Banjul Central? |
A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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Alhassan
Sweden
813 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 11:45:10
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
I am not sure if the chiefs were dismissed because of not supporting the PPP.
In addition, Sename was not the only person who cross carpeted to PPP. Jahumapa disbanded his party to join PPP and later became Ambassador. There are many unfortunate instances of political sucide.
Kondorong,
Who was this Sename? I cannot remember him as a UP candidate. I just remembered Ba Tarawally because of his prison sebntence when he critised Jawara. He used to live at Jems Senegal Street befor he move to the Kombos. A very dinamic journalist. |
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Sanusi
70 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 18:46:11
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Momomdou
This is just an opportunity to get the facts right. Mr MB Jones was the UP Member of Parliament for Banjul Central. He used to live at Grant Street. For your information, He was a one time member of JC Faye's Democratic Party before he joined the United Party.
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 23 Mar 2007 : 19:39:37
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| You are right sanusi |
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