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Momodou
Denmark
11645 Posts |
 Posted - 19 Jun 2007 : 13:20:11
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FOCUS ON POLITICS
THE 1981 POLITICAL CRISIS
Sir Dawda Given A New Mandate; Dibba Lost His Seat, Awaits Court Verdict
With Suwaibou Touray
We have been using this column to focus on politics, in general, and Gambian politics in particular. In the last issue we have dealt with the 1982 election campaign where the opposition leader was detained, pending the outcome of his trial as he was accused of treason and many other offences. We have stopped where we said, 'during the state of emergency, the illiterate politicians did not know then that one could hardly do or say anything during the campaign without putting oneself in trouble'. Let us continue from where we have stopped.
Continued from: http://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3830
The results of both the presidential and parliamentary elections which were held simultaneously were not a surprise to many enlightened observers. The President, Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, won a landslide victory and many parliamentary candidates of the ruling PPP also won, giving them another clear majority and mandate to manage the affairs of the country for the next five years, 1982 to 1987.
For the opposition NCP, even though, they had gone through the whole episode with dignity, the number of seats had infact dropped. They had lost what was considered their main seat, that of Central Baddibu, to Honourable Lamin Kebba Saho of the PPP who contested against S.M Dibba. However they emerged triumphantly with the Illiasa and Lower Baddibu seats, as well as Bakau. This was understandable given the circumstances in which the seeming contest was staged.
For the next contentious area, the URD, Mr. Bubacarr Baldeh, an independent candidate, managed to defeat the ruling party candidate with a clear margin despite the fact that the NCP filed a candidate in the same place. This was a clear indication that if the people will it, they could decide the course of events despite all the loopholes against them.
The other independent, Mr. A.K Touray of Sandu also defeated a high profiled PPP candidate after a tough campaign which appeared like a semi war. Despite all the threats and intimidation, the people decided that Alh Musa Dabo should not represent them. Mr. M.C Cham, of Tumana, however, escaped the independent net. He defeated Mbemba Tambedou, a new comer to the scene. But Mr. Kebba Fadera, a lone independent in the Kiangs defeated Hon. J.L.B Daffeh, a long term serving Parliamentarian who also served as Cabinet Minister of Health, Labour and Social Welfare, and of Agriculture and Natural Resources, as well as a Parliamentary Secretary.
So the independents emerged with a clean bill of health but the fear remained as to whether the government was going to allow Mr. Bubacarr Baldeh who appeared to have spearheaded the group to continue operating as head of the Freedom From Hunger Campaign (FFHC), an NGO.
The question was very valid because, at the time, no matter how competent one was, if one stood under the banner of an opposition ticket in an election, one would be barred from not only holding government positions but all attempts would be made to stifle one's private initiative from progressing so that one eventually succumbs to the mercy of the ruling party. But if one were to stand under the ruling party banner and failed, according to M.B Jones in the Outlook newspaper, everything would be done to rehabilitate that person.
On 11 May 1982, the President was sworn in. This was the first time in Gambian history for a President to be seen being sworn in an open ceremony. The then Speaker of the House, Sir Alieu Sulayman Jack; the Chief Justice of The Gambia, Sir Phillip Bridges, Ministers of State, Justices of the Supreme Court of The Gambia and Sierra Leone, Solicitors, dignitaries and ' VIP's' were all present to make the occasion look like as it was the first of its kind in history.
Infact, a red carpet was even spread for the President to walk on leading to the dais where Sir Dawda and the First Lady were seated. They were of course flanked by special uniformed military officials from Senegal, who still controlled the security of the country. The President, after taking oath, thanked the people for the overwhelming vote of confidence that they bestowed on him at the recent elections. He promised to maintain his past performance and solicited their support and co-operation as in the past.
Sir Dawda spoke lengthily. He said the elections were free and fair and peaceful. He blamed drought and world inflation for the economic problems and said it was also mainly due to the limited natural resources. He also blamed the international media for deliberately ignoring these difficulties; minimizing their achievements and exaggerating their shortcomings in a mischievous attempt to ridicule them and the country. He however emphasized that they are proud of their achievements. He finally said his Government would continue to proceed forthwith with the implementation of the second five year Development plan which was launched just before the last parliament was dissolved. The president then inspected the guard of honour mounted by both The Gambia Police Force and a battalion of the resident Senegalese soldiers. He then shook hands with the judges of the Supreme Court (now the High Court) and other eminent personalities and jubilantly or triumphantly sang;
Long live the Republic of The Gambia!
Long live the Republic of Senegal!
Long live the Confederation of Senegal and The Gambia!
This was chorused after him by his party stalwarts as well as supporters.
Immediately after this ceremony, the President announced his cabinet, which took all and sundry by surprise, as follows:
THE 1982 CABINET
1. Vice Presiden t- Hon. B.B Darboe
2. Minister of Local Government and Lands - Hon. M.L Saho
3. Minister of External Affairs - Hon. L.K Jabang
4. Minister of Finance and Trade - Hon. S.S.Sisay
5. Attorney General and Minister of Justice - Hon. Fafa Mbai
6. Minister of Health, Labour and Social Welfare - Hon. M.C Cham
7. Minister of Agriculture - Hon. S.S. Sabally
8. Minister of Information and Tourism - Hon. L.J Sonko
9. Minister of Economic Planning and Industrial Development - Hon. Dr.M.S.K. Manneh
10. Minister of Water Resources and the Environment - Hon. Omar Amadou Jallow (O.J)
11. Minister of Education, Youth, Sports and Culture - Hon. A.A Njie
12. Minister of the Interior - Hon. A.S Mboob
It was this cabinet reshuffle which had created restlessness among certain elements within the party hierarchy. It was tantamount to the creation of resentment and dissatisfaction from those who, according to M. B. Jones, expected too much for whatever contribution they might have made towards a peaceful ending of the crisis. It did not stop there, it created an indelible dent within the PPP set up, a rift which could only be patched up by a highly patient politician, but Sir Dawda did not appear to have much patience at the time .
The former Vice President, Assan Musa Camara, who went unopposed was not appointed together with the former Attorney General, Mr M.L.Saho, who held the post for 14 years and was then given what was considered a down graded position. What then was the reaction? Mr. M.L. Saho resigned from the Local Government portfolio and claimed foul play. He bluntly told the press that the Party was sizzled with tribalism.
And what about the former Vice President Assan Musa Camara? What did he do? He became a backbencher when the parliament reopened on 2 June 1982 and as The Outlook thought, he accepted his lot with calm and dignity. But how long could he stay calm?
See next issue for more and on the Treason Trial of S.M Dibba and Six others.
Source:
Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 70/2007, 18 - 19 June, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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