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Momodou
Denmark
11640 Posts |
 Posted - 16 Apr 2010 : 21:57:01
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The Toothless Bulldogs
By Saikou Jammeh
When it comes to determining the state of affairs of Gambian opposition parties, views and opinions vary as wide as those who are presenting them. "Coma," "Fake," "Fail," and "Dead" have all been used to describe the status of opposition parties. As varying as these views, however, they are all speaking from the same hymn sheet. That is, Gambian opposition parties are, but toothless bulldogs. Kissy-Kissy Mansa writes Has the opposition in The Gambia run out of steam? Well, the impression one gets when one saw Femi Peters being shepherded to be imprisoned for organising a political rally, is that the opposition roller coaster that used to roar and government backtracked, has greatly slowed down.
One recalls that not so long ago, the fierce bulldogs that literally scared the Jammeh government to its heels whenever it bore have lost their ugly fang.
Now, the bulldogs no longer seem to be able to bark, but growl that would not even fright a baby. One cannot help wondering whether the bulldog developed cold feet. Or has it a toothache?
It is no longer performing its duty which is to watch over the government and keep it in constant check. Ideally, the opposition ought to give the ruling party constant tough times without making the common man suffer.
Instead it is as if they are about to give-up, if not already. When one goes around the country, one no longer feels the presences of the opposition as it used to be few years ago.
Infact, information reaching Kissy-Kissy Mansa has it that one of the opposition parties has written to the ruling party begging for space to fit in. While another party expressed interest for a government of national unity.
With such opposition parties, one really wonders: where exactly would the IEC draw the line between the ruling party and the opposition.
As a result of the opposition’s inertia, the government has been getting away with many decisions and actions on which the opposition could have capatalised.
Take the infamous witch-hunting for instance when the government tried to nick in the bud what humans cannot see. The political uncertainties and continuous high cost of living are examples we need not alert each other about.
Taking a sober reflection on the 2001 elections, what happened when the UDP being the most influential, boycotted the elections. The ruling party picked up the seats that UDP could have snatched in a landslide victory.
Even after that one would have expected UDP to come in a more coordinated method of countering government. But none!
Again came the 2006 presidential elections when even the pessimists were convinced that Jammeh’s days in office were over, when they managed to come under one big umbrella.
That was how the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) came about. Gambians fatigued, after seeing the political and economic uncertainties that characterized the country from the previous five years, desired to bring about change. They gave their support to this new dispensation of Gambian politics.
NADD, within the blink of an eye, grew in size, numbers and influence to the extent that even the president appeared to be disturbed.
Then, what everyone expected was that nominating a standard bearer would not hinder the journey to the polls after the impression they gave to the people that they had buried their differences and came together, knowing none could single-handedly remove Jammeh.
Awaiting NADD to unmask the savior, devastating news of UDP and NRP pulling out of the coalition hit the town.
The end of it was what veteran journalist, Swaebou Conateh fittingly described as: "things fell apart when the centre holding them, the objective of removing Jammeh through the polls in order to make clearly defined legal and constitutional reforms, could no longer hold in this battle of elephants for the no.1 position in the coalition.
The consequence of course was devastating in many ways. None of them was able to gather the votes it used to get prior to the coalition. Secondly, the people became disinterested and exercised their right not to vote.
Now, they are pointing fingers of accusation at one another – a scenario that only reminds one of the comedy story called "We 3". After all, all are guilty.
Now again, with months to the election, what have we seen from them so far as a remarkable move? Nothing! Halifa Sallah and his PDOIS are applying cosmetics on Agenda 2011; Omar Jallow and PPP are still calling for a re-union; Darboe and UDP are battling to get police permit to hold rally; Hamat and NRP are unheard of anymore; Waa Juwara and NDAM do not even know whether or not to contest; Mai Fatty and GMC are semestering, and Gomez and his party are seeking to join APRC.
After all, most of these parties have themselves never gone to congress, nor do they organize serious meetings. Instead they have life-affirming aspiring presidents or better still would-be career presidential candidates. This status quo remains. Halifa is right when he said the results in the last presidential elections showed Jammeh’s unpopularity. But where is the credible alternative for Gambian people.
With such a state of general unprepared ness, come 2011 the opposition will have an uphill task to remove Jammeh whose popularity among the suffrage is growing. Above all, he has crowd wielding powers; the money to get what he wanted. We have recently seen Brufutians setting the pace, followed by the Darboe’s of Gunjur. Trust me, soon others will follow.
Source: Dailynews
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