By: Ebrima Sonko
On Saturday May 20th, the Gambian people went to the polls yet again for the local government elections to elect new or continuing leaders for the respective local government administrative areas. This elections comes after the 2021/2022 presidential and parliamentary elections, respectively.
The incumbent government led by President Adama Barrow won the presidential elections over opposition parties including his arch rivals United Democratic Party, home to the President before their political break-up. The National People’s Party dubbed NPP could not leverage on its presidential electoral triumph to secure a comfortable majority for the parliamentary and local government elections as the urbanite Gambians — with the largest percentage of voters in the country — rejects the incumbent government and its governance system.
The executive system of governance in the Gambia is designed such that the President and members of his cabinet manage the day-day-running of the state through various government ministries and allied public institutions. The 1997 constitution established local administrative areas to be run and managed by mayors and chairpersons within the respective administrative areas hence the local government elections. The mayors and chairpersons play a critical role in the overall administration of their areas with powers to collect taxes and initiate community projects with oversight accountability from National Assembly.
The abysmal performance of the President’s party in both the parliamentary and local government elections is a stark rebuke to the rampant corruption, misplaced priorities and the consequent tribal politics of the president and his party as manifested during their political rallies and campaigns. The idea of flaunting tax-payers money to entice voters and attacking the personality of your opponents and their ethnic identities while neglecting to present sound policies to the voters is the consequence of their wayward and irresponsible politics. Trading in political rhetoric, divisive propaganda and tribal attacks and hate speech is the equivalence of instigation of violence between various social groups and deeply populist in many ways. We have seen the deadly effects of this sort of politics in various parts of the world but particularly in the African continent where tribal conflicts mostly orchestrated by politicians to accomplish their selfish interests brought several nations to their knees. It take a lifetime to recover from such problems. It’s sad as it’s unfortunate that the Chief Executive Officer of the Gambia is at the forefront of this irresponsible, vindictive and divisive politics.
The incumbent party led by President Barrow must wake up to the reality that civic and political awareness of Gambians is self-evident and manifestly on the rise. It’s perhaps dawning on the president, his cabinet and close associates that its both timely and imperative to change their means of governance to connect with the voters and adjust to satisfying their critical needs such as healthcare, security sectors reforms, economy and infrastructure. The people want serious solutions to the struggles of their everyday life which means access to jobs, opportunities, transportation, food and development.
The problems of the country cannot be addressed without accountable and responsible leadership. For what it’s worth, surrounding the corridors of power with skilled and competent public servants who brings workable ideas quintessential for the peace and progress of the country should be an utmost priority for this government. It’s time for the President and his government to change their ways. There’s no other way around it.
I’ve argued several times that we do not have a competent President fit and capable to steer the country out of its desperate social and economic problems and a colleague of mine wasted no time to remind me of just how complicit all of us are in voting him into office. I further argued that that democracy is not always wholly representative of everyone within a polity. Sometimes, it overlooks the minority interest and this is most true after elections. However, voice of voters is the single most important power in every democracy that seeks either a small scale or grand transformation.
Essentially, Barrow needs the right people around him to help him institute his vision for Gambians, if there’s any vision at all. After a first term in office, it’s hard if not impossible to point to significant social and economic development this government has done for the people.
The outcome of the truth, reconciliation and reparations commission report is pending and there’s no sign or efforts from the government that it will implement the commission’s report. The constitutional review commission drafted a new constitution as part of legal and constitutional reforms and efforts by the President ensured that it doesn’t get passed. Similarly, the security sector reforms which is much-needed to curb the rising security problems of the country is left unaddressed. These are real issues with far-reaching effects on the lives and livelihoods of the Gambian people that the government need to prioritize. Instead of it’s penchant for endless commission for nearly every controversial issue, institutions such as the ministry of Justice and Police must be empowered to undertake such assignments. Tax payers funds must be judiciously spent.
Next few years will be highly significant and decisive for the future of President Barrow and his National People’s Party. The outcome both the parliamentary and local government elections is a brute indictment on his government and demands the government to lead and take charge. Leadership is responsibility. The social contract between the people and the state must be fulfilled and it’s reassuring to see the people exercise their franchise in what appears to be a total disapproval of the state of the country.
It’s time to institute the Anti-Corruption Commission, provide employment opportunities for the Youths, cater for rights of the diaspora Gambians, invest heavily on education and healthcare and de-associate yourself from distractions such as tribalism. Gambians are bored and tired of the chest-beating claims of development and tribal politics with no real results to back it up. We can do better. 50 years on we still have a nation to built.
