By: Dawda Baldeh
Cherno Njie, a US-based Gambian living in Austin, Texas, who was involved in the 2014 failed coup, has warned that re-electing President Adama Barrow as Gambia’s next president will be worse.
Njie made these remarks during an interview with Peter Gomez on his Coffee Time morning show.
Njie, who fled the country after the failed attempt on 30th December 2014, urged Gambians to ensure this is Barrow’s last opportunity to lead the country.
“The fundamental thing we need to do is to ensure that this is Barrow’s last term,” he said.
Njie stated, “I don’t think Gambia can go any further with this sort of leadership. It’s been a disaster for the last ten years, and I believe that if we have more of Barrow, it will be very bad for the country.”
Commenting on corruption under the leadership of Barrow, Njie stated that Gambians must examine what the state exists to do for its citizens.
“A government that cannot provide the basics such as clean water, electricity, and decent education is a failed government. What we have in the Gambian context is a government that failed to provide the basics and used the citizens as resources in whose names you borrow from multilateral organizations,” he asserted.
Njie criticized the current government and accused them of borrowing money in the name of citizens to enrich themselves.
“You (government) go around the world seeking assistance in the name of the citizens, but the benefits are for the top government employees,” he claimed.
Furthermore, Njie stressed the need for the government to ensure transparency and accountability in serving the interests of the citizens.
“In the Gambia, the role of the state is being distorted from providing basic services to ordinary citizens.”
He described corruption as a cancer that can’t be solved without going back to the basics.
“Government must design its institutions in such a way that transparency is enhanced, and penalties are enforced. If penalties are not enforced, you can’t fight corruption. You must punish people who are involved in corrupt practices. The fact that the Barrow administration lacks this tells me that corruption exists at the highest level of government,” he added.
However, Njie also criticized Gambians’ attitude, saying corruption is a norm that is tolerated.
“But we must also bear in mind that these are norms Gambians tolerate. Because we tolerate these norms, this is why many of us behave the same way Barrow is behaving,” he explained.
In conclusion, Njie challenged Gambians to re-examine themselves and their moral values.
