At the outset of his presidency, Yaya Jammeh enjoyed a brief flurry of enthusiasm among Gambians but it suddenly began to decline precipitously when the citizens learned about his envious politicized and tribal -based “justice” along with his social re-engineering agenda, which — among other things — attempts to seed everything with values antithetical to the Gambian tradition. Perhaps most perniciously, as soon as Yaya Jammeh’s reason for taking over the country fell apart, he picked up his pen (Daily Observer) and microphone (State Media GRTS) — and began to distort what he had done and why he did it until today. He continues to think the Gambians are merely impatient with his failed promises rather than scared by his executive actions and deception — though misinformation. He’s wrong on all counts.
He is out there to cherry-picking facts to yield a desired effect on misinforming our citizens. They have their own semantics. For example, a “Nationalism” has become the “unpatriotic.” The APRC coming into existence through “Coup detat” is now concealed as a “July 22 revolution”. “Gambian Diasporian” instead become mislabeled as “Negative internet sites or Bad citizens”. In keeping with the use of the APRC Party’s semantics, I am opposed to the “Regime’s treatment of women” means you oppose “Gender-equality”.
As a culturally illiterate at heart, he took a stab at his ideological grudge and skewered the Gambian economy instead. He understands that mere bluff and intense psychological propaganda often succeeds to succumb peace loving Gambians — particularly if the bluff is big enough. His agenda was quickly fully unmasked along with his intensely ideological tribal grudges — though he often denies it but It’s a telling symbol of Yaya Jammeh’s dysfunctional leadership. He continues to hamstrung Gambian in every step of the way as an obstructionist. He ensures most Gambians are not informed at all or completely misinformed, and their lack of political education. He is very astute in revising his political vernacular in order to suit his politically deceptive purposes.
He seemed absolutely tone-deaf but he is out there trying to misinformed the public about his love for Gambian women to shadow the brutality he instructed on the likes of brave Fatoumata Jawara and Ndogoi njie and stunning rebuking Gambian man — whom he deprived of jobs in every facet of the economy to make them look worthless. Then, in the next breath- he is secretly mollycoddling his tortures, giving them stolen homes and sheep to feast on. He continues to flail around like he is loved by the people at the same time foisting plans to eliminate all opposed to his regime.
He employed remarkable audacity — as infallible human being with white kaftans and large heart. Well after his coup, those who once enjoyed a sterling reputation among honorable public servants were humiliated and their properties confiscated with no evidence of corruption. He made so many families suffer and has so much blood on his hands. His government is setting The Gambia on an inevitable path to permanent debtor status whiles he becomes filthy rich. Politicians, solders, journalist, and his former colleagues started dying mysteriously. He quickly resorted to using deceptive tactics to misinform Gambians, held the Islamic religion hostage to cloud mind of Gambians, stonewalled every investigation which exonerate the PPP regime and blend himself with certain community elites.
He uses our judiciary to abuse Gambians, our service men whom are paid by tax payers — to harm us with brute force, our freedoms — to create gender wars, our delicate tolerances among each other — to divide us, our passionate love for each other — to create envy among us, our endlessly accommodating culture — to cause tribal suspicion, our religion — to create deep divisions within societies and more importantly, our respect of human rights as weakness.
To refuse to examine those truths mentioned above increases the difficulty of dealing with the reality of Gambia today. The promised economic reforms have reformed nothing. Trust me, Yaya Jammeh knows this very well and see the issues dangling right before his eyes during his brief stopover at the presidential tour. Remote sea waters in the world have witnessed record numbers of Gambians risking their lives to reach freedom. Clearly, any push for an informed electorate or citizenship rights has been overshadowed by immense amounts of misinformation by the regime.
We can no longer permit “all talk, no action”. This is a new era of responsibility. Citizens who hold Gambia very dear to their heart are still digging Gambia out from the misinformation Yaya Jammeh and his regime continuously spread. It’s a very painful and hard fight because they are now manifested in our public monuments – example “Marcatty square” renamed as July 22nd square, he reduces our countries independence day celebration to nothing and our history books are all being distorted. The debt outlook we own to our beloved country is increasingly bleak but we are Gambians and we shall overcome. It further obscures the urgent necessity for us Gambians to seek our own solutions to the threat in our midst.
Political misinformation in Gambia is rampant. Appropriate action on shared civic education is times a headache. It’s no longer news that diasporian vaunted outreach to some with political aspirations or certain oppressed people has been a bust at times. We heard it all — why don’t you folks come here and join the fight. Indeed, that is very cheap to say. It is time for our fellow citizens to step forward as leaders of their generations and inspire the beginning of a new age of participation freeing Gambia again. Without the presence of a more informed citizen—Gambian will continue to crumble under the leadership of Yaya Jammeh due to its inability to represent the needs of its people. By putting pressure on the regime and inspiring all Gambians to get involve about our countries affairs, we can all prevent the continuous breakdown of the foundation of our country. Democracy will flourish in our beloved Gambia and citizens will experience the advantages of enlightened citizens, better leaders will be elected, better laws will be implemented and Gambians will prosper.
By Habib (A Concerned Gambian)
