BY: Ousainou Mbenga

For nearly three years, Lamin Waa Juwara was entangled in the “legal cob webs” of Jammeh’s courts on trumped up charges of “abuse of office”. Deep inside Jammeh’s bloody pockets, his mercenary judges, magistrates and prosecutors willingly created the prevailing set of “notorious charges” such as the “abuse of office” and “economic crimes”. These two charges can be as elastic as Jammeh wants to stretch it against his “unpatriotic” opponents and political enemies. Manufacturing criminal charges and crimes has become the primary function of the Gambian judiciary, with never any challenge from the Gambia Bar Association.

The law according to Jammeh has been the thorn on the side of the “judiciary” rendering it into a den of mercenary judges, home grown and imported. Typical of mercenaries; their conscience is numbed to the point of being remorseless, all that matters is money.

“THERE ARE NONE WITH CLEAN HANDS…”

BUT NO SPECTATORS ALLOWED!

But as the saying goes: “Lengoo ak saaw duuy yaga” – A hug with a porcupine never lasts long. All those who attempted to hug and suck –up to Yaya Jammeh, ultimately had their rude awakening when “Jammeh the porcupine” ejected his projectiles at them resulting in death, maiming, unemployment and forced exile. If the current Nigerian “mercenary judges” are deluded by blood money, no worries, the rude awakening is inevitable.

Notwithstanding Waa Juwara’s error, he has refused to be a spectator in the midst of Jammeh’s hell –bent determination for a fifth term. He defied and condemned all the conditions imposed by the “Independent Electoral Council” (IEC) on all the legally registered political parties in the Gambia. The despotic conditions that the not so “Independent Electoral Commission” shoved down the throats of the “opposition parties” were all unacceptable according to Juwara. The outrageous nomination deposit of half a million dalasis which use to be ten thousand dalasi, age limit imposition, reregistration of political parties, exclusion of potential voters in the Gambian “diaspora” and the exclusive “selection” of members of the IEC were resoundingly denounced as unacceptable. Is it any wonder that he was convicted on one bogus charge, “abuse of office” and imprisoned for six months?

Juwara’s ordeal and ultimate imprisonment began in 2012 after his removal from office as Minister of Local Government, Lands and Regional Administration. Juwara‘s charge sheet accused him of abusing the authority of his office “in a manner prejudicial to the Alkalo (village head) and elders of Jamburr Village by creating Sinchu Gidom as a village and appointed one Baboucarr Sillah as an Alkalo of the said village, knowing that Sinchu Gidom is a Kabilo within Jamburr village”.

Lawyer Lamin Mboge submitted that the accused person, Lamin Waa Juwara was empowered by section 59 of the constitution to appoint an Alkalo in his capacity as a minister at the time. Lawyer Mboge further argued that “section 59 of the constitution has killed this case and that section 4 of the same constitution buried it and anyone that appoints the Alkalo other than the Minister of Local Government and Lands is tantamount to the violation of the 1997 constitution of the Gambia”. The “law according to Jammeh” has turned that “1997 constitution” into a toilet paper.

Juwara denied the absurd allegation on the basis that he was not the Minister of Local Government, Lands and Regional Administration when the department was roiling in that “land dispute”. This ministry has a long history of convoluted land disputes of unscrupulous proportions. But nothing surpasses the reckless and un-satiable “land grabbing” by Jammeh and his “sharers of crumbs”. Juwara was granted court bail of D150000 and his travel documents confiscated by the regime.

To prove that the charges were trumped –up to highest order, this case lasted for three years with all the standard delaying tactics the mercenary judges are instructed to apply to frustrate Juwara and his counsel Lamin Mboge. All the evidence presented showed that there was no case to answer. You may recall that Juwara was acquitted twice by magistrates Ebrima Jaiteh and Sidit K Jobarteh respectively. But the “law according to Jammeh” runs supreme in the Gambia; a “nation behind bars”. On several court dates the state prosecutor didn’t even appear in court, likewise the state witnesses gave flimsy excuses such as being stranded in the provinces because of automobile break down. This game that the state and its witnesses played went on for three years. Three different magistrates presided over this case because Jammeh was not satisfied with their deliberations. Jammeh finally found a home grown “mercenary magistrate” in the person of Omar Cham to reverse the dictum of justice.

The die was cast in Juwara’s case when the magistrate that presided over the case for the past few months was abruptly replaced on the day of the April 14, 2016 hearing by magistrate Omar Cham who finally convicted and sentenced him to six months in jail on April 18, 2016. The other accused, Tamsir Onasis Conteh and Hamidou Jallow were given hefty fines of D125,000 and D175,000 respectively or risk 5 -7 years in jail, way beyond the normal court fines in such cases. The normal fines in the criminal code are between D5 -10,000. According to reliable sources, the home grown “mercenary magistrate”, Omar Cham has since his remorseless judgement been promoted to be a principal magistrate.

Beware of the rewards from “Jammeh the porcupine”!

The Jinni is out of the bottle and can never be put back in. In fact, we are breaking all the bottles to liberate the “Jinni”. Mercenary judges/magistrates, NIA, Junglers, and all enablers are put on notice that FEAR, no longer resides in the Gambia.

FREE WAA JUWARA AND ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS! PUT JAMMEH ON TRIAL!

By Habib

Why is it extraordinarily difficult to be politically correct in Gambia? The answer is not to dwell in confusing and frustrating nostalgia. The simply answer is — Self-improvement. Some people may argue that our distemper is mainly caused by tribal fragmentation and by the systems national dysfunction. Many have the observation that our politics and much of our thinking is drenched by self -improvement phenomena. Hence, this is one of the reasons why Gambia and it citizens have trudge through long stretches of difficulty to gain freedom from the clutches of dictatorship. Imaginary red lines drawn against the regime tend to fade quickly. We heard it all. Solders will do the right thing if — there is the slightest unrest. Well! wrong so far. They retreated to the rear to nurse their fear of Yaya Jammeh, leave the fight to the old failed citizens and women.

In an unusual public display of political settlement, the Gambian president dispensed with goofy euphemism of how he is going to continue his brutal strategy and no one dears to challenge him. Yaya Jammeh is a man of contradictions when it comes to anything but his opponents. One sure thing about Yaya Jammeh is— he speaks with Teutonic precision about the killings and horrible things he will do to his opponents live on TV. Most of us feel like our men in uniforms continue to portray the massacre of political opponents and the expanding threat to Gambians— and now to our women — as anything but what it is. Thus, Gambians are franticly searching for a counter-explanation from those serving in uniform, former solders or 1994 coup plotters — why this regime so brutally turn on Gambians. Assurance of our citizen’s safety and trust in our men in uniform is dissolving as more is learned about the events of April 14th and 16th.

Denial can be an inviting temptation. The viral videos of 1995 of Yaya Jammeh are out. Panama papers are out with almost Billion dollars siphoned from or through Gambia. Children are dying on remote backway treks. Education system failed many children. Our elders are disrespected and humiliated daily. Ability of Gambia to be taken over by strangers draws tantalizingly near. By now everyone knows Yaya Jammeh obsession and his ultimate golden Fleece is clearly —consuming African trade mark (ATM) and riches. Yet many people can’t bear to come to grips with the reality.

It is sad that Gambians have repeatedly given Yaya Jammeh and his regime the benefit of the doubt in the face of his incompetent judgment. Yaya Jammeh and his regime are not trying to find one way to serve the Gambian population but always trying to find someone else to blame for their problems. He has successfully scared the population and created a practical culture of self-improvement only. This is the central challenge facing our era. He is out there scolding, rebuking and reproving Gambians with reproof and impatience. Yet, some people brazenly claim everything is fine and peaceful. Their headlong drive of refusing to come to terms with reality is leading Gambia to the bouts of political insanity.

Those in high authority or leadership positions in APRC regime do not speak truth to power and are resorting to stunt betrays of high degree of contempt by keeping quite or avoiding Gambians — whom they presumably think will not remember their stands during these historical trying moments. Disaffected diasporian Gambians have however recognize their cowardice and are doing everything possible to change the culture of silence, expose those enabling the system, or self- improvement minded people only. Wishing, avoiding people or pretending will not change these outcomes. Gambians now have a national consciousness and much of our thinking is drenched on education our fellow citizens about the dangers of self-improvement in our political landscape today.

By Habib (A Concerned Gambian)

By Habib

Yaya Jammeh marveled during his so called meet the farmers tour against the so called “Negative internet sites” sweeping the nations gateways to the homes of Gambians. He didn’t mention that the phenomenon — and its disorienting effect — has been largely his doing. The choice between development and backwardness offered by the president is a false choice. He rekindled his stale resentments and overstepped his authority with diktats meant to scare Gambians into his submission. Our elders and religion teaches us “if we don’t have anything good to say, you keep silent”. Words once spoken in one corner of the world— lives forever somewhere in the heart of people, servers or on a digital world and the scribers who record our deeds.

Some Gambians only yesterday, sat back and enjoy the spectacle of the regime tearing the fabrics of our society apart. Now slowly but surely, the effects of the regime policies are felt in every corner of the country and coming towards their coronation. Now they’re learning that the rain that falls on the regimes opponents gets them wet, too. Now they are waking up to the reality of living under a brutal regime. The abuse of political prisoners is no secret. Some used to argue about the white elephant buildings development but much harm happened to the citizens which since erase the sunny outlook of the regime. A cornerstone of the nation’s confidence which is the people are not better off today, yesterday, and tomorrow under the APRC regime.

In life, once you reach the top of the heap, some people with moral conscience retire with dignity while few others feel entitled to stay there until death does them apart. Fearing change, people sell their principles and go against the wishes of their citizens who question their political orthodoxy. As the pendulum of power approaches the completion of its APRC era swing, Yaya Jammeh insist to stay in power grudgingly and he is determine to inflict as much damage to the nation before he leaves. He showered himself with extraordinary unchallenged power and authority as a weapon to harass—some people, politicians and ideological opponents in ways that no one would have dared. There are hundreds of who should be alive but are not, along with thousands of surviving victims as a result of the president’s determination to stay in power no matter what.

Yaya Jammeh selective attitude toward opposition parties’ persecution is puzzling, even to those who are eager to give him the benefit of every doubt. Some die hard loyalist though he could have moderated his hectoring tone and wish he stop his actions against Gambians. Reality of his policies and his words are forces to be reckon with. The legacy Yaya Jammeh will leave is well established already. Staying in the good graces of Gambians is even more difficult after lives lost and torture details he approved came to light. He doesn’t seem to understand that a president doesn’t design his legacy. Yes there are moments in history when the fate of the nation’s lies at the mercy of the integrity of its leader but legacy is how you executed those actions.

The nation’s uncertainty cause by regime didn’t happen overnight and renewed confidence in the future won’t either because our society is now beset with structural problems and political paradox. With its propaganda and financial manipulation, the APRC regime feed some of his loyalist —with piecemeal and inadvertent assistance into the effort to cling on to power even doing the unthinkable. Some people who should know better don’t understand this. The disregard for human life that drives the regime to abuse its own supporters further illuminates its dream of eliminating its political opponents. The empty ritual of fear mongering by Yaya Jammeh is familiar now, and impresses no one.

A competent president would know that shared values like love of country, not tribal resentment, gives his citizens the fortitude and plain level field to succeed by leaving office gracefully when they are no longer welcomed to stay in office. Yaya Jammeh’s stubborn devotion to his agenda of staying in office by his use of terror —as an innumerable caravan to eternity for those whom he dislikes or disagrees with. This reveals his closed mind with lethal consequences against Gambians. He resorted to social engineering of the nation’s workforce and security forces which have been one of Yaya goals in his quest to transform Gambia. It has been very difficult for Gambians adjusting to the elaborate restraints of social etiquette and the closed nature of society which was once friendly.

This is why older elders always preach “Courage has its rewards, and fear has consequences”. A vibrant democracy depends on every citizen’s respect for the right of everyone to express an opinion, particularly if the opinion is unpopular. Everything Gambians worked hard for generations is now owned by Yaya Jammeh nowadays. You name it; Abuko life stocks —now kanilai farms, farm lands, hotels , buildings of high real estate values and the list goes on to the point that nothing is ever certain in Gambia except when it is owned by Yaya Jammeh. The rule of law is meant to guide the administration of justice but in The Gambia, the law is dictated by Yaya Jammeh’s mood swing. He is obsessed with four things; tribalism, color blind, riches and his favorite African trademarks.

Nevertheless, some Gambians have already pout, left the country in thousands through back way –others with university degree holders are more likely to stay in their host countries and raise their kids in different cultural environment. The regime has shuttered-eye approach on every concern of Gambians but this may soon be no longer tolerable because people want a free society and vibrant government to address their needs. The regime in every case has established a new standard of incompetence and proudly employs incompetent people or resorts to tribal affiliations employment. Most people see your regime as the scary darkening cloud they couldn’t way to eventually disappear.

By habib (A Concerned Gambian)

By Habib

All the pillars of our nationhood were tested in 1994 and continually tested by APRC regime. Some collapsed like the free press or unions, some were seriously weakened like the bar or legal system as a whole, while others were desecrated beyond repair-the economy. The list goes on with the presidency, our values, deep-seated personal convictions, religious leadership, foreign policy, security and most importantly, the people. We see how the regime responded to national crises as well. We need not recount the number of lives lost, the losses incurred by businesses and wasting of billions of dalasis by Yaya Jammeh and incompetence of the Executive.

Nearly majority of Gambians believe living the Gambian Dream of broad prosperity which once was very promising, is now not ensued or possible for them. They struggle in the dark, without help, without hope, and without proper electricity. Courageous dissidents fed up with the system are constantly harassed, beaten and imprisoned. They are very disappointed that the APRC economic message is just rhetorical and benefits the few Jammeh elites’ whiles ignoring a large segment of the population. Basically, fair share of the economy is not necessarily tricking down to them. Particularly so these days, ordinary Gambians are living even more of a hand-to-mouth existence and are not happy deep down in their hearts. Those close to Yaya Jammeh mastered his theifnomics ways, hence they are so rich that they amass vast wealth — then benefit from elaborate webs of shell companies to disguise their identities and their assets.

And with good reason: That’s probably why over the years so many Gambians are so dissatisfied, discontent — worried that Combined trends of high level corruption and incompetence has collapse the economy. Favoritism, nepotism, Social Security pension saving looting, soaring cost of higher basic commodities and high living conditions. Unemployment, corruption, bureaucratic incompetence and economic paralysis are the bane of the APRC regime. It is clear that Jammeh does not share our view about our beloved country Gambia. We are proud of our nation and heritage. His ballyhooed promise of being the Singapore of African has peeked out from under the covers. Every day, higher prices, economic stagnation, poverty and unemployment, political stasis, official corruption and a stifled, censored public became less and less tolerable.

The Gambians are marginalized by the nation’s changing economy, diversifying demographics and shifting of nation’s aggregate resources in the hands of few reflecting a broader societal divide. It’s an awareness of the growing gap between rich and poor, and the stagnation of wages. Many hard-working folks have had little or no raises since the 1994. Their standard of living is not going forward – or it’s noticeably retreating. They see Yaya Jammeh whose character is revealed through his own greed and he is setting a bad example by the way he conducts himself. They want a proper government and power returns to its proper place — the citizens of the country — and does not remain with regime. They want a president with empathy, high moral values —right judgment and temperament — not only to respond by movingly declaring “Yalla Bahna” policies, but also to preserve and lead a system based on laws. They’re right.

By the above measures, Yaya Jammeh contemptuous refusal to give substantive answers to substantive questions many Gambians have about their nation; his arrogance in branding opposition figures as bad citizens — and disappearing of people to destroy evidence of who knows what. Gambia and its citizens have been shortchanged by the APRC regime competencies and brutal tasteless tactics. The repetitive lies and scare tactics has resulted to many decent citizens ignorant of the basics of democracy functions, and lack the knowledge to participate fully in the society it sustains. Granted, too many young people who grew under Yaya Jammeh political culture today do not understand how our political system works because he had misled them into believing he is Gambia’s savior. People are very concern about his far-reaching explicit religious mission which has resulted to unintended consequences on both secular and religious freedoms. His insulting insouciance bred more dissatisfaction among the population.

Yaya Jammeh knows very well — Gambia is in financial life support because he is consumed by “African trademark” as he likes to put it. He does not care a bit because he feels like he has name identification no one else has, a raft of true believers eager to do anything for him and the state money to ride out many storm in his way. He is getting away with lying to the Gambian people about every aspect of his administration.

We Gambians are all in a tactical sense, soft targets of this regime. The attacks on peaceful protesters and nightly raids are meant to sow fear, intimidate members of our community, and cause confusion by the regime security forces. These assaults are another battle in a struggle of our freedom. Gambians do not revel in the death of defenseless civilians in the hands of this brutal regime. We are all one people who mourn together, we work together and, under strong leadership shown by our gallant heroes in jail. We can overcome this regime together no matter how much the regime send darts into our midst.

Furthermore, we should resolutely reject the demagogic cries, waves of fear and xenophobia by the regime. Few Gambians still have contradictory impulses on this regime while we are contending for our own liberty. They should be very cautious not to violate the conscience of others who lost love ones, suffered and continue to experience nightmares of this regime. Ignorance is not a virtue. Let’s give the dictator the “shellacking” he deserves and drive him away for good. He is angry, he is defensive, he is spending his final moments cowardly mishandling Gambians and hopelessly trying to spin his disastrous failed presidency. So we are watching along with your rented crowd whether your tour will be a “Mansakonko moment”. And so, inevitably the message is clear, Jammeh must go.

By Habib (A Concerned Gambian)

By Habib

Jammeh is out again with cold feet peddling an amorphous anti-Western, anti-opposition and anti-diasporian resentments. Predictably, truth is the first casualty. Mr. Jammeh’s address was predictable mix of criticism of the 17th century policies, the internet, opposition and self-praise. Yaya Jammeh is left free will by the security forces — rewriting history and dangerously brain washing school children to hate the west and branding the opposition as older bad citizens who long for a leadership.

The rented invitation-only audience were so panic driven that they greeted such self-serving insanity with applause. He vows to start disappearing his opportunist evil opponents as he puts it, burying the opposition 9 feet deep, arbitrary detentions and his regime is determined to move court cases at far end of the country in the provinces— to avoid protestors in the city. Injustice is on wheels tiptoeing around the country. Gambians are smart enough to believe Yaya Jammeh has no strategy beyond trying to politicize every issues near and dear to his heart to make the citizens suffer.

Parents are all tired about their children being used as his ideological crusades with repeated brainwashing “Bathroom” talks. Gambians are feeling helpless by his terrorism and constantly bombarding them with empty propaganda slogans. There will be no end in sight to the mounting death toll of Gambians and the shattered families as long as he stays in office. On every level, economically, fiscally, socially, Gambia is in a lot worse shape and under debt-ridden by Yaya Jammeh inept presidency. Poverty is up. Violent crime by Yaya’s thugs is up. Businesses are all in trouble due to his border closure. The economy is barely growing. People are hurting. All of this combines to create a dysfunctional obfuscated by webs of corruption that fails Gambian taxpayers and undermines public trust.

The haughty childish Gambian maniacal dictator with furious hatred and delusional arrogance has calculated with exaggerated hope that Europe and American will not fight him because they have unusual burdens of undergirded responsibilities. He is proud to get carrot stick “isolationism” —thus his deliberate decision to turn away from the increasingly active global condemnation and recommendation to respect human rights. Appeasement of a dictator by allowing him to buy expensive mansions around the world with webs of secret bank accounts telegraphs weakness and encourage further transgressions on Gambian citizens.

Yaya Jammeh is under political siege and thus invariably resorts to underhand methods to maintain control. These measures are unlikely to save him from determined Gambians if they continue to put aside their superficial differences and united in the interests of the country. Oddly enough, the hardheaded Yaya did not take his friends advise whom had tried awkwardly — and, arguably, unsuccessfully — for him to step down. His Regime has saddled the country with debt as far as the eyes can see, fueled wild expansion of his brutal power, increased interference in everyone’s daily lives and made the country’s economy one of the worst in the world. It’s no wonder his colleagues in the continent are growing increasingly tired of him shaming the continent.

Leadership is about more than making promises or saying the same thing over and over again. His unwillingness or inability to seize the moment to show that he can lead the nation in a moment of crisis underscored the suspicion of many that his 22-year experience and his vision are too narrow for the presidency. Despite the relentless stream of deaths, kidnapping, forced disappearance by his executive directions — he out there deliberate, contrived and dishonest about everything. Again, leadership is about more than hewing to talking points. It involves a sensitive understanding of the fears and anxieties of the Gambians and addressing them in a way that inspires trust. Yaya’s unwillingness to level and come clean about his actions against the Gambian people left him threatening every one and calling out names. Yaya Jammeh is no doubt looking for something of enough grandeur to reflect his opinion of himself. A long-standing question has been why the Gambia has been so plagued by such violence from you — mercilessly looting everything.

The sea change in the public mood has come about because his brutal nature on the citizens, wrong direction of the country, his incompetent policies, disinformation, secrecy, oppression, deceit and his deep unpopularity— crystallized public discontent. He also declared war too with the internet routers in Gambia which he categories as “Negative sites” and “Positive internet sites”. He is trying to halt Gambians from listening to his viral videos and tapes on the internet of his failed promises when he ceased power by force in 1994. His persistent concerned about his citizen’s awareness of his stolen wealth, businesses throughout the world, confession of killings and disappearing of citizens by his former military men.

What is especially reprehensible Yaya Jammeh continues to fudge the facts and subjects our citizens to dangerously radical ideas which has become wearingly familiar to the world by now. Gambians remain mired in living standards that lead to disease and death rates on rise due to his policies. This regime is not sustainable. It’s a heavy burden on Gambia. It is Gambians — not Yaya Jammeh — who will suffer as a consequence of a failed nation as a results of his policies.
By Habib ( A Concerned Gambian)