I have read with some disappointment the press release from the government spokesperson Mr. Ebrima Sankareh responding to the leaked audios between Yahya Jammeh and his lieutenants in the country. In that statement, he attacked the APRC in the strongest terms and hinted that your government will not allow such to continue.
If this was on your behalf (which it should be for otherwise wouldn’t he be operating outside the parameters of his mandate?). If that is the case, then I have to say that it is a waste of time and that you should look at the bigger picture and focus on (re)building our country. There are a lot of things that need your attention and thus, you should not belabor the point of the natural demise of the APRC party. It is like beating a dead horse.
I mean, it seems that Yahya Jammeh and his people have managed to control the narrative for far too long in the Gambia. When he was here as president, we talked about him constantly; we defenestrated him, and he still manages to control what we say daily. No conversation is complete without mentioning Yahya Jammeh. Why is it so important for us to constantly keep talking about a former president?
As president, you cannot respond to each and everything said in (and about) the Gambia. Certain comments are not worth responding to. If I were to advise you, I would say that those leaked audios should be ignored; for, nothing said there threatens the current status quo and as such, it should have been given the deaf ear,so the citizens will not focus on it but will rather keep working for the betterment of the nation.
As is observable, the bee is high in the hills or the trees, minding not what is happening on the ground and that is why it produces one of the most useful liquids known to man – honey. It is high up there so that no one can touch it and it only focuses on its work of preparing honey which benefits humankind. This does not mean that you should be aloof and oblivious of people’s opinions but responding to everything will seem petty.
Besides, your recent reported meetings with the APRC leadership and your interaction with some of their ‘fallen heroes’does not send a good signal to the masses who fought so hard to effect the change that benefitted you and all Gambians. No one is saying that they should not be allowed to participate in the development of the nation; but, it certainly should not be in our government which they did everything to prevent from coming to power even after it became clear that the Gambian people had given you the mandate to rule.
One can understand if you want to be inclusive, but it does not have to be in key areas which we should use to rebuild the country and reform institutions necessary for the nurturing of our nascent democracy. How can there be reform when the ones who corrupted the institutions are still running them? It is high time you made your position on this issue clear. At present, you are sending conflicting signals.
We are watching!
Have a Good Day Mr President…
Tha Scribbler Bah
A Concerned Citizen
