Yaya Jammeh, a rock-ribbed divisive dictator who rules Gambia with a clench fist accordingly, with mysterious spiritual ideology and brilliantly fooled many of his platoon of armed guards, professing of having a third eye and forfeited himself with deceptive psychological powers which many would fell on his sword. It’s difficult to fathom his incestuous relationship with religious leaders who glorifies his sins and shortcomings as never to be mentioned in the parlors, his transgressions against the Gambian citizens makes other known dictators around the world crimes seem trivial and he doesn’t care what anyone else thinks except his trophy wife. His dependence on spiritual adviser has ruin our economy, continue to witch hunt people, and sadly has brought with it a reign of terror— anyone who doesn’t adhere to praising Yaya Jammeh or is viewed as a threat to his power — have been rounded up in jail or exterminated. This continues to be a nagging concern for all Gambians.
He is strangely reticent about the everyday hardships that bedevil the lives of the poor Gambians — particularly women and youths, lacks similar sympathy for our struggling farmers, and opposition members according to him are meant to be killed or jailed for treason. What baffles most Gambians is— he throws Gambia’s national wallet opens to musicians, foreigners, and his undeserving friends for admiration whiles he does the bare minimum for Gambians. Oddly enough, it is very troubling for 22years, this man whom was entrusted with safeguarding the life of the former Gambian president, took over the country by the barrel of the gun with an ego of self-entitlement to everything and he is very well known for his unanimous calumnious statements despite staining our country with his albatross scandals. He continues peddling his narrow minded political aims which does not fit Gambia, whiles tapping the empathy and sorrow of many unsuspecting Gambians as a crybaby victim of anathema, sadly with a bold straight face despite all of the tortures, extrajudicial killings and breaking our Central bank broad daylight.
As the saying goes, “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me”. Gambians are fatigue by the rancor lately between Yaya Jammeh and the civilians, they are more fatigued by endless court proceedings, and rightly disdained about his use of excessive force against our women and elderly men. We are further confused by the bad tone set by his administration, especially with his laundry list of numerous executive orders that impose policies against our will. The fact is that, the ramifications of his policies, whether with good or bad intentions, their consequences will be around with us to deal with for a long time. Yaya Jammeh does confessed to crimes during overheated crusades of bad news especially when he is cornered, but does not admit any wrong doing, rather— wants his surrogates defending his character, or flatly denying charges for him. Well, now he has more explaining to do because many of his actions has an odor about it that won’t be easily perfumed.
The man who took over Gambia with the naive belief that rampant corruption, breaking the barriers of tribalism in work place, extending privilege to all, reignited dozens of conspiracy theories in Gambian minds about the first republic and he vowed all what was needed was to trust him with a fresh start to lead Gambia to prosperous nation the west would be coming to seek jobs as maids. Okay that was funny! It is hard to comprehend today and it is equally troubling that those were words of Yaya Jammeh. He tapped danced all over everything he accused of PPP and become extraordinarily skilled now in looting nations resources, seizing properties, stubbornly devotion to his thorny agenda policies, reshaping the nation to match his vision, blaming colonialism for all our problems, very oppressive, our economy is in a free fall, Gambia is stained with blood prints, human rights problems continue to fester and made Gambia very isolated regime. After what Gambians went through for twenty-two years, words are not enough to thrill us anymore. What worries most Gambians is election is around the corner but Yaya Jammeh isn’t deterred by the failing economy, he isn’t bordered by the hardship around the country, he is more resolute on terrorizing Gambians, more lethal, continues his arresting spree of Gambia and endangers people of all political persuasions.
Here is the answer from him though hard to swallow. According to Yaya Jammeh’s internal numbers which he shared with the country months ago during his tour in May 2016, there are over one million Gambians and eight hundred thousand foreigners in “his” country. So you do the math and ask yourself if his social re-engineering is a success. Let’s recap 1994 to date events that is worthy of the nation to remember. When Gambian journalists started asking questions that he seemingly had no clear answers, he started burning media houses such as radio one FM and independent newspaper, killing journalist like Ebrima Chief manner and Deida hydara etc. When Koro Ceesay questioned the junta about stealing from government coffers, they beat him to death and burnt him off in his car. When patriot military personnel were concerned about their reputations being ruined by bandits like Yaya Jammeh, he exterminated them all and lied about coup in November 11th. After the commissions of inquiry, he set- up exonerated first republic of any wrong doings he accused them of, he shields the records and justice Algahly mysteriously died. Fast forward to 2016, when Solo Sandeng ask for reformed, he beat him to death and they buried him “like a dog” according to lawyer Darboe. When Lawyer Darboe and his executives asked for his body, he was given 3 years in jail sentence. When Tina Faal got fed up and left the APRC party, she was accused and kidnapped at mile 2 prison. When the youth asked for jobs, he showed them the high seas for backway travelling. So when he asks for our vote this time, we shall not be fool again. So does Gambia deserve another five more years of this hell? You be the judge.
By Habib ( A Concerned Gambian)
