President Barrow’s statement in Turkey is very disappointing, corrosive and imprecise. This is not what is expected from a president who claims, that there is democracy in the New Gambia. His speech was an embodiment of divisiveness and very misleading.
When things were tough during the impasse, President Barrow and his show-man Mai Fatty ran to Senegal. They were hiding in Senegal leaving Gambians in a state of limbo and uncertainty.
Gambians had already voted for Barrow and he should have make sure, he stood by the people during those trying moments for the nation, but he chose to exercise a cowardice action by self-exiling himself until calm and normalcy was restored and the eventual departure of Yahya Jammeh.
If it was not for the efforts and solidarity of the civil society organizations, Human Rights activists and groups, TANGO, the GPU, Gambia Bar Association, ECOWAS, AU, and Gambians in the Diaspora, etc,Jammeh would have forcefully stayed and it would have only mean One thing, either back to the polls or the bullet.
The president should be grateful to the civil society organizations because they have been fighting against dictatorship and tyranny since 1994. President Barrow must know, that a democratic state cannot be stable unless it is effective and legitimate, with the respect and support of its citizens.
The civil society is a vital partner in the quest for a positive relationship between a democratic state and its citizens. The president’s speech can be describe as an attempt to silence the CSOs (civil society organizations). We are seeing a similar playbook of pattern that Yaya Jammeh in his early days into office was playing to suppress dissent. Gambians voted for change to effect democracy, and that is why we have the freedom and liberty to express divergent views more than ever before.
Apparently, it seems that the president is aiming to veto public criticisms but this is just the beginning, it is not even the begining of the end but perhaps the end of the beginning. In the new Gambia our leaders must learn to accept constructive criticisms and freedom of expression.
Gambians of all and sundry, participated in the bringing about change by voting against Jammeh. So Barrow should seek to be politically correct to unite and reconcile our country rather than speaking in a way that will fan division.
I’ll conclude by saying bravo to the Gambian voters, our gallant CSOs, human rights activists and politicians for effecting change.
MC Cham Jnr National Youth Mobiliser GDC.
