By: Ousainou Mbenga
As the proverbial “fig tree”, Jammeh never expected our “small axe” to cut him and his parasitic A.P.R.C down to the ground. But as remnants of his vermin still present a national “security threat”, we will leave nothing to chance for a re-growth of the monstrous Jammeh regime. We must, with the same unshakable determination, uproot the tap root just as we do with the local “mbanghanaseh” plant capable of destroying the new foundation we desire to construct. The Barrow administration’s blind “tactical attempts” to rescue and recycle the A.P.R.C, betray our struggle for a system change as oppose to the perpetuation of the rotten status quo comprised of the most unreliable sector of the Gambian society, the petit bourgeoisie and its aspirants.
FEAR OF A.P.R.C OR THE ABSENCE OF A PROGAM?
Unlike the Barrow mal-administration, the vast majority of the Gambian masses are not intimidated by the parasites left behind, neither Yaya himself. The insignificant and willfully ignorant remnants of the Jammeh regime severely afflicted with a broad “political blind spot” refuse to accept the fact that the host for their parasitic dependence is no more. Every parasite requires a “host” to survive and the Gambia was made an unwilling host to a small sector of our society willing to suck the life blood of our beloved Gambia at the expense of the rest of us. The free food, water and light to the former hamlets of Kanilai and vicinities including his sycophantic enablers represented the sharpest edge of the knife that bled the “nation”. From “rags to riches”, the head parasite Jammeh and his dependents became oblivious to the “suffering in the land”.
The morbid fear of Jammeh and A.P.R.C is as a consequence of the Barrow administration’s lack of a program, a plan of action and ultimately a strategy to propel the Gambia into a nation of confidence determined to reverse the 22 years of horror we have been subjected to by the A.P.R.C. If the Barrow administration implemented their own program and not adopt the rotten –ruinous system Jammeh had in place, the A.P.R.C would have never dared to provoke incidents such as the one that resulted in the death of Haruna Jatta in Kanilai.
Aside from the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the “coalition 2016”, which has been ditched into the dustbin, the coalition 2016 and the “tactical coalition” making up the Barrow mal-administration has no road map to follow. Consequently, the stumbling steps (Fakatalu) policies as they go along. Here in lies the sticking point contradictions of the Barrow administration.
“THE ROAD TO HELL IS PAVED WITH GOOD INTENTIONS”
To us, it is not enough to win elections and take office on a platform of “good intentions”; you must stand for something based on a program. What do you stand for? What is your program? We have witnessed the consequences of Jammeh’s “good intentions” and the hell it turned Gambia into. The Barrow administration’s delaying tactics with deafening silence on practically all decisive policy matters (judiciary, education, health, environment and security) clearly exposes their inability to construct the foundation upon which the “new Gambia” we fought for 22 damn years will be erected. The deliberate silence from Barrow is being defended particularly by United Democratic Party (UDP) “stalwarts” and the “let’s give them a chance” advocates on groundless and bizarre arguments that the Barrow administration is working on “something” that would be a pleasant surprise to many of us when they are finished cooking whatever this “something” is. Whatever the Barrow administration is cooking in secret doesn’t have a pleasant aroma. For if it did, we would smell the pleasant aroma by now.
Is the Barrow administration a “secret society” only answerable to themselves and not to the people who put them in office?
The internal contradictions (the basis for change)of the Barrow administration such as the Vice presidency (the “tactical coalition’s” burden), the floating standards – constitution and the long promised “blue print” all of which remain shrouded in secrecy and mystery will consequently result in an implosion. To prevent this inevitable implosion at the expense of the rest of us if these matters continue unresolved, the old order and business as usual will be the order of the day.
The external contradictions (the conditions for change) that plague the Barrow administration primarily remain to be food, water and light. These are the primary contradictions that we will continue to expose for the masses to understand the kind of leadership they voted into office. There are no indications or signs that the Barrow administration wants to resolve these contradictions, instead reconciling with the Jammeh regime is their working plan. And that will be met with resistance!
As opportunism (sacrificing long term gains for short term gains) prevailed in 1994, lifting Jammeh and AFPRC onto the “saddles of power”, so is the same opportunism prevailing at the moment within the Barrow administration.
These contradictions have reached crisis proportions as being manifested in the recent trash and garbage protest at KMC and the Kartong – Gunjur disasters. Barrow’s silence and indecisiveness will only heighten the mass impatience into more justifiable protests.
