The year 2011 promises to be an even more eventful year, with the looming Presidential Elections, which is no doubt going to be another litmus test for Gambian democracy.
Come 24th November this year, Gambians will be going to the polls once again, to exercise their constitutional right to vote and elect a leader to steer the affairs of this country for another five years.
While we are still about seven months away from the election, it appears that the various political players have begun the campaign in earnest.
Political party leaders have also started making their intentions known ahead of the polls, with most of them speaking on their preparations and plans, while others tour the country.
In line with this, we renew our call for the maintenance of peace throughout the length and breadth of the country.
We are calling on all political party leaders and their supporters to preach peace throughout the campaign process.
Peace, as we all know, is the foundation that forms the building block of any development. This, therefore, makes it a necessity in life.
In any competition, there must be winners and losers and, in view of this, we call on all Gambians to cast aside their differences and come together to develop this beautiful country of ours.
Looking at the structure of the Gambian society, typified by intermarriages and cohabitation, there can be no room for hatred.
Our political party leaders must understand that The Gambia is bigger than their own political party interests and, no matter how important their party agenda are, they should bear in mind that the interest of this country and its people is above their self-interests.
In fact, their agenda become valid and important only if they observe the maintenance of peace as one of their top priorities in nation-building. A problem that is not solved through dialogue can never be solved through other means.
We want to see an election free from violence and trouble as we are all Gambians and will remain Gambians, because it is The Gambia that we have.
After all, politics is geared towards nation-building, which of course will never be possible without the cherished peace prevailing.
We must always remember that our only differences are our political ideologies and principles, but the goals are all the same – national development to give Gambians a good standard of living.
“There is no way to peace, peace is the way.”
A. J. Muste
