#Article (Archive)

A Welcome Addition Will Boost Democracy

Jan 28, 2009, 4:34 AM

It is with great delight that we read of the registration of the Gambia Moral Congress as a bona fide political party in The Gambia. We celebrate this not because we support that party or what it stands for, in fact we yet know little of what it stands for yet, but because it will offer more democratic choice to Gambians.

In all areas of life it is good and important to have choice and politics is no different. In most countries there are a large number of political parties because there are, where human beings are involved, always a large number of differing opinions. As we all know from family and community life it can often be extremely difficult to find a common consensus where all people agree on every aspect of a particular issue. Why then do we believe it might be possible for all people in a nation to unite under the banner of one, two or even three political parties? In fact a tiny number of political parties belies the reality that human nature drives us to possess and cherish our own thoughts and opinions. Through the establishment of new political parties we can indulge these opinions and find one that is closest (few can ever be perfect) to our own views and support it.

With the introduction of a new party will come a new impetus for people to discuss politics and again analyze and assess what each party stands for. This kind of discussion is extremely important for democracy.

We await with great interest further developments in relation to this issue. As time goes on what this party stands for will become very clear indeed and even if it is not to the taste of every Gambian it is certainly to the benefit of Gambian democracy.

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Woodrow Wilson