Hundreds
if not thousands of Gambians in Banjul and Kanifing Municipality Friday took to
the streets to celebrate the election of Adama Barrow president of The Gambia.
As
soon the chairman of Independent Electoral Commission, Alieu Momarr Njai,
declared the final result of the 1st December election, there was an outpour of
people on the streets to celebrate the first democratic change of government in
the country since independence in 1965.
At
the Ebo-Town market, supporters of the president-elect, mainly women, came out
in their large numbers to celebrate Barrow’s victory, saying they were “very
happy” with the way things turned out.
The
women went to pay their respect to the family of Fatou Camara, the Ebo-Town
women leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP) who was one of the three
women convicted together with 11 UDP supporters at the Mansakonko High
Court. They are sentenced to 3 years
jail term.
The
women went to her compound with songs, singing and dancing, and shouting: “New
Gambia has come”.
They
paid respect to Fatou’s family and sympathised with them saying a day would
soon come when she will be released and re-unite with her family and loved
ones.
In
a telephone chat with Fatou’s son (name withheld), he said: “The sleepless
nightmare is over, victory has come; I am now anxiously and patiently waiting
for my mother’s return from prison.”
A
lady who supports the incumbent APRC party and a phone credit seller at
Westfield said the victory of coalition candidate was a shocked to her for the
fact that APRC has been here for many years and “we are happy with Jammeh’s
leadership”.
The
lady who pleads for anonymity she said now that there is change of government;
her only worry was whether the new leader is going to accommodate all the
tribes.
Our
reporter also caught up with junior and senior schools students as well as
young school teachers along the Westfield-New Jeshwang Highway celebrating
Barrow’s victory and shouting: “Freedom for all; New Gambia has emerged”.
The
students, just like the teachers, said they are optimistic of a new Gambia
where everyone, young and old, would be allowed to take part in decision-making
processes.
“We
are tired of decisions being made that affects our lives and livelihoods when
we are not put in the picture,” they said, adding that changing the country to
civilian rule was a big decision they made so that they would be free from
military command.
The
youth said they have high hopes in president-elect Barrow in terms of
employment creation and opening up the private sector for investors to come
invest and create jobs.
A
primary school teacher said the incumbent government misconceived the very
meaning of free primary education because the schools, teachers and students
are all suffering from the free education proclamation.
The
teacher said the incumbent government only gives primary schools nothing more
than D5,000 for all the pupils and that is not even enough to get the schools
cash power.
“At
the schools, we can no longer do any maintenance work as a result, the
classrooms are collapsing and the furniture are being eaten up by termites,”
the schoolteacher said.
The
teacher’s hope is that with the change of government, the new one would remedy
the current situation on the ground to put smiles on the faces of the children
once again.
A
youth man who goes by the name Baba who just returned from his native Kiang
said the people of his native village have been suffering in silence and have
been patience for long time now.
He
lamented that his village, like every part of The Gambia, deserved development
but they were denied just because they failed to support the incumbent and his
government.
For
us from Kiang, he said, the election victory was more than just a change of
government; it is to choose the person who would bring them development.
The
head of the women kafoo in Farato village said the victory was important to all
of them because The Gambia is now divided along tribal lines so there is a need
for a new leader to lead and unite people.
She
said as mothers and parents, their daughters and sons from different tribes
would fall in love but when they want to get married the parents would not
allow it because of the tribal difference.
The
woman expressed optimism that the president-elect would be able to unite The
Gambia.
In
Brikama, the jubilant women chanted, ‘freedom at last’; they said they voted
the incumbent out because they want to re-unite with their sons and daughters
who are in the prison for crimes they have no idea about.
They
said the new government should release all political prisoners.
