We are in July 2016.
Episode
1: We have just gone through the April political tensions involving the UDP
party while all eyes are on the outcome of Lawyer Darboe & Co. kangaroo
trial with the Nigerian Mercenary Judges ready to hand down the political
verdict of Dictator Yahya Jammeh. Gambia was going thru an emotional political
revolution and we on the ground knew that the upcoming December elections would
be a difference.
The on the spot counting electoral law gave us
hope and we believed we can win the December elections without doubt.
Episode
2: Convincing the Diaspora Gambians that it was possible to remove Jammeh
through the polls was a herculean task and I remember I had only Malick Kah,
James Bahoum and Seedy Cessay of freedom newspaper all of UK and Lawyer Assan
Martin and Saihou Mballoh of the US as partners in canvassing the Gambian
diaspora to accept participating in the upcoming December elections. It was a
thought nut to crack, as Pa Ndery Mbye, Fatu Camara, Mama Linguerre Sarr, Ben
Suwareh and Babou Jobe were all not convince that elections could remove Jammeh
from office. The Diaspora UDP was split between boycott and participation
camps.
Episode
3: Enter the GDC party and Mama Kandeh. The euphoria was high in the political
field and hopes started to surface in favour of elections. Mix signals abound
that something interesting was about to happen in the Gambia and suddenly the
UDP militants will not have it that a new kid in block Mama Kandeh stole the
election fever show. I immediately jumped on the GDC bandwagon to put more
steam on the freedom train. Seedy Sanneh blog and Saihou Mballow threw their
weight in thus changing the political dynamics and sparking the electoral
propaganda machine in motion in favour of the GDC.
Episode
4: Hell no! Pa Samba Jow Coach of DUGA DC formerly of PDOIS will not have it,
the NADD ghost was awaken and all old opposition political parties including
the fire power of the newcomers soft lady Fatoumata Tambajang and iron lady Dr.
Isatou Touray threw their scarfs in the political unity ring. The mayonnaise
catch up and the Coalition talks went into high gear. Good, said Fatu Jaw
Manneh Nyancho and all other freedom fighters began to drive home the Coalition
unity song now picked up by all previous hesitant Gambians and a new breed of
social media warriors emerge like ants from the ground. Beautiful! I said to
myself that’s it Jammeh is gone. Hurray! Jammeh ‘Jeppo” was happily and
constantly ringing in my head. I told all my friends that Jammeh is history.
OJ
Jallow and Halipha Sallah the experts on diaspora politics invaded the online
media and steered the Coalition brainchild to a steady course assisted by
Fatoumata Tambajang and boom! The convention idea conceive by Lawyer Assan
Martin was agreed upon. Money and heavy propaganda was promised if a flag
bearer was selected. The above named people in episode 1 and I were now very
happy that the Diaspora finally agreed to participate the December elections.
Enter
Dr. Isatou Touray. Feminism stormed the mix and GDC’s Mama Kandeh relegated to
the back seat of the political class because of its stand and conviction that
we could win Jammeh single handedly. Alas! Mama Kandeh became the bad boy in the
block and Dr. Isatou Touray became the independent ticket shining star wanting
to relegate the old opposition leadership to the back seat for the Coalition
process to move on. Hell no! The UDP and PDOIS will not have it and put their
electoral political weight into play whiles brandishing the veto card if all
were not on an equal footing for the convention selection process to take
place. Bingo! The talks began and smart lady Fatoumata Tambajang was selected
the moderator and coordinator of the process. Behold! Mai Fatty and Henry Gomez
had to put their foot down and over their dead bodies their 70 delegates each
must count in the ballots or else? and Pouf! It was finally accepted for time
was of essence not miss the Coalition train. So be it and damn those who
thought their two parties were “telecenter” parties whiles the GDC that
advocated for open primaries in a single constituency for the flag bearer
selection was brushed under the carpet. Waw!
Episode
5: The debacle began with the GDC and the Independent Candidate who finally did
not make it to the Convention Day at Kairaba Beach Hotel for various reasons
whiles Eyes on Africa TV beamed the world and Hop! Within five hours Adama
Barrow of the UDP candidate emerged the winner with over 230 votes against Hamat Bah bagging second position with 75 votes and Halifa Sallah loosing his
5 voters came in third with 65 votes. How did it happen? Gush? Halifa Sallah
made the best presentation that historic day. It was magic, the gods have
spoken and there was no turning back. Loll!
We
in GDC were still happy to retain the APRC cross carpeters and Bang! We won the
Coalition in the December polls if one cares to divide the 227000 by 7
political parties and one Independent candidate each one of them will pull only
a little over 28.000 votes against the GDC pulling 89.000 votes single handedly.
Bravo GDC despite all accusations of being a sell out you deserve a pat on the
back. Good luck next time.
Episode
6: The skeptics were worried that even if Yahya Jammeh lost the elections he
will not leave power. He will stay put by force of arms. This was the hardest
nut to crack in the brains of the Diaspora Gambians. Halifa Sallah played a key
role in convincing Gambians that if Jammeh lost he has no choice but to hand
over power to the winner. Bravo Halifa Sallah for the unflinching believe that
it will happen and it has happen. What Halifa did not factor in was the
foreign voters lined up by Yahya Jammeh to tilt the voting results to his favor
and the buffoon was convinced that it was a foregone conclusion for him to
remain in power even the devils did not vote for him. Hahahahaha! “Kekh kekh ma
reeh”
Now
enter the freedom fighters in the dark. Colonel Ebrima Chongan, Major Ben
Suwarreh, Officer Bai Lowe and policeman Seedy Ceesay of Freedom newspaper had
a plan and they were indeed the real heroes behind Jammeh’s fall. But we will
leave this story for another day. Gambians will be happily surprised to know
the role these people played in tilting the voting results to the opposition
camp. I salute you brave and patriotic Gambians for ushering in the New Gambia.
Respect.
Episode
7: Enter President Macky Sall of Senegal. Gambians shall ever be grateful for
closing the Cassamance border preventing Jammeh’s foreign loyalists from voting
in our elections. Few Gambians were convince that President Macky Sall will
play this vital part in making sure the insults Jammeh hailed on the four
honorable presidents of Senegal are squarely and skillfully avenged to restore
the Honor of the past three Senegalese presidents, himself included. ‘Korr
Marieme Faye takes no mess deh aha!” Jammeh was his own enemy and his utter
arrogance towards the world was an omen to the Gambian struggle. Thank you so
much President Macky Sall Gambians shall never forget.
Episode
8: The end movie sets in. Jammeh accepted defeat and reject the results. Bang!
President Macky Sall will not have it over his dead body. The military power
red card was brandish and HE Mankeur Ndiaye did not minced his words in making
categorically clear that Jammeh will never confiscate the will of the Gambian
people. That was the time I knew Jammeh would go whether he likes it or not.
Hello!
Halifa
Sallah’s prophecy was realized. Waaw! I became the happiest man on earth and I
prayed and cried, Thank Allah to know President Macky Sall was a God sent
savior to free an enslaved Gambian people that had noting to defend them
themselves but our voting cards and our mouths. Our local military was a
non-starter, they were no match to Jammeh’s loyal soldiers; they will never
attack Jammeh for sure. All eyes and hopes turn on president Macky Sall.
President Sall did not waste time in mobilizing the world community for the
green light to strike and permission granted to the delight of all Gambians.
ECOMIG was born and Jammeh became history on Saturday the 20th January 2017.
What a long day! Gambians woke up on Sunday to welcome all her children on
exile and the mass exodus that followed the military stand off when the never
happen war was imminent making all heartbeats rise to the red line zone.
Alhamdulillah! No bullet was fired, no blood was spilt, game over Jemus. It
took only three fighters jets from the Nigerian Air force to make Jammeh panic,
pack and leave destination Obiang land another land of slavery. Presidents
Condeh and Adoul Aziz stole the show and saved their friend’s life. So be it
good riddance. Gambians took back their country in grand style, thanks to
President Macky Sall, President Sirleaf, President Buhary and all ECOWAS presidents
and specially President Marcel de Souza the no nonsense man that made Jammeh
shivers and sweat in his brains hearing his menacing words. What a chicken?
Adieus
Yahya! Bye bye!
This
piece is dedicated to my Late Elder Brother Deyda Hydara. Deyda was my senior
at the Foyer French School in Banjul; he was five classes ahead of me. RIP
Brother.
Good morning President Barrow.
Happy
Independence Day Gambia.
Written
by Pa Njie Girigara.
