President-elect
Barrow needs to be a strong leader in order to be successful. The new
president-elect of the coalition party has a rare opportunity to catapult The
Gambia on the track of development and unity.
The
atmosphere is ripe enough to stimulate support from home and abroad. Ordinary
Gambian citizens at home and in the diaspora are hopeful and willing to invest
and help develop their country.
Nations
around the world were astonished and impressed by the concession and maturity
of the outgoing president, in addition to showing strong signs of willingness
to assist and cooperate with The Gambia.
There
is no doubt that President-elect Barrow now has the blessings of the Gambian
people and the world at-large to be an effective leader in our country.
But
there are some real obstacles that he needs to avoid. Firstly, he needs to stay
focused, maintain a strong personality, and make conscious decisions in
executing policies that he believe will be complementary to the country. It is
no secret that president-elect Barrow is surrounded by two influential
realities within the coalition. These are stakeholders from the respective
parties and activists in the diaspora.
All
members of the opposition parties on the ground (with the exception of Mamma
Kandeh), in addition to known activists in the diaspora make up the coalition
party.
Difficulties
in reconciling individual party agendas within the coalition as they transition
into the third republic might be one of President-elect Barrow’s biggest
challenges.
It
is important to note that the coalition will dissolve in 36 months (3 years),
and each party within the coalition shall be given the opportunity to run
against each other.
This
transitioning period might be utilize by skilled politicians to build cases for
the upcoming presidential election. The incoming president needs to listen
attentively to stakeholders within the coalition, but must remember that he is
the man in charge who will be held accountable by Gambians if anything goes
wrong.
Making
policies that has the potential to impact the lives of ordinary Gambians for
generations to come, while under the umbrella of eight different parties within
the coalition, calls for a leader with a strong personality who is not afraid
to follow his conscience.
It
could be argued that president-elect Barrow was the least experienced member at
the convention, but was elected as a flag-bearer based on the fact that he
hailed from the largest party within the coalition. If he shows weakness, he
will find it difficult and even stressful to argue or oppose the skillful and
more experienced politicians of the coalition.
Furthermore,
what role will the default leader of Borrow’s party (UDP), lawyer Ousainou
Darboe play in the transitioning process? Will he sit on the sideline and limit
himself to an advisor, or will he pull the strings of the president-elect
behind the scenes? That again will be based on the wisdom and character of the
incoming president.
Secondly,
the president-elect needs to deal with Gambian activists in the diaspora, some
of whom are indirectly showing early signs of entitlement. Monetarily, the diaspora
was the backbone of the coalition. They impressively raised close to $70,000,
enabling the coalition to execute an effective campaign against a resourceful
incumbent.
Majority
of the donors were ordinary Gambians, but there were head figures who were
responsible for rallying Gambians from mostly Europe and the U.S to donate and
canvass via social media.
These
leading personalities ranged from former government officials, journalists,
radio personalities, entrepreneurs, and more. Some of whom are already
contemplating their return to Gambia. It could possibly be challenging for the
president-elect to deny positions to influential members of the diaspora who
campaigned rigorously.
The
president-elect should prioritize merit over fame, influence, and internal
connections. Again, he should consider all Gambians irrespective of party
affiliation. This is about nation-building, and shall be dealt with as such. It
will be a great mistake if he feels indebted and starts rewarding those in the
diaspora with positions.
Most
Gambians voted for Barrow because they wanted change, especially inclusiveness;
not partisanship. President-elect Barrow should consider keeping some
professional civil servants who served in the previous administration.
Many
of these knowledgeable civil servants are Gambians who served the previous
administration with good intentions for their country, and they will can make
the ride much smoother for the president-elect, especially now. This will not
only make the incoming president look good, but it will help unify the nation.
To
state the obvious, tribal tensions are at their highest in our beloved nation.
Preserving the position of talented Gambians who pledged allegiance to the APRC
is a sign of mercy and virtue.
Gambians
should not get the impression that the incoming president is going after his
enemies who ought to be fired from all positions. If the president-elect fails,
then Gambia fails!
I
encourage all Gambians to pray and to rally behind our new president. We hope
he uses this rare privilege to heal and unify the nation.
This,
nonetheless, requires a leader with a strong personality who is not afraid to
make conscious decisions without the influence of partisan politics and
ideologues.
Author:
Buba, The Gambian inquirer.
