Mr President, you could attest to the fact that around the globe, countries that have witnessed rapid socio-economic development have done so as a result of citizens' willingness to live side by side, respecting each other's religion despite differences in ethnicity, race, or color.
As Gambians, it is high time we start embracing such patriotic values, bearing in mind that tribalism and social division only lead to anarchy, stagnation and underdevelopment.
The Gambia faces a crucial point in its electoral cycle with the presidential election scheduled for December 5, 2026. As we build up to this crucial period, it is important and incumbent on politicians to avoid any utterance that would incite political upheaval in the country. The advent of the new democratic dispensation is a reminder that there is no room for political bickering, tribalism, or hate speech in any form.
Politicians should learn to play their game on the basis of a decent and mature approach in putting their message across. Let the politicians present their agenda to the electorate rather than castigating colleagues.
In light of this fact, political actors in the country should always promote peace, unity, and avoid sentiments that would only divide us. The Gambia is a close-knit society where people intermarry despite our political or religious ideology. We attend the same social events, funerals, wedding ceremonies, and even practise our faith in the same mosques and churches.
Mr President, the supplementary voter registration is still ongoing across the country. This exercise is a fundamental duty on all eligible Gambians in strengthening democracy and one’s civic rights. And one of those rights is to have a voter card to participate in an election.
Meanwhile, the exercise, which started on April 8, continues till May 21. So far as the exercise progresses in various communities, there are concerns raised in some areas regarding ineligible people such as Gambians under 18 and non-Gambians attempting to register. There are also those attempting to register twice. If such issues occur, our advice is dissatisfied individuals could file a lawsuit at the court after the registration exercise on May 21. Let’s exercise maturity here. There should be no push and pull over that. Any party that has an issue to query can do so at the appropriate time using legal channels. Let’s always advocate for peace and security. What happened in Rwanda in 1994 is a lesson to learn from as regardsthe danger of hate speech, bad politics and tribal conflicts.
The Rwanda conflict, which lasted for about 100 days, claimed the lives of 800,000 Tutsi ethnic group members as well as some moderate Hutu and Twa.
Finally, Mr President, the recent disturbing incidents in Mali and other Sahel countries leave much to be desired. From jihadist attacks to a near-collapse of security is the order of the day. Just a couple of weeks ago, a well-coordinated offensive by the Azawad Liberation Front (FLA) and the Al-Qaeda-linked Jama’at Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslim (JNIM) severely weakened Mali's ruling military junta, capturing key northern areas like Kidal.
The unfortunate incidents have led to widespread assaults on government sites, a blockade of Bamako, and the assasination of Defence Minister Sadio Camara. This, among other growing insecurities affecting the region, calls for immediate attention to avert further escalation into neighbouring countries.
It is true that no single country alone can control this growing insecurity. Thus, there is a need for multi-national efforts to address the issue once and for all. The Gambia, which lies close to the Sahelian belt, is not immune to this situation; there is a popular adage that conflicts know no border. Tensions of conflicts that occur millions of miles away sometimes spill over, causing mayhem in countries far away. This makes it a duty for all states to act when there is a looming threat to security rather than wait until it strikes.
Good day!