It is overdue after the Commission of Enquiry or the so called Janneh Commission completed its findings and gave its recommendations. But what Gambians have not yet been told is how the sales were conducted, who bought Jammeh’s assets, how much was realized and where the proceeds have gone? These are questions Gambians need answers to. Gambians deserve the right to the truth. Where is the transparency and accountability expected of the government of, by and for the people? Have the assets which were supposed to be sold and proceeds used to compensate the TRRC victims been used for a few”s personal interests? Where is the Lead Council and his Commissioners? Have they been given their share to remain silent? To avoid speculations, criticism and noise, it’s proper and noble to provide Gambians with a comprehensive blueprint of the whole process.
Why has this government been so negligent on the reports and recommendations of so many commissions it has initiated with the amount of taxpayers money invested? Why have almost all the reports and recommendations by these commissions remained under the carpet? In every corner throughout the length and breadth of the country people are disappointed by the very people and leadership which promised a very strong ” never again” to the political and economic malpractices this country has gone through in the past. No one expected a repetition of such malpractices and the magnitude it has happened over the years and still continues to thrive.
The political disarray where so called politicians have betrayed the confidence of their supporters by criss crossing to and from the spectrum of the political parties for personal interests and the trampling of the 2020 Draft Constitution because of individual interests are reasons for concern, the economic burden of the country because of the external debts driving the country to the highest debt ceiling and distress is alarming and the unresolved and continual communal land crises and the mortgaging of our limited 11000sqkms land resources to a few real estate dealers is a frightening social dilemma that will impact and endanger our social cohesiveness and the future generations. These issues are really worrying and a little or nothing has been done to remedy the situations of these very important sectors. Instead the leadership and political actors are busy on each other’s backs struggling for personal interests, gains and power at the detriment of the peace, development and progress of our dear Motherland. Sometimes one questions whether our quest for such temporal opportunities is depleting our senses of humanity and our very best and noble moral attitudes. The Gambian before had a very high sense of humanity and moral attitude compared to the present where everything is lost for the lust for material success. It is really questionable for a people who claim in the beliefs of a Great Soul called Allah or God, that such ungodly attitudes are found in them.
These issues and the situations they get us is a reason for Gambians to rethink about the decisions they make come 2026. These are the issues we expect politicians and their political parties to address and give us tangible and reliable solutions in their manifestos if they want to gain the confidence of the people. Gambians need to also bear in mind the wolves in sheep clothing for if a lion tells the animals to vote him as king for a peaceful life, they may fall in a trap of not judging him by his actions for his meal is raw meat and he must stay alive as king. Wisdom speaks to the mind of the wise and prudent. The corruption needs to stop. So let’s come together and fight to stop corruption for peace, development and progress. Long live the Gambia and its people.
Celestine Kujabi,
Secretary General.
