Gainako Newspaper

.RESPONDING TO OUR READER, SAINEY:
.....................(..(PART ONE)
.................................By Yero Jallow......................Posted January 28th, 2007

I commend you greatly for being a reader to Gainako, and by your commentary of
our news piece featured on January 25th 2007; you also virtually became a contributor
to the paper, thereby engaging the minds of our readership. It is true that intellectuals or
aspiring youngsters must demonstrate tolerance and acceptance of people who disagree
with them in their way of thinking or acting, just so we create an environment that
represents the views of all. While reacting to your piece, I want to emphatically say that
I stand by the reported story on January 25th, and the said story still in our archives was
written without malice or biasness.

First of all, the coalition NADD was formed by all the constituent parties- UDP, NRP, PDOIS, NDAM
and PPP. NADD drew a constitution called the Memorandum of Understanding (M.O.U), which was
both the spirit of bondage among members and a reference of actions of all its members, signed by all
opposition members with the exception of Henry Gomez. An important stipulation to note well from the
unshakeable M.O.U is the part that says no party will be favored over another and each and every
member that signed the M.O.U has a veto power. (Note: If you don�t have a copy of this M.O.U, I will
promise to send it to you via your e-mail. I will advice you to read and understand well its contents to
facilitate a better standing in some of your contradictions.)

In the Jamaican culture they have a proverb that goes like this-�Word is bond.� When ever a bond is
established, any party that breaks that bond is not only a hypocrite and betrayal, but a societal menace and
liability. Such is also illustrated in one of the sayings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); where he is quoted
as saying in a strong line of narration �A hypocrite demonstrates three signs: When he/she speaks he/she
lies; when he/she promises he/she fails; and when a bond or trust is signed with him/her, he/she doesn�t
honor it.�

Reflecting back on our archives, during the past presidential elections, Freedom Newspaper reported that
Kemeseng Jammeh was not campaigning for NADD. I called home and spoke with many including Sam
Sarr of Foroyya, who couldn�t authenticate Freedom�s reportage at the time, but told me that they were
not aware of Kemeseng being in the UDP/NRP Alliance. Immediately after I authored the news piece, I
received a call from Kemeseng�s nephew residing in the US whom I have known to be very close to him.
He informed me that what Freedom reported was true and that Kemeseng was only faking and keeping his
position. I will keep my source confidential- a very honest and responsible Gambian who could have never
lied about his own uncle. At the end of the tenure, instead of continuing with NADD, he decided to go in
as a UDP/NRP candidate. From there, it is certain that such a person couldn�t have been purely NADD
just three months prior. This flip-flop of his� confused the electorates. They cannot say what he represents,
and therefore would rather give their vote of confidence to some serious person, some one consistent,
someone not out to politically flip-flop. Based on the information we gathered thus far from both people of
the area and other political commentators, that�s the reason for him loosing his seat. We concluded that he
betrayed principle and the pseudo-pillars of the house he constructed crumbled on him.

Coming back to Uncle Hamat, personally I think he is not a politician. He is better entertaining the hotel
guests, something he would be very meaningful at. If ever in life you meet Hamat, then you�ve met an
inconsistent fellow, someone who will say this now and the next second he is saying or doing something
different. The same Hamat as you are aware was the respected king of Saloum until he started tribal
politics with the Wollofs of Saloum, together with his well remembered comments in the U.S
�Un-baked cake shares� which honestly never had a base, but he used it in a move to justify falsely the
breakage in the coalition and for his own known personal reasons. When the people of Saloum realized
Hamat�s true colors, they voted Sainey Mbye in. What was disturbing also, Hamat went and sat in Dakar
idly during the intense flag bearer selection, thereby causing the much talked about delay. I personally
spoke with Hamat on the phone immediately after he returned, and he assured me that they will be coming
up with one flag bearer. Funnily, Hamat stayed with NADD till they voted a flag bearer and then he didn�t
even oppose the selection process, but announced that he was sidelining Darboe soon afterwards. It is
certain that he betrayed principle, and demonstrated his selfishness by sideling Darboe to become political
number two man in the UDP/NRP Alliance. Again, the people of Saloum wanted a consistent fellow, and
not someone who jumps and hops from one party to another, known as �paka-nyari-borr.�

Dragging our feet to gallant Halifa, called me his disciple in political ideology, you make no mistake, but I
am only a disciple to his likes: Dr. King, Malcolm X, John F Kennedy, Captain Thomos Sankara,
Lumumber, Mandella, Steve Biko, et cetera et cetera. They came in different generations as people
married to a true political struggle. Who won�t be a disciple to such people? Only the four idiots in London
whose hatred for the man is more than politics. I may agree any time if people disagree with him, but hate
and branding him falsely with names is something one cannot comprehend. It seems that the guy was great
all along until be was mandated a flag bearer position, and then hell broke loose from jahannamah. It also
helps to justify the much talked about �kawral-weldubeh/teri-kafo� or �zinghalgol musitdoh/badingfasa� in
our Gambian society, where people hide behind covers to belittle or underestimate others. SIC, this is
where I disagreed with some other respected scholars and writers like Uncle Mathew K Jallow. Prior to
the presidential elections when he wrote castigating Halifa and the way he did was a complete turn-off for
him.

The point that many people are not honest with or ignoring is that Halifa never chose him self to become
the flag bearer. I cannot believe that there are still people who don't comprehend the contents of the
M.O.U, or they blindly and irresponsibly ignored the truth.In fact records have it that he was willing to
denounce it, and give the position to a chosen man of the people. So it becomes ironical that many people
still cannot digest the man from the minority tribe (Wollof) and that of a smaller party (PDOIS) was
mandated to lead by the constituents of NADD, when it is clearly stipulated in the M.O.U they
unanimously signed that all parties were equal with equal veto powers.

Now the �Tactical Alliance� that was called by the opposition was ignored by UDP/NRP Alliance when
they sponsored a candidate in Halifa�s Constituency. Why only that constituency as an exception? It is well
known to the many following developments back home. This is another betrayal that Hamat participated in
directly that angered the Gambian people.

To be continued...Our brother Sainey is welcome to sideline us in the debate to the end. Good day, Mr.
Sainey.

..........MR.EDITORS;
..........EXERCISE SOME IMPARTIALITY NEXT TIME
.........................-Says a Reader
...................................................By GON.......................................Posted January 27th, 2007
One of Gainako's readers responded fiercely to our front page story Titled "Gambian electorates went to
the polls" which was published January 25, 2007. The Reader, who only identified himself as Sainey,
claimed that Gainako's piece was bias and represents a blind support for Hon. Halifa. The bold critic also
wants Gainako Editors to answer questions as to why Halifa insisted in leading the NADD coalition and
why Hamat and Kemeseng were labeled as Betrayers by the editor.

We appreciate the reader's bold response and welcome his opinions. Please be rest assured of our timely
response with clarity to his questions and accusations. Below we reproduce Sainey's attack on the editor.

Dear Editor,

Biasness in favour of a person or political party will not take us any where in our struggle to
fight dictatorship in our dear motherland, The Gambia. It is cult-like followers like you who
blindly support Halifa Sallah without making any effort to justify your point that took us where
we are today. First you supported Halifa, who after contesting elections for so long failed to
get elected, over the leader of the main opposition party in the country. Everybody knows that
never in the history of coalitions, has the leader of the main political party given way for
somebody from a smaller party to lead a coation. Without any fear of being contradicted by
any genuine critic, Halifa would not have been elected if the UDP had not boycotted the 2001
elections. But after winning the 2001 elections, he went about bragging that even after
suffering from voter apathy from UDP supporters, he still emerge victorious. There was no
voter apathy Mr Sallah. My proof is the January 25th 2007 elections. UDP had their own
candidate and you lost.

Back to the Gainako editors, why in the world, would you say Hamat and Kemeseng lost as a
result of their betrayal.Whio did they betray? Why did Halifa lose then? Please do me a favour
and answer these questions for me. Your Mr Perfect very much knows that he betrayed
common sense by insisting on leading the coalition. My proof again is the elections results.

Please Mr editor exercise some impartiality next time.
Sainey

...GAMBIAN ELECTORATES WENT TO THE POLLS;
HON. HALIFA SALLAH TO REST, WHILE HAMAT AND KEMESENG OUT BECAUSE
...................................OF POLITICAL BETRAYAL.
............................By Yero Jallow, Editor & Staff writer..................................Posted January 26th, 2007

January 25th 2007 was another historic moment in the history of the Gambia. Gambian
electorates went to the polls in their numbers to elect their representatives in the house
of parliament. Out of 48 constituencies, only few were uncontested, mostly in the Fonis
where current Gambia�s Administrator, Yaya Jammeh is believed to have hailed. By
early Friday morning, the oppositions captured at least six seats out of the contested seats.

Rather sad and sympathetic that big wingers like Kemeseng Jammeh of Jarra and Hamat Bah of Upper
Saloum are not returning to parliament. The duos are believed to have betrayed and wounded the political
struggle seriously by their flip-flop on political matters. During the NADD flag bearer selection, Hamat
sidelined Darboe and edged the NADD team he worked with to the last minute. Though, Kemeseng
stayed and believed to have safeguarded his seat only for a while at the time by pretending to be truly
NADD, it became clear when he shifted allegiance to the UDP/NRP coalition in a bid to regain election for
his seat. It became even clearer that the Gambian electorates are aware of such shady characters eld-bend
on self-aggrandizement, selfishness and separation of solidified coalitions by their chameleon nature. It
would have been at least nice to see a balanced house with equal representatives or at least more
representatives from the oppositions who will scrutinize and criticize poor administrators for their
mal-governance.

In Sierre-Kunda Central, big winger and gallant NADD flag bearer, Hon. Halifa Sallah lost his seat to
Parliament. Perhaps good to note another betrayal tactic from the UDP/NRP Alliance by not honoring the
�tactical alliance� which was meant to give a chance to each opposition member in their particular
constituencies to stay unopposed. Secondary to Darboe and Bah pulling out of NADD unceremoniously
amidst �mistrust� and �un-baked cake shares�, they demonstrated betrayal by sponsoring a candidate to
contest against their one time colleague, Hon. Halifa Sallah in a bid to shatter the NADD pillars more than
they did in the beginning. What is certain, Hamat Bah is believed to be using the opportunity that Darboe is
aging, and might not be contending next presidential elections to boost his political fame-by winning the
hearts of UDP supporters. The Gambian parliament will be sealed from a lot of sunshine by benching Hon.
Sallah who dearly married himself to Gambia�s political struggle, demonstrating maturity, responsibility and
patriotism. Many observers and political commentators described the big figure�s lost as a lost for the
whole Gambian nation. It is to be well noted that the likes of Hon. Sallah are not only gifted with
knowledge but gentility and wisdom which they clearly demonstrated and lived by as examples. Sources
close to the Sallah campaign indicated to this paper that the renowned sociologist cum politician will be
resting now with plans to pursue his Doctorate degree. The same source also added that a press release is
expected from the Sallah campaign, and as usual we will hear his usual explanations over where things
went wrong and right.

In Wulli, gallant Hon. Sidia Jatta is not a cheap wrestler. Early Thursday
evening, his fate was already decided, and that he returned to parliament
with a comfortable majority. Sidia, long time parliamentarian is one of
Gambia�s most valuable men who contributed immensely to national
development. It is not a surprise at all that he returned to parliament.

What is commendable the oppositions were able to pick up an independent seat in Foni which shows that
the people of Foni are sick and tired of creeping tyranny and all its pseudo-pillars.

After all, mature political analysts believe it really don�t matter which party voted you in. It is the spirit and
determination to be loaded with truly serving your country without fear or favor, such as demonstrated in
the past by parliamentarians like Hon. Halifa Sallah and Hon. Sidia Jatta. The duos went to the extent of
turning down ministerial positions from Jammeh�s current administration. Over the next five years, it would
be wise that the incoming parliamentarians wash all the mess and hazardous weeds that the outgoing
parliamentarians known as �vehicle passengers� or �Jammeh-Yes-Yes men� planted. It is important to
note our Gambian electorates are getting enlightened daily, and this will be a complete turn-off against
parliamentarians out for selfish reasons.

Over the next months and years ahead, Gainako will engage all parliamentarians in view of directing and
constantly reminding them of their duties.

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