Moving on swiftly

It must have been difficult for you to dispense with the man you called your ‘political Godfather’, but you must move on swiftly now. There is no point in looking back, the battle lines have been drawn, and you either swim or sink. Every Tom, Dick and Ousainou in UDP is baying for your blood now.

Their foreign-based militants are intensifying their cyber war they waged against you. Don’t underestimate them, carrot does not work with these people go for the stick.

Dismiss Immigration Director General

Seedy Touray, Immigration DG, being a UDP operative is the worst kept secret ever at the Ministry of Interior. For you to secure a second term you, of course, need votes. Seedy and Co are denying bonafide Gambians who are likely going to vote for you the new biometric I.D cards under a false pretext that they cannot prove their citizenship.

This blatant discrimination must stop before it escalates into a full-blown crisis. Mr President, you need votes to win any elective position and your would-be voters are being denied I.D. cards which they will have to produce before they are issued with a voter’s card. Sacking Seedy Touray and Co and replacing them with level-headed individuals can only enhance your chances for re-election; leave them there at your own peril.

Discard the deadwood from the Presidency

All the hangers-on at the State House with no political clout should be relegated. By June 2019, you would be half-way through of your five-year mandate. That would be a good time to reflect where you are and where you want to be in terms of your development agenda. Review existing projects and make sure there is a timeframe for completion. Most of your decisions, especially appointments from June onwards should be based on political opportunism, with an eye on the 2021 election cycle.

Put UDP 2016 opportunists out of their misery

Ousainou Darboe once said there is no such thing as UDP 2016 but UDP 1996. He was dead wrong. After the 2016 presidential elections, many ‘green turned yellow’ overnight with the expectation of feeding on the leftover crumbs. These folks are now in a state of confusion not knowing what to do. Please, Mr President, get them on board your bus, every vote helps.

Coalescing with GDC and APRC

Mr President, ignore the hypocrites mainly from your old friends at UDP saying you are now hopping in bed with your ‘enemies’, APRC. That’s a bit rich coming from a party who has former APRC stalwarts: Tombong Saidy, Bakary Jammeh and Suku Singhateh in their executive.

There are no permanent friends or enemies in politics, but permanent interests. Try and reach out to both Hon Mama Kandeh and Hon Fabakry Tombong Jatta and start charting a winnable coalition for 2021. I do know you and Hon Kandeh don’t see eye to eye, but nothing is impossible. You are both worthy sons of Jimara and I am quite sure you can work something out.

Listen to genuine critics

You see, Mr President Leeches at State House will never tell you the general mood of the country. They will only tell you pleasing things, painting a nation on the verge of something great which is contrary to the realities on the ground.

Try to find alternative views of critics. When I say critics, I am not referring to weeping old boy Amadou Sanneh, who is yet to dry his eyes since his sacking. He has been making slanderous accusations against your person. The irony of it is that; here is a man who was jailed for selling bogus asylum affidavits to ‘backway boys’; as a State Minister, he attempted to award auditing contract to his own accounting firm to audit his ministry, but thanks to IMF for intervening and stopped the dubious contract.

Lack of diversity in your government

Your appointments from the onset were disproportionately done, which favours a group and disadvantaged others. This might not be your making, but you can rectify it. Your government should be a true reflection of today’s Gambia where people of all tribes will see themselves in it. 

In some advanced countries, some institutions have a positive discrimination policy in place to help give minorities a leg up on the socioeconomic strata. In American Football they introduced “Rooney Rule” which is aimed at giving minorities opportunities for coaching and other senior roles. This formula is being copied by many sporting bodies and businesses around the world. Perhaps, Mr President, you should have your own “Barrow Rule” where senior government officials should mirror the most up to date ethnic demographics.

For President Adama Barrow is onwards and upwards

For Lawyer Ousainou Darboe is game over, finito.

Written by Saul Sarr

UK