JAMMEH VERSUS THE GAMBIAN MASSES: WHO HAS/HAVE THE FINAL SAY?


December 1st, 2016, remains an indelible date in the hearts of the Gambian masses. It marks the first transfer of power by a popular election since independence from the United Kingdom in 1965. The election was contested by three candidates, namely: Yahaya Jammeh (the incumbent head of state of Gambia), Adama Barrow, and Mamma Kandeh. The final official results portrayed Barrow winning a 43.3% plurality, achieving a 3.7% margin of victory over Jammeh's 39.6%- with Kandeh getting 17.1% of the votes. After the results were released, Ousainou Darboe, an opposition leader and other 18 opposition prisoners unjustly imprisoned by Jammeh were released. That was another event that added to the celebrations of the Gambian masses. Conversely, these celebrations were terminated by Jammeh's sudden rejection of the election results after he had initially congratulated the winner, Adama Barrow. His rejection of this popular election has gotten national and international attention. ECOWAS has tried to intervene but it seems its diplomatic interventions are not yielding positive results, consequently, this West African regional bloc, has put standby military forces on alert in case Jammeh does not step down when his tenure ends on January 19, 2017. The December 1st election has resulted in these developments mentioned above. As a result of these developments, some questions have been raised. How valid are the arguments of Jammeh? Why should international organisations interfere into the affairs of Gambia? Is military confrontation the solution? These questions and their answers are connected to the title of this piece. Therefore, this article will attempt to do justice to these germane questions.

A day after the presidential election, Jammeh honourably called and congratulated Barrow on his victory. These were excerpts from the phone call: ''you are elected president of The Gambia, and I wish you all the best... I have no ill will.'' He further went to the state television and declared that he would ''take the backseat'' and not contest the results, he further said, and ‘‘I will help him work towards the transition.'' He also said, '' Allah is telling me my time is up,'' and also added he would move to his farm after leaving office in January. However, just a week after Jammeh made these assertions, he suddenly came out to reject the results of the election he once accepted. His argument was and in fact still remains that the electoral process was filled with ''serious'' and unacceptable abnormalities. Mr Jammeh has failed to give premises to this claim of his. It is worthy to note that Jammeh before the election tried his best to rig the election. He imprisoned all his perceived oppositions, especially, the popular candidate, Ousainou Darboe. On the voting day, all internet connections and international phone calls were banned across the country. Also, he blocked international bodies from observing the election. In addition, he was a terror to independent press groups, and he used his media as a tool of destructive propaganda, selling lies to the Gambian populace. Jammeh’s oppressive nature blinded his eyes from the very fact that when members of the oppressed class say ''enough is enough,'' all efforts to suppress them will only head for the rocks. Why the eventual rejection of the election? Jammeh knows his atrocities and he knows that he is very corrupt, the fear that he would be probed and brought to justice made him go back to reject the election. Mr Alieu Nijie, the head of the Gambian electoral commission, has warned Jammeh against his plan to overturn the election result. Mr Nijie was quoted saying, ‘The election results were correct, nothing will change that. If it goes to court, we can prove every vote cast. The results are there for everyone to see.'' Till this very moment, Jammeh has failed to provide any reasonable evidence to back up his claim. It is crystal clear that Jammeh has no valid argument and his claims are apparently false.
Lately, ECOWAS, UN, and other international organisations have been playing the mediating role in the political affairs of Gambia since this crisis started. Consequently, these interventions have led to several debates. Some people are in support of ECOWAS interference, but some other persons are strongly against it with their argument that Gambia is a sovereign state. Of course, there is no doubt that this country is a sovereign one, but we need to understand that if external bodies do not intervene, the likes of Jammeh, his armed forces and his cronies in oppression that have vowed to be loyal to him eternally will devour the Gambian masses. Furthermore, the fundamental question we need to ask is that: are the Gambian masses in support of international interventions? The answer is YES. The masses have pledged their support to ECOWAS and its plans. What we should do is to take a critical look at the steps ECOWAS would take and make sure these steps are consistently democratic and pro-masses. ECOWAS and other international bodies must intervene now because the reign of democracy in Gambia is facing severe threats.

Another question that is raising several debates is: is military intervention the solution. In disputes of this kind there are several approaches of resolving it. Some approaches prefer that confrontation comes before consultation, but the best of them all is the 3C's method. This approach is highly democratic, it holds that consultation must come first, when it fails, consolidation follows, when consolidation fails then confrontation comes. Relating this approach to the Gambian political crises, the consultation has being duly followed but has failed as a result of Jammeh's pig-headedness. In fact, the ECOWAS leadership has tried to diplomatically intervene but Jammeh has failed to listen. The President of Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari was appointed as the mediator between Jammeh and the international body, ECOWAS, but Jammeh has been resisting. In fact, he has tagged the Nigerian President an enemy. Ban Ki-moon, the outgone Secretary-General of the United Nations tried his best to contact Jammeh, but Jammeh has made himself incommunicado. However, there is still hope, the swearing-in ceremony of Adama Barrow is on the 19th of January, 2017, let us hope that Yahaya Jammeh respects the will of the Gambian masses, but if he fails to allow the reign of democracy, then the only practical solution is the confrontation from ECOWAS troops. Our concern should be the modalities that these troops must follow. Their job must be to bring sanity to the Gambian politics and protect the lives of the Gambian masses. Their intervention is very needful at this very time, just on the 4th of January, 2017, the head of the Gambian armed forces, General Ousman Badje openly pledged his loyalty to his master, Yahaya Jammeh. In Badje's letter to Jammeh, he clearly asserted, ‘May I please seize this opportunity to renew to your Excellency the assurance of the unflinching loyalty and support of the Gambian Armed Forces.'' Going by this very statement, are they defenceless Gambian masses safe? No. Anything or any step that supports the freedom and happiness of the masses/workers is moral and needful. The external troops must intervene if Jammeh's unnecessary obduracy continues after January 19.

In conclusion, piece has tried to do justice to these questions. Jammeh has no valid argument. Also, the ECOWAS and other international organisations must intervene now, their just interventions are moral at this time. Furthermore, the swearing-in of Jammeh must hold, any attempt from the enemies of the masses must be faced with military actions. Jammeh's corrupt/ oppressive rule of 22 years is not debatable, my next article will be dedicated to the legacies of Jammeh's rule. Yahaya Jammeh has no choice but to harken to the voice of the Gambian populace and step down because they have the final say. I want to also end by extending my solidarity to the Gambian masses and as well all lovers of justice. The Gambian masses must remain dogged in this struggle, for victory comes by struggle.

Grateful Great Chukwunyere (INVICTUS EMERITUS).
(A student of Obafemi Awolowo University and convener of a Left-leaning ideological group, Progressive Students’ Agenda (PSA)).

We await