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Biraago
Gambia
173 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Aug 2006 : 14:15:59
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culled from Allgambian.net
By: Musa Camara
August 25, 2006
It is indisputable that the National Alliance for Democracy and Development (NADD) is, legally and by all other interpretations, the major opposition political party in The Gambia. It is also the only opposition political party in the National Assembly. Its agenda for the country has been immortalized in the historic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
A key objective of NADD is to institutionalize a two five-year constitutional term limit any president can serve. And to strengthen the legitimacy of the ballot, NADD plans also to re-instate the amended requirement of more than fifty percent majority to win the presidential elections. The majority of the people would agree that these, among other plans in the reform agenda, are necessary democratic tools to safeguard against self-perpetuation of presidents in office, thereby avoid the inherent dangers that come with it.
It is my view that NADD does not have to wait to be the government to fight for the implementation of these two programs. It can attempt to write them into law even as a party in the opposition and more so as the minority party in the National Assembly. Its leader should present its reform agenda to the National Assembly in the form of a "Reform Bill" calling for constitutional amendments. This Reform Bill should also seek to squash authoritarian powers the president has arrogated to himself since he assumed office.
The instrumental use of this legislative option to change the constitution to meet the democratic demands of the people through their elected representatives will provide the opportunity for the President, the elected members of the AFRC and NADD's detractors in the opposition UDP/NRP alliance to go on records as regards their positions on the Reform Bill. But even more importantly, it would demonstrate to the electorates that their elected legislators are more powerful than the president in law making.
If the National Assembly does not pass the Reform Bill, which is the most likely possibility, or passes it but the president vetoes it as would be certainly expected, the minority leader should immediately introduce a motion to impeach the president out of office for not defending the constitution as prescribed by his Oath of Office. The charge sheet of the impeachment should be about violations of Oath of Office of the president, including the rule of law, and the failure to protect the lives, liberties, freedoms, and properties of the citizens.
By doing this NADD will, in essence, launch its Reform Agenda to the electorates in this presidential election next month. The Reform Agenda will be the platform for campaign that will indelibly go down in history. It is my believe that if most Gambians would remember Sheriff Mustapha Dibba for many things as an opposition leader, one outstanding would be his "Vote of No Confidence" motion in 1992 to remove President Jawara from office. NADD should emulate that and now is the time for Hon. Halifa Sallah to present The Reform Bill to the National Assembly. Vote for Change! Vote for Reform! Vote for Democracy! Vote for NADD!
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