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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 18:28:12
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Historians have told us that history repeats itself. That is true but it only does so with a difference. Once again we are at a cross road to a third term of APRC rule.
As for the results, i am not eager to find out as we have been told that we need to wait for at least 30 years. I took that advice seriously and that is why i was absent all these days on the forum regarding politics.
It will sure come to pass and my bet is APRC will pull at least 57% of the votes thanks to the supreme court ruling that anyone with a voters card and not on the register can vote.
It is a mockery of the electoral laws, which requires that all registered persons must be published on a register and displayed in public places to allow those who would want to challenge the registration of any person so listed. In our constitution, people who have been found guilty of certain crimes cannot vote, non-citizens cannot also vote and a host of other issues. Residency is also another condition before one can vote in a particular administrative area. That is why there is supplementary registration to not only register newly qualified Gambians but also allow for voter transfers.
Therefore if anyone can vote just with a mere voters card and do not need to go through the process of scrutiny, and there is no guarantee that those issued with cards were thoroughly checked, then why have a voter register in the first place. It is a waste of resources and energy to have one. It should just be open to any one from anywhere and there should not be any restrictions regarding voter transfers or residency requirements to vote in a particular constituency.
Well the Gambian people have "spoken" by voting APRC, as I am sure they will win. The soldiers with a difference who questioned why one man should " ….perpetuate himself….." into power was one of the reasons for the coup of 1994. I still have all the audiotapes of radio broadcasts both from within the Gambia and over BBC. I have played these tapes on and on and each time i listen to them, i cannot but ask if i was daydreaming. I heard the attacks on the Mercedes Benz cars of the ministers which are now taxi cabs in the Gambia, we hear about luxury houses in Fajara and Cape Point which are now boys quarters by today’s standards, the presidential garden at Yundum which is now a barn by Dobong Farm standards; no independent electoral commission which is now become JIEC as coined by Jayangfara; The list goes on. It has made me loose faith in people as everything that was used as a reason for the coup is now the most basic ritual that one goes through before being admitted into the pack.
If the people vote APRC back, then my advice is to accept the decision of Gambians and honor their choice. Their decisions are supreme and in a democracy that must be respected. "The party with majority vote forms the government of the day" as clearly said by Ramaposa , ANC delegate to the discussions leading to the end of apartheid in South Africa. I recommend to every one to watch the whole series that appeared on British Television in 1994 titled "THE DEATH OF APARTHEID". There is a lot to learn from the likes of Mandela, Thabo Mbeki, Cyril, Winnie, Zinzie, etc.
As Mandela said in one of those meetings in response to an attack by De Klerk (not sure), that “.. even an illegitimate government has certain morale standards to uphold….”.
I believe merely defining democracy, as a government formed by a majority of the electorate without qualifying the decision process will make democracy a joke. The citizens must be able to express their choices without let or hindrance and must be able to have authority to have those chosen leaders accountable for their actions. However, where the process is to have the electorate accountable to elected leaders, then any outcome in such an electoral process does not or may not qualify as democratic.
I hope that who ever comes to power tomorrow should have the interest of the nation supreme and should avoid witch hunt to punish those who may not share a similar political platform.
There are indications that the swearing ceremony of the president will come almost immediately after the results are announced. I wonder why the rush is needed. I believe the constitution has also been changed to allow for a speedy swearing of the APRC president-elect.
My congratulations to the winner of the election and hope he “….. will remain ever true to our motherland…”
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Edited by - kondorong on 22 Sep 2006 18:33:44 |
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salimina
253 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 18:44:55
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| AMEEN! |
Edited by salimina |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 19:16:23
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Kons, welcome back. It must have been a busy campaign for those of you at home.
Sources from home has it that the election results will be contested. |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 19:26:41
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For me it was a lost cause when anyone could vote who is not on th electoral register. It has become a free for all now. There is no guarantee that only Gambians are among those voting. If the result is contested, it will just be a a useless effort. There is no way the Supreme Court will rule against the incumbent.
Any judge that has ruled against the state never lasted on the job. The likes of Magistrate Borry Touray in his famous ruling against the State in the case of Pa Sallah Jagne comes to mind. The Master of the Supreme Court who was the Coroner for the April 10 student deaths was also relived of his job.
The foreign judges are well taken care of, free car, free fuel, free housing in places where Gambians can only dream of, free air tickets for themselves and their families to go on annual hoildays etc. They should forget about contesting the results. Personally i think they were better off uniting and putting pressure on the government rather than allow themselves to be divided and fighting alone. |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 19:30:03
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Well there are indications that because of heavy rainfall, some polling stations have poor turnout. May be it is apathy rather than rain. Most Gambians have less interest in the outcome and the enthusiasm to vote is not there as it was in 1996 and 2001.
Turnout is expected to be lower than the last election even though about 90,000 more people have been registered |
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Dalton1
3485 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 19:56:03
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
Well there are indications that because of heavy rainfall, some polling stations have poor turnout. May be it is apathy rather than rain. Most Gambians have less interest in the outcome and the enthusiasm to vote is not there as it was in 1996 and 2001.
Turnout is expected to be lower than the last election even though about 90,000 more people have been registered
Check our breaking news story soon, Halifa will be on BBC |
"There is no god but Allah (SWT); and Muhammad (SAW)is His last messenger." shahadah. Fear & Worship Allah (SWT) Alone! (:
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salimina
253 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 19:56:39
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kON, i think people are beginning to know that voting is not the solution to oust jammeh thats why they prefered to stay away.why toil in heavy rain when you know that the outcome will be unfavorable what ever you do?
Thanks for knowing that you are still one of the guys championing the cause. |
Edited by salimina |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 20:03:59
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| I am a commited democrat and i will never give up. Even if Halifa is elected to power, i will still be on the guard. nation building is not a complete process. It must be worked on all the time and one should not expect that one's right will be given freely. You have to work for your rights to get it. Democracy is not an end in itself nor is a political leader. They are part of the means to an end. |
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salimina
253 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 20:08:11
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| Kon, bravo! |
Edited by salimina |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
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salimina
253 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 20:15:03
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| kon, i wish i can but am not around |
Edited by salimina |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 20:17:50
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| Being away from home should not have disenfranchised you. Anyway we will get there one day when every gambian who wants to vote will vote. That is why we have foreign missions to represent us overseas. |
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serenata
Germany
1400 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 20:19:15
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quote:
Originally posted by kondorong
I am a commited democrat and i will never give up. Even if Halifa is elected to power, i will still be on the guard. nation building is not a complete process. It must be worked on all the time and one should not expect that one's right will be given freely. You have to work for your rights to get it. Democracy is not an end in itself nor is a political leader. They are part of the means to an end.
Bravo, Kon! |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 20:37:09
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| Polling has stopped five minutes ago and counting process will soon begin. Janjangbureh is expected first as it is a one town constituency hopefully in two hours time. |
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salimina
253 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 20:47:02
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| Kon, how long have you been in the gambia? Are you on vacations or a representative of one of the parties. |
Edited by salimina |
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kondorong
Gambia
4380 Posts |
Posted - 22 Sep 2006 : 20:49:46
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| I have been a gambian since when i was born. |
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