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Momodou
Denmark
11821 Posts |
 Posted - 22 Oct 2009 : 17:46:35
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Culled from The Daily News
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Is The Political Arena In Good Shape For Our Politicians?
The 2011 Presidential election is fast approaching, and yet the politicians on the other side of the arena are yet to settle for a united opposition to face their arch rival the ruling APRC party. The opposition is speaking in different languages about the status of the parties. The PPP’s Omar Jallow Alias OJ, is of the opinion that the opposition parties are in a state of coma whiles NDAM’s leader, Lamin Waa Juwara, who is now serving the ruling APRC government as Governor is saying that the opposition is dead rather than in a state of coma. He went further to predict a land slide victory for the ruling APRC party under the leadership of President Jammeh, a situation he attributes to a lack of credible opposition parties in the country.
In an interview with the Point newspaper, he said “It’s my candid opinion and observation that all being one, President Jammeh will win the next presidential election landslide because as of now, there is no credible opposition challenge. We must admit our total failure”
On the other hand the Opposition National Alliance for Democratic Development (NADD) Presidential flag bearer in the last election, Mr. Halifa Sallah is of the opinion that it is the multi party system which is as good as dead. And that people should learn to distinguish between an opposition party and an opposition force.
Lawyer Darboe of the United Democratic Party (UDP) did not agree with PPP’s OJ that the opposition parties are in a state of “coma” and that it is incorrect as far as UDP is concerned. The UDP leader also insinuated that despite the fact that the country has many registered political parties does not guarantee multi-partyism, he said the environment in which these parties operate is the factor that determines the existence of multi-partyism.
Apparently what one can adduce from all the above players in the politics of the Gambia is a need for a united opposition front in the run up to the 2011/12 Presidential and parliamentary elections. The need is clear from each one of them, how to go about it is something for them and not for the ruling APRC. As far as the APRC is concerned they are fine, and even comfortable, to the extent that one of the opposition parties is predicting a landslide victory for them, “if all is being one” in his own word. The ball is in the opposition’s court , and that they are to put their houses in order before the 2011/ 12 general elections.
Having said that, one can be tempted to ask if the political arena is in good shape. Elections are not a one off thing; it is a long process, from registration of political parties, to that of voters, to campaigns and access to state media, and above all counting of ballot tokens. All these done in the way they are supposed to be, and then one can say the political arena is in good shape for the combat. The political environment also has to be favorable, free from harassment of opponents; it also has to be completely thug free.
In its effort to see a free and fair elections in the 2005 elections, the Commonwealth under the brokerage of Abdulsalami Abubakar on 2nd September 2005, was able to get our politicians from all sides to participate in an Inter-party committee, meant to pave the way for a smooth elections the following year. An MOU, and a Code of Conduct were also signed, in the presence of the Independent electoral Commission (IEC), all in the name of holding transparent and credible elections. How those elections were conducted is history now. Whether both the Code and the MOU were respected to the letter is for all to reflect on.
To have credible elections come 2011, the IEC has to assert its independence, and make sure that our voter registers are in tact void of underage voters and a proper way of deterring non eligible voters to have access to the voter’s cards. It is also the business of the ICE to make sure that all political parties have equal access to the state television and radio as these are tax payers’ property and it is their fate that will be discussed during the political campaigns.
No one party should have monopoly over them. In fact it is not equity that other parties have only two weeks access to the state radio and TV; whiles others have a five year access to it. Under such circumstances, it cannot be considered to be “a political arena in good shape”.
Source: The Daily News
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