Jammeh’s latest move, an executive gimmicks?

What would make anyone lose sight of the fact that President Yahya Jammeh was bound to come up with something that would serve as a fitting distraction of the attention of the Gambian public from a self-inflicted nightmarish experience caused by the previous weeks’ horde of misfortune? There was a seemingly unending condemnation of his latest eruption, threatening to eliminate human right defenders; prospects of indicting him for gross human right violations gained momentum as human right groups intensified their moves; his plans to get the ECOWAS Court compromised thrown out of the window; and, as if all that was not enough, rumours too strong to be rumours went all over that a largely edgy military core was up to something dirty.

Since nobody among those around the president was ready to put their job on the line (and I will not blame anyone for that), the president had a tormenting air of guilt all over him as he would not have anyone to talk to him about this. And so to dilute the compounding feeling of tension within himself, he was desperate to create a scene that would keep the Gambian public (the media included) busy deliberating on. The so-called unexpected visit of parts of Banjul and its outskirts, military barracks included, was just a perfect way of starting this. As usual, Gambians will have to be made to believe that President Yahya Jammeh is not to blame for the fact that things aren’t going on well. And the characteristic threats of sacking, sacking and sacking ‘‘until I have the people who are ready to work…’’

Surely the living condition of soldiers in the barracks isn’t enough reason for any sensible commander-in-chief to axe their army chief. So, then comes the technical problem that prevented the presidential entourage from attending the UNESCO conference. General Tamba, the man credited for the famous abortive Col. Ndure Cham coup, was sacrificed.

This whole thing is getting messy and confusing. But wait a minute! Could this evolving situation be the ploy to legitimise the execution of the promise to clamp down on human right defenders? Well, journalists, opposition figures, human right defenders, beware, this could well be an executive gimmicks, because what is happening in Gambia is tantamount to a state of emergency. This is the line of action in the wake of every reported attempted coup.

But President Jammeh hasn’t been good enough to see that he can’t play this game well, because anytime he tries it, it only helps to accentuate his overall responsibility for the existing problems Gambians are going through. This, Gambians have become well aware of.

I think that what the Gambia needs today is not only a government of trustworthy people, but one with a leadership that is good enough to make a choice of the right people to work with for the achievement of its goals. In either way, both Yahya Jammeh and the APRC have failed Gambians woefully. They say ‘show me your friend and I will tell you who you are’.

It is a well known policy that President Jammeh does not tolerate any divergent voice around him. You can only get a ministerial post by being an ardent APRC supporter, and that would mean demonstrating unbending allegiance to the party’s supreme leader, His Excellency Rt. Lt., Rt. Cap., Rt. Col. Sheikh Professor Alhaji Dr Yahya AJJ Jammeh.

The question now is, by the number and frequency of changes we have experienced since 1994, is it not fair enough to say that the APRC lacks all its takes, in terms of human resource, to provide Gambians with their basic needs?

“I am sick and tired of going to tell people what they should know for themselves and come and tell me?’’ President Jammeh is reported to have said to journalists, a statement these very journalists have reported time and again by the very same president. It just serves as an indictment on his rule as it shows that either the people he works with have lost confidence in him, or he has lost confidence in them. It goes to prove that the APRC no longer has what it takes to steer the Gambia’s affairs forward. All Jammeh has to do now is to resign; that is if he is really a democrat. I can imagine him dismissing this suggestion of mine as democracy bullshit! Never mind.

True, true there is every reason to complain about the state of affairs in Gambia these days as nothing is working at all. But in my own opinion it is also somehow unfair for anyone to put the blame squarely on ministers or permanent secretaries, or security chiefs. The fact is that civil servants have been hired on the basis that they just have to serve the person of the president and they will be ok. That explains the situation of the Gambia police force. Forget about the structure. That force is among the most undisciplined in the sub-region. The whole world knows that if there is any security officer in Gambia who needs disciplining it is the head of the Gambia’s police force.

While I would not rule out the eminent existence of discontent within the ranks of the military (as the rather biased distribution of position within the security forces is enough to cause rancour within), I do have a strong feeling that Jammeh probably made up his mind at the last minute not to attend the UNESCO meeting as there happened to be bigger stakes for him being present at the Independence Stadium instead. What matters at the end of the day is what Gambians think.

Take a look at that photo on the front page of the Daily Observer’s Wednesday 7^th edition, 2009, and you will see the powerful message embedded therein with that huge number of people at the background. But hey, my experience as a journalist at the Daily Observer is enough a reason not to have me carried away by such gimmicks.

Since the GFA got information about the coming of the trophy, they must have laid down plans to transport Gambians from the interior, who are busy working on their farms. But I do also know that 50% of those who eventually turned out at the Stadium did so purely out of their adoration for the game. Unfortunately their presence there has been exploited by Jammeh. And an innocent General Tamba and his men have been sacrificed.

Re-Challenging the editors and Diaspora oppositions

I normally would not respond exclusively to individual pieces of articles. I have decided to do so in the case of this gentleman, Omar Jallow of Raleigh NC, as published on Freedom Newspaper Online, Thursday October 8, 2009, only because, unlike the rest of those who have done something that attracted my attention, he has put up some very good and salient points that I would not want to pass without discussing as it will be of very great importance to all.
By the way, Jallow, thank you for the wonderful piece of advice embedded in your article occasionally lined up with mild premeditated attacks. I appreciate your bravery and show of literary prowess.
Having said all this, I am a little bit concerned about your tendency for suppression of free speech. I must remind you at this point that you are in a country which was founded on the basis of fundamental values that included free speech. The guarantee of these values is what made you and all the online Editors-in-chief you are chastising encouraged to resettle there. Nonetheless, I do accept the fact that as human beings, we all have our buts. It is the individual advantages that we possess that make us prevail over one another in terms of our thinking. I just intend to point out a few things I think you should take note of for your future articles.
In fact, at first thought I was going to write to you through your personal mail because I did not want to get drawn into a cyber battle with somebody who is clearly looking for cheap popularity, which I know will not only discredit me, but will also add on to my already regrettable feeling of disappointment. Yes, it was me who described President Yahya Jammeh as noble or what have you. I even went further to reproof the editors at Freedom for being too personal against the president, and I still stick to that view. I however did not say no body should criticize the president or any other person in his government, did I? I am in a situation, and this situation was caused by people who work with President Jammeh. Remember I promised to share my experience with the rest of the world. When I recount my problem, you will be certain to have me mention President Jammeh. Is it my fault that the president continues to harbor and glorify people who have the blood of innocent people in their hands? Or could it be that it is because they carried these crimes on his behalf?
I do not know when you left Gambia, or under which circumstances you left in the first place, but you sound to me like one of those opportunist Diaspora Gambians who take advantage of situations like this only to have the president’s attention for possible appointment or something. This is attestable in your statement ‘‘I am openly inviting the APRC government into Raleigh and you better trust me on this with no strings attached the turn out will be overwhelming.’’ And you went on to put you number at the end of the article hoping to receive a call sooner or later from State House in Banjul. Well, I tell you what, you are the kind of people Jammeh falls for so easily. But let me warn you, find out what has become of the people like before you try it. I swear you might regret it. Yahya Jammeh will use you and then dump you! And then you might not be able to return to North Carolina because you probably have overstayed your visa now.
I want you to understand one thing, Jallow; I was never a registered member of the APRC government because I was not interest in political position. If I supported Yahya Jammeh I did so purely out of genuine feeling. I probably have done so many things more beneficial for the president and his government than you might have done. And I did all what I did with the genuine feeling that he was the right guy. My change in attitude today is as a result of a feeling of disappointment. So you do not sit there and preach me as if you love the Gambia more than I do. I do not need any position from Yahya Jammeh. So I do not give a damn (sorry for my language) about what he feels. Even if I am going to die in exile, I am resigned to that fate. I have a story to tell, and I am going to tell my story. Do you know that my blood brother is behind one of the papers you commended for doing good job because they did not lose sight of the need to highlight our sporting achievement? In this world, we all can not be on the same path. I worked at the Daily Observer, a paper owned by Yahya Jammeh. And I tell you what; it is a crime there to mention the name of anybody that is seen as opponent of the president. It is no secret that President Yahya Jammeh detests seeing his opponents being made mention of. What a pathetically selfish attitude of a leader of a whole country. This is part of the story I have to tell the world. So if you do not want it, you can go and tell Yahya Jammeh to put a stop to his murderous spree that is responsible for the making of so many online editors-in-chief and Diaspora oppositions. Sorry, I maybe sounding aggressive now, but it is because I hate people who always take advantage of other people’s unfortunate plight and advance their selfish course. I am afraid, that is what you are.
I am happy, however, that you agreed that we should criticize one another but constructively. But do you know that constructive criticism is what the government you claim to be supporting refuses to accept?
And please, just a point of correction, I have never been recruited by any online paper editor to criticize Yahya Jammeh or the APRC. I am a man of independent thinking. Do you know that all the articles you read online which are authored by me are actually on my personal blog Justice For The Press? I am not a sellout, so I do not need to appease any online newspaper editor as they have nothing, absolutely nothing, to offer me. We only happen to share a common goal, and that is how to cleanse our country of the dictatorship there. I accept that you are entitled to you opinion by describing editors of online newspapers as using their media to settle personal scores, but do you also know that this Yahya Jammeh you support is a master in that? I served as editor-in-chief of the Daily Observer, where I have evidence of him getting personally involved in using the paper to strike at his opponent abroad, people like the Senegalese President Abdoulie Wade. And of course, you are right to say that ‘‘there is nothing wrong with criticism if it is genuine, because it will make the person in question deliver from his mistakes.’’ I just want to point out here that in the case of Gambia, I am afraid, it is no more a matter of mistake…For how long is the free world going to be appealing to a man who has no respect for genuine decent? Ours is a matter of getting rid of the dictatorial regime. Simple and straight forward! Besides, you criticize and hope for change from a government that tolerates criticism.
The more I read your article, Jallow, the more I get a reinforced feeling that you have no idea about what is happening in Gambia, which makes me wonder if you have any genuine reason to say anything on this matter.
You went on to say ‘‘I also happen to notice that with the exception of the DAILY OBSERVER, THE POINT, GAMSPORTS, GAMBIASPORTS none of the other online papers is covering the sports in our country, as if that is not part of nation development.’’
Again, do you realized that the Yahya Jammeh you support hates all these papers you mentioned except the Daily Observer, which is because he owns the latter? Have you asked why no journalist from the independent media is allowed to report on presidential affairs other than Daily Observer and GRTS? Please do and get back to me.

Mo Ibrahim Index: Gambia ranks 19th

The Gambia, according to the 2009 Ibrahim Index of Governance, published today by the Mo Ibrahim Foundation, an organisation committed to supporting great African leadership, ranks 19^th out of 53 African countries.

The Ibrahim Index is Africa’s leading assessment of governance, established to inform and empower the continent’s citizens. The Ibrahim Index measures the delivery of public goods and services to citizens by government and non-state actors across 84 indicators of governance. Those governance indicators are grouped in four overall categories: Safety and Security, Participation and Human Rights, Sustainable Economic Opportunity, and Human Development. All 53 of Africa’s countries are then ranked according to their total scores across the categories. The 2009 Ibrahim Index of African Governance shows that half of Africa’s 10 best performing countries are in Southern Africa.

Gambia’s performance in the 2009 Ibrahim Index of African Governance

In 2007/08 Gambia scored 55.1 out of 100, and was ranked 19th out of 53 African countries. Within the West African region, Gambia was ranked sixth. Gambia scored above the West African regional average which was 51.7. Gambia also scored above the overall continental average which was 51.2. At category level, Gambia scored just above the continental average in the Safety and Rule of Law, Participation and Human Rights, and Sustainable Economic Opportunity categories. But in Human Development Gambia's score was much higher than the continental average, which was 53.8.

Category	2007/2008 Score (out of 100)	Overall Rank (out of 53)	Regional Rank (out of 16)
Safety and Rule of Law	57.7	24	8
Participation and Human Rights	49.8	27	11
Sustainable Economic Opportunity	48.5	23	5
Human Development	64.6	13	4
2009 IIAG	55.1	19	6

Across the Index:

· Mauritius tops the 2009 Ibrahim Index with a total score of 82.8, ranking first in all four main categories. Cape Verde is ranked second with a total score of 78.0. Seychelles is ranked third with a total score of 77.1, followed by Botswana with a total score of 73.6. South Africa is ranked fifth with a total score of 69.4.

· Somalia is the worst governed country on the continent, with a total score of 15.2. In 52^nd place, Chad has a total score of 29.9, while Zimbabwe is third from bottom in 51^st place with a total score of 31.3.

· Southern Africa is the continent’s best performing region, with an average score of 58.1, followed closely by North Africa with an average score of 57.7. West Africa is ranked third with an average score of 51.7, followed by East Africa with a score of 46.9. Central Africa is the worst performing region, with an average score of 40.2.

· Central Africa is the worst performing region across all four categories. All seven Central African countries are ranked outside the top 20 in the 2009 Ibrahim Index, with all of them except Gabon performing below the average for the continent.

Reflecting important structural and methodological improvements to the Ibrahim Index over the last year, the 2009 Ibrahim Index includes a new framework for assessing governance, and improvements to make the index more reflective of current governance realities. For the first time, in 2009 the Ibrahim Index covers all 53 countries in Africa. It also includes data from 2008, making it more current than any other assessment of African governance.

The full Board of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation convened in Cape Town this morning for the launch of the third iteration of the Ibrahim Index. Mo Ibrahim, the founder and Chairman of the Foundation, says:

“The 2009 Ibrahim Index gives us the clearest – and most current – snapshot of governance performance on the continent we have ever had. With Southern Africa outperforming North Africa, we can see a picture emerging that fundamentally challenges our perceptions about Africa. Our objective is to generate debate about what we can expect our governments to deliver in our name.”

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation is supported by a research team at the Foundation, headed by Dr Hania Farhan, a Technical Committee of representatives from key African institutions, and Dr Daniel Kaufmann of the Brookings Institution, who co-produces the Worldwide Governance Indicators. The Foundation also draws on the expertise of an Advisory Committee of academics drawn from institutions across Africa.

The Ibrahim Index of African Governance was created in recognition of the need for a robust, comprehensive and quantifiable tool for citizens and civil society to track government performance in Africa. The development of the Ibrahim Index reflects the Foundation’s long-term commitment to support African ownership of the governance debate, to develop capacity in African institutions, and to improve the quality, reliability, and availability of data about Africa.