Gambia: “UDP Will Not Allow Anyone To Stampede On Its Rights” – Lawyer Darboe
By Own Correspondent – The secretary general and leader of the opposition United Democratic Party, lawyer Ousainou Darboe has said that his party would not allow anyone to trample or interfere with his party’s rights during the cause of exercising its constitutional rights or holding of its rallies.
United Democratic Party, lawyer Ousainou Darboe
Darboe made this comments over the weekend in Sami Medina in the Sami constituency where the women of Sami Medina adopted Syngle Nyassi, the Party’s propaganda secretary as their father.
“UDP would not allow anyone being it security or any person to interfere with the party’s right, we will crush you and there is no doubt about that,” said the renowned Gambian lawyer cum politician.
The high powered delegation of the UDP received a tumultuous welcome from the villagers characterised by cultural dance chanting the slogan ‘lead us to victory for justice peace and progress.’
In his short address to the people of Sami Medina and its surrounding villages who turned out in their large numbers, the party leader urged them to respect the rule of law and cast their ballots without fear or favor for change in the upcoming presidential election for the UDP who has the country at heart with visions for the socio –economic advancement of its citizens and the protection of their fundamental human rights.
He added: “To be an opposition in this country is not an easy task, and you have lot of challenges ahead of you as an opposition. The road might be long but with courage, commitment and determination we can achieves our aims and objectives. I welcome your idea for nominating Syngle Nyassi as your father who shows great interest for the future of this country as a genuine politician and loyal opposition for that matter.”
Darboe recalled the hardships and tribulations Nyassi encountered in Gambian politics which he described as ‘unlawful and unconstitutional.’
“I am happy to be here today adopting him {Nyassi} as your father. Shyngle Nyassi as you all know has said before that the Gambia was sinking into ditches and the hardship the citizens are encountering such as the rapid escalation of prices of basic commodities, the poor health quality delivery system and the poor salary of ordinary civil servants who could not afford to take care of the medical bills and school fees of their children and family. The farmer’s groundnuts are no bought only on credit basis and when he {president Jammeh’s} family is sick, he takes them abroad for treatment and where his wife also goes to deliver. I don’t hate him as a human being but I condemn the way he governs the country,” said the party’s secretary general, lawyer Darboe.
He continued, “you have witnessed what president Yaya Jammeh said when he assumed the mantle of leadership by saying he is your servant and not your king , but today the chiefs are campaigning in order to crown him as king and even the majority leader, Fabakary Tombong Jatta has supported that idea. Jammeh has accused the former regime of embezzlement of state funds. Today he {Jammeh} is giving millions of dalasis to people and he is proud to say that he has done a lot for the Gambia. Gambians are the ones to be blamed for his unguided statements, he has nothing but because of the position he holds.”
The aspiring presidential candidate who was addressing a meeting over hundred miles away from the capital , Banjul has urged the supporters to turnout in their large numbers to cast their ballots for the UDP in the next presidential run up for change in order to oust president Yaya Jammeh from power so as to end the terrible hardship , violation of the rights of the citizens and disappearance of the ordinary citizens.
The party secretary general and leader urged the people to respect their chief but was quick to add that let him {the chief} not use them to work on the farm of the president at Kanilai but rather t to initiate plans and work on their own farm.
“If president Jammeh wants to help you, why can’t he help you with the machines and the fertilizers he uses on his own farm? It’s not because of position that I joined politics, if that is the reason I would have joined politic since during Jawara’s regime. Because of the situation the country was engulfed in that is why I decided to join politics in order to liberate the citizens,” Darboe opined.
Since the current regime assumed power, the opposition in the country has witnessed scores of arbitrary arrests and detentions. The recent arrest was the opposition United Democratic Party’s then campaign manager now the administrative secretary , Femi Peters who was denied a permit to hold a political rally in October 2009 and was charged with ‘control of procession and ‘use of loudspeaker. After found guilty by the court, Mr. Peters was sentenced to a one year jail term and a fine of D10, 000, the verdict that attracted condemnation at both local and international levels.
