Karamba Touray

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By Karamba Touray

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For the past two election cycles, UDP and PDOIS notwithstanding, their identical commitments to democracy, freedom, liberty and the rule of law have been unsuccessful in forging a workable electoral arrangement to usher in change. The reasons for the failures are many, but I will
hasten to add that it was not for the lack of trying on either the part of the politicians or third parties of goodwill. Like most collective endeavors, forging a political compromise is at once simple and complex; leading to either soaring success or heartache and bitterness, especially for the people that were emotionally invested in the enterprise. Of all human emotions, crushing disappointment is perhaps the most difficult to emerge from, and there is always a strong
urge to give up and or actively look for culprits to blame. This becomes especially acute in the face of the incremental excess of a regime that offends the conscience of decent humans the world over. It is against this back ground that I make a public plea to the leadership of the two parties, to avert the prospect of history repeating itself.

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The overwhelming majority of the Gambian people would like to consign the regime of Yahya Jammeh to its ugly corner of our contemporary history, so that they can live their lives absent the fear, terror and a perpetual sense of being besieged. The most effective vehicle for the
clamoring masses to channel their intolerable circumstance to the change they deserve is a strong and unified political opposition. Today the only impediment to realizing a unified opposition is a host of substantive issues between UDP and PDOIS. Thankfully though, it is not about whether coming together is the right thing to do for the country, but it is more about the nature of any such arrangements; notably the consequences post election for these two parties. At the heart of the disagreement, is the kind of change UDP seeks on the one hand, which is premised on the principle of conventional coalition arrangements, where smaller parties join with the larger party, craft a platform, negotiate responsibility sharing, campaign and if they win, then theyshare credit for the victory and deliver on their mandate. The rationale being that a new political dispensation created and actualized by all the constituent parties that made up the coalition, will invariably expand the democratic space for even more parties to emerge, and offer the population a menu of choices on a guaranteed level playing field. This would be good for all, and would nurture a competitive plural democracy that would attract talented Gambians and strengthen our overall democratic culture. This is envisioned to be an organic process that would unfold during the lifetime of the coalition involving all of the parties.

 On the other, PDOIS motivating principle seems to be that any coalition arrangement they enter into must go beyond the need for change and seek to effectively engineer the coalition and morph it into a vehicle to recast Gambian democracy in their vision. The issues they list are in the aggregate meritorious democratic aspirations, in that they would ultimately also strengthen our democratic culture andcurtail or even eliminate a lot of the practices that has stunted the growth of Gambian democracy. The points articulated in agenda 2011 encapsulates the carefully considered views of PDOIS, and conforms to the best traditions of its proponents' commitment to Gambia and it's people. I, however, urge PDOIS to reconsider making it a categorical condition to acceding to any coalition arrangement, and instead, envision a scenario in which a substantial portion of what they have outlined is incorporated and ultimately pursued by a united front. Good ideas often have staying power, and such any political party that generates them would be best served in an environment in which their implementation is most likely, and I believe that would be the case with a unified opposition. The alternative would consign Agenda 2011 to a narrower base, truncating it's prospects nationally and markedly reinforce the malaise associated with the perception that the hopelessly divided opposition has doomed the political process, and with it, any chance of change. This would provide Yahya Jammeh more than the opportunity he needs to mobilize the third of the electorate he can buy, coerce and or fool, to claim victory. The Gambia and its people would be worse off for it, and I pray and hope we don't come that. In a bid to bridge the gap between the two sides as an interested private citizen, I suggest both sides consider the following proposal:

UDP:

• Propose an unconditional immediate meeting between the UDP negotiating team including the leader and a similarly designated team from PDOIS.
• Propose to conclude the said talks in two weeks maximum
• Offer PDOIS your vision of a party-led coalition
• Offer PDOIS roles in the proposed coalition, substantially in excess of what their real or perceived electoral strength might suggest, not as an act of benevolence, but because they would have earned it in the eyes all who value selfless service.
• Offer PDOIS in writing a binding commitment that nomember of the coalition, including the perspective president would engage in partisan political activity, either through public media or other government resources throughout the life of the coalition.
• Offer to priorities those areas where UDP and PDOIS have general agreement such as the much needed reforms of obnoxious laws, governance, some aspects of the economy, agriculture and healthcare and so on. This would have the effect of front loading your agenda with things that can be promptly addressed and leaving yourselves enough room and time to work on the matters that require extra effort.
  
  PDOIS:
• Propose unconditional talks with the UDP’s negotiating team with your designated team.
• Share your concerns about party-led coalitions generally, and the one on the table in particular. Additionally share your vision of how best to get a unified front.
• Seek specific assurances from UDP that would guarantee all the implied rights of coalition partners, especially in policy implementation, security of tenure etc.
• Consider offering UDP substituting the acceptance ofAgenda 2011 as a condition for entering into a coalition, to it being recognized as a comprehensive aspirational goal that can serve as an important guide to the coalition in its lifetime.
• Propose to have UDP commit in writing, to jointly
  produce a slate of candidates for parliamentary and local government elections, that reflect the diversity of the coalition partners with agreed upon quotas for each party.
• Seek to conclude your talks in no more than two weeks.

 If all of you, our properly constituted leaders, who have spent years selflessly serving The Gambia and it's people take this one more important step and produce a united front, you would have answered a supreme national call. And as loyal foot soldiers for a justified cause, you will find us deployed in the battlefield. If you are united, you will inspire the majority and the people would redeem their country from an unreconstructed tyrant and dictator. I appeal to your sense of duty, your pure intentions, and perhaps more importantly the promise you represent. Please get together and get it done.