In a recent BBC 'Talking Point' discussion the question was posed: 'The
attempt to return the Ivory Coast to civilian rule has ended in acrimony and
violence. So do elections really solve anything or do they simply bring a
new set of problems?'

My response was: 'African elections can solve problems if they are free,
fair and transparent from the onset. If you have an electoral process that
is hijacked from the get go by a dictator (e.g. Ivory Coast), the elections
will create more problems than they will solve. People who feel robbed by
the dictatorship will try to take the law into their own hands. So long as
African governments refuse to ensure a level playing field for all political
parties, elections will continue to be a problem for Africans.
Kebba Dampha'

At that time, little did people know that the situation in Ivory Coast was
going to deteriorate to this level. There are reports that more than twenty
people were killed in clashes between Gbagbo and Ouattarra supporters.
Something that most African leaders take for granted is the basic notion of
fairness. What is wrong with having another election contest in Ivory Coast
and may the best candidate win? The behavior evinced by Guei and now Gbagbo
is why there cannot be peace in our nations. There is rampant injustice and
unfairness. Animalistic instincts will always urge man to revert back to the
notion of survival of the fittest. But civilized societies put a check on
those instincts by legislating societal norms that frown on such behavior.
Maybe Bill Clinton and the Democrats would have liked to see Clinton run for
a third term. But the 22nd Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbids that.
It is unheard of to think that Bill Clinton will declare a state of
emergency and use the military to force Congress to repeal the 22nd
Amendment. The reason this notion is so ridiculous is because people in the
U.S. will not allow that to happen. There will be millions ready to put
their lives on the line to make sure that that does not happen. Well this
notion might be laughable in the U.S., but that is exactly what our rulers
in Africa do to us all the time. They use brute force and turn the laws and
norms upside down so that they can perpetuate themselves in power. Africans
should also reach a level where our societies will set certain basic
parameters and ensure that people that want to rule us operate within those
parameters. If Colin Powell wanted to use his contacts in the Defense
Department in the U.S. to try and install George Bush as president, Powell
will be admitted into a mental home. We should also reach a stage where if
thugs like Yaya wake up and want to hijack the country, we will capture them
and lock them up at Campama. But most of the time, we will have very selfish
and complacent people that will try very hard to see some good in the
dictatorship and will appease the dictatorship and help it entrench itself.
That is why Ouattarra and his supporters should not let go of things as they
are right now. They should force Gbagbo to do the right thing and call fresh
elections for everyone. They should not buy any empty promises from Gbagbo.
Not too long ago Guei made promises that every ten year old knew he would
not keep. Dictatorships have to be attacked from the onset and they should
be attacked decisively. To me, it is as clear as daylight what needs to be
done in Ivory Coast. The players also know what is the right thing to do.
But left to their selfish desires, they will not do it. They need to form a
government of national unity, repeal the unfair constitutional provisions
that prevented legitimate contestants from running in the October elections,
hold free and fair elections within three months. During all this time, the
army and other security forces should stay out of the political scene. They
should not side with any party. There is nothing wrong (per se) with a
constitutional provision that requires presidential candidates to fit
certain nationality criteria. In the U.S., naturalized citizens are not
allowed to run for president. But the difference with the Ivorian situation
is that in Ivory Coast, xenophobia and corruption is what is behind this
legislation as opposed to national security concerns. Furthermore, I
understand that the courts during the military regime would not even allow
the guy to prove that he falls within the required criteria. What the
authorities in Ivory Coast are trying to do, is reposition the goal-post
during the game. That is wrong. They should not just promulgate a law
targeted at disenfranchising certain opponents.
Opposition parties in Gambia should learn a very important lesson here.
Parameters have to be set well before the elections. The opposition has to
be united in its resolve to enforce the rules set for a free and fair
electoral PROCESS. The opposition should be ready to challenge the
authorities if the process is violated. When that time comes, there should
be no fence-sitting and tactical maneuvering. Gbagbo is currently suffering
because he was a hypocrite. Had he sided with the rest of the opposition
against Guei's clearly illegal and unethical moves, his (Gbagbo's)
supporters would not be in the streets battling supporters of Allasane
Ouattarra. He would not have had problems being recognized as president of
Ivory Coast by nations like France and the U.S. In short, these slimy
tactics always fail. The system can work for us if our leaders have the
political will and the good heart to do what is right. God will not come
from the skies to fight our battles. If parliament in Gambia refuses to pass
legislation that can make local government elections materialize, the
opposition should force the parliament to do its job. If the IEC chairman
shows some corrupt and cowardly tendencies, the opposition should ensure
that he is removed. If we have a British High Commissioner in the Gambia who
makes statements that makes you wonder whether the guy actually lives in the
country, it is the duty of the opposition to educate the gentleman. If we
have a government that would massacre defenseless children in broad
daylight, it is the job of the opposition to ensure that justice is done.
KB


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