NEWS
PACK YOUR BELONGINGS NOW AND LEAVE THE PRESIDENCY BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE
-FORMER PPP OFFICIAL TELLS PRESIDENT JAMMEH
BY PA NDERRY M'BAI



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September 4, 2005
Former Chairman of the Kanifing Municipal Council, under the deposed PPP
government, Kebba Jallow is urging President Yahya Jammeh to start "packing
his belongings now to avoid further disgrace" as he predicted a landslide
victory for Gambia's new opposition coalition called the National Alliance
For Democracy And Development NADD, come the country's 2006 presidential
elections. Mr. Jallow who resides in Atlanta, here in the United States told
the ALLGAMBIAN online newspaper, in an exclusive interview, that the wind of
change is blowing in The Gambia and it's just a matter of time for Yahya
Jammeh to start packing to leave the office of the presidency.

Mr. Jallow a household name in The Gambia, also commented about the
institutionalized corruption under Jammeh's rule, tribalism, human rights
and the rule of law crisis taking place in the tiny West African country.
Mr. Jallow who is also the former president of the PPP youth Movement,
accuses president Jammeh of favouring his "Jolla" tribe men by appointing
them in key government positions, when "there are more qualified Gambians to
run such positions." Jallow charged that Gambia's National Army and the
police Force are dominated by the "Jolla" ethnic group, which he says is
unacceptable and unconstitutional. He says a NADD government will correct
the economic and political mess perpetrated by the 11 years "failed" Jammeh
misrule. Below is the full text of the interview we had with Mr. Jallow.
Please read on.

ALLGAMBIAN: What's your impression about Gambia's political situation today?

KEBBA JALLWO: Mr. M'Bai, it's very encouraging to see that the key players
in the political process of The Gambia, have decided to come together to
form an alliance to confront the current monstrous regime of Yahya Jammeh.
That has really given consolation to me particularly and many Gambians in
diaspora.

ALLGAMBIAN:NADD'S failure to a name a flag bearer for the country's 2006
elections is attracting a lot of controversy both at home and abroad. Are
you not worried by this developments?

KEBBA JALLOW:I was little bid nervous some couple of months ago. But I'm now
encouraged by the positive assurances emerging from the NADD leadership. The
leadership will certainly come out with a candidate very soon. It's only
NADD that can save us from the current political quagmires we found
ourselves since July of 1994.

ALLGAMBIAN: When you said soon. How soon?

KEBBA JALLOW: The leadership will certainly come out with a candidate after
the by elections. That it would be certainly before the end of the year.

ALLGAMBIAN: What type of leader are you anticipating to head NADD?

KEBBA JALLOW: The type of leader I'm looking for is a one that can confront
the monster squarely. Second, somebody who will articulate the feelings of
Gambians. And thirdly somebody who can bail out the country from the
economic mess and political crisis that we are in now.

ALLGAMBIAN: Mr. Jallow are you implying that you don't want NADD to be led
by a "chicken hearted politician."?

KEBBA JALLWO:I would accept a candidate who is ready to confront Jammeh at
any level.

ALLGAMBIAN: If you are to make a fair assessment of the deposed PPP regime
and the Ruling APRC government, what would you say.

KEBBA JALLOW:I have very little to talk about Jammeh's achievements compared
to Jawara's period. Some people had claimed that Jammeh had built roads and
also an airport. But what's the situation today? The same people have no
food to eat. They are hungry day in day out. The same people have no
security today. The same regime enslaved Gambians. I see no reasons why i
should give any credit for what Yahya had done so far. I would loved to live
in a country where there is rule of law, respect for human rights, where
there is economic progress and political stability. I don't want to see a
Gambia, where people are compel to support the APRC. Under the current
regime, jobs are only given to party supporters and President Jammeh's tribe
men, the "Jollas."

ALLGAMBIAN: You have raised a debatable issue here. Are you telling us that
Yahya Jammeh is tribalist?

KEBBA JALLOW: Indeed. I can say that 100 percent. Every position that's
available in the government is first offered to Jollas and if there is no
available Jolla to fill the position he go and look for other tribes. You
can see it in the civil service. You can see it in the army. You can see it
in the police. This is a dangerous trend. We have seen the end results of
tribalism in Burundi and Liberia.

ALLGAMBIAN: You made mention about tribalism in the army and the police.
Could you elaborate further? Are you implying that other tribes interested
in joining the said two security units are being denied.

KEBBA JALLOW: Certainly no. Other tribes are definitely in the in the army.
But i would challenge Gambians to find out the tribal nature of the army and
the police. They will find out that the Jollas have more recruits in the
army and the police than any other tribe.

ALLGAMBIAN: Still on the issue of tribalism, what was the situation like
under PPP'S regime?

KEBBA JALLOW: It can speak for itself. The tribalism composition of Jawara's
can really speak for itself. Apart from the two or three Mandinkas i know
about, the ambassadors of the country since independence were held by non
Mandinkas. Apart from four or five Mandinkas i know, almost all the
permanent secretaries and heads of corporations were headed by non
Mandinkas. This is why i'm bitter with the current system. We were brought
up under Jawara's regime and nurtured to accept each other as Gambians,
based on your achievements and not by your tribe.

ALLGAMBIAN: On the other hand, Yahya Jammeh had told GRTS'S Nenneh Macdowl
in one of her interviews that tribalism exists under the PPP government. He
Jammeh claimed that he was nearly denied from joining the army based on "his
tribe, relationship with Kukoi Samba Sanyang and the group called Movement
For Justice in Africa, in short MOJA. How would you react to such a
statement made by Jammeh.

KEBBA JALLOW: One thing i console myself with is that, i never believe in
anything Yahya Jammeh uttered from his mouth. So the question of tribalism
in the army during Jawara's time was non sense. On his claim that he was
being linked to MOJA, was a lie. Jammeh was never a member MOJA.

ALLGAMBAIN: Are you telling us that Yahya is a story teller and nothing
else?

KEBBA JALLOW: Yes. He is not only a story teller, but a liar as well. Just
image his failed much talked about oil for The Gambia.? What happened to his
promise to bring train in The Gambia, that will ply between Banjul and Mali?
What about the 90 percent electrification of the country? I can go on and
on.....

ALLGAMBIAN: Current political indications speaks of Yahya Jammeh's
unwillingness to vacate office for now. That Jammeh is not keen at
relinquishing power honourably. What do you foresee if he refuses to concede
to NADD election victory come 2006?

KEBBA JALLOW: You know many people have this myth about Yahya Jammeh that he
is invincible. Yahya is the most fearful coward. He is the most timid leader
that i have ever known. The internal pressure for him to go wouldn't let him
stand in his feet. That's why it is important for Yahya to learn now that he
should treat every Gambian with respect especially the opposition. I know
NADD will not engage in any revenge business when they come to power
especially in his person. NADD will come to correct a failed system and not
an individual like Yahya.

ALLGAMBIAN: Mr. Jallow you seems to be serious about your call for dictator
Yahya Jammeh to start packing from office before it's too late.

KEBBA JALLOW: Yes, I think Yahya knows that more than you and me know, that
the current situation in The Gambia is not possible for him to win a free
and fair elections. He should start thinking about what to do next from now
on.

ALLGAMBIAN: Throughout this interview, you had been stressing about NADD'S
determination to restore democracy and rule of law in The Gambia. But I
haven't heard you dwelling more on the need to tackle graft, which is today
a major problem confronting the African continent including our own Gambia.
Is this not a priority for NADD.

KEBBA JALLOW: NADD is indeed very concerned about corruption and will
certainly fight it when it come to power. Tackling corruption is a major
priority for NADD. We are ready to probe this regime extensively. 30 years
of Jawara's rule there was this international panel of lawyers and judges
who came to probe Jawara and the last minister in his government. No
minister was found to have D100,000, one hundred thousand dalasis in his
bank account. Instead most of their bank accounts were in the reds. The
whole amount of money Jammeh spent on his bogus commissions was far more
than what the Commission recommended for the alleged corruption under
Jawara's rule. In short, the Commission found less than D10Million, ten
million dalasis, when Jammeh spent over 30Million, thirty million dalasis to
finance the operations of the Commission. In a span of less ten years, we
have unearthed almost eight hundred million dalasis of corruption exposed by
a Commission of enquiry set up by Yahya Jammeh himself for his own
government. Therefore the much talked about rampant corruption against
Jawara's government during the early days of the coup was nothing but lies.
We are seeing more corruption today. I will quote Waa Juwara's statement
that "by mentioning Jammeh's name alone is corruption. Corruption is
everywhere in his government. The accountability and transparency he had
been talking about is dead.

ALLGAMBIAN: Have you appeared before these Commissions?

KEBBA JALLOW: I have never been summoned or served to appear before the
Commission.

ALLGAMBIAN: Could you tell us about your relationship with deposed president
Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara?

KEBBA JALLOW:I as a person, I admired and really looked upon him as a good
leader. I also admired Sir Dawda for his impartiality. I remember when there
were incidences between the NCP and the PPP at the time and Sir Dawda always
handles those incidences with maturity and responsibility. He was very
tolerant, almost to a fault level.

ALLGAMBIAN: What type of incidents are you talking about?

KEBBA JALLOW: I remember a political clash during a meeting between these
two parties and Sir Dawda would always prevail on his supporters to be law
abiding . He never uses the security forces to harass or intimidate the
opposition, as it is the case today in The Gambia. Jawara was a matured
leader, who had high respect for democracy, rule of law and human rights.

ALLGAMBIAN: Does NADD have a coordinator here in United States?

KEBBA JALLOW: All that i know is that, the Save The Gambia democracy project
based in Atlanta has been coordinating the activities of all opposition
parties in The Gambia, which eventually had given the birth of NADD. So if
their is a coordinator, so far is the Save The Gambia democracy project
until NADD officially appoints a coordinator. This is the information I'm
privy of.

ALLGAMBIAN: Gambia's independent media had suffered badly under Jammeh's
rule. Mid night arrests, abductions, arson attacks, killings and defamation
charges continue to ago unabated. What will NADD government do to guarantee
the freedom of the press?

KEBBA JALLOW: I have come to understand the role of the media especially
under dictatorial regimes. The media helps to expose the political
deficiencies under such rock systems, when dissenting views and opinions are
silenced as in the case of the PPP after the coup. It was the private media
which came out to highlight the atrocities and deficiencies that had existed
under Jammeh's rule. I would engage any future leader for NADD not only to
help strengthen the media but to also make the current environment conducive
for free reporting, as in the case of the Western world, where journalists
are being responsible for their actions without fear or favour.

ALLGAMBIAN: Thank Mr. Jallow for sparing your busy schedules to talk to The
ALLGAMBIAN online newspaper. Have a nice day and look forward to talking to
you soon.

KEBBA JALLOW: Thank you very much Pa Nderry. I hope this will not be the end
of the interview with Gambians living in the diaspora. You are always
welcome.



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