Many believed Yahya is ‘The Problem’. For this crowd there is nothing to look for besides removing Yahya. Some recognizes there are other problems but believed those could be handled easier and better without Yahya. That is not necessarily true but I wouldn’t argue with that – I will take anyone else for now. The problem is how do you take out Yahya? Besides Yahya is not The Problem but A Problem. Yahya is the problem makes us feelings good by heaping all our problems on him and removes us from any role/responsibilities in what was created over a 50-year period. In addition this believes has undermined our curiosity of critical thinking over where we are, how did we get here and why did we get here. 

Our problems preceded Yahya! In fact our problems created Yahya. Our problem is democracy never arrived our shores.  Democracy in Gambia was/is only by name and staged-periodic elections! A nation state was created in 1965 of people of tribes and clans. We became a republic in April 1971 – citizens became sovereign. The problems are there are no national standards of doing the business of these whole especially democratically. Although within every tribes/clans we can find both things that conform well to democracy, others not so much and some not at all.  For the most part the main religions can work well and/or coexist with democracy.  Suffice to say we needed to be taught democratic ways of living. Those tasks fall on Jawara as the First Premier and then President. Unfortunately Jawara failed us abysmally. He was more interested in MANSAAYAA than neither lifting the standard of living of then less than half a million inhabitants in an area about 11,000 square kilometers nor meeting their dreams of self rule/determination 

Over time moving away from democracy has compounded and penetrates every fabric of the society. The PPP administration became laissez faire, corrupt, incompetent and eventually feels indispensable. The PPP, Jawara and state were synonymous. Democracy to many Gambians was the staged-periodic elections. Our citizens were neither educated of their proper role in a republic nor afforded opportunities to freely exercise such citizen functions. The power of state was/is concentrated at the executive and roles of the other 2-arms of government were non-existence and/or blurry at best. Agents appointed at Banjul largely dictated local agenda – no true decentralization. The Yahya administration is in essence ‘double-dose/steroid’ of Jawara’s with the addition of terror. The other difference between the two administrations is Jawara allowed spreading the wealth (rampant looting) among close circles while Yahya is the sole wealthy. For almost 50 years both administration failed to establish accurate registers of basic social data for informed decision-making. 

I summed up the roots of our problems as follows

1.	No Coherent Republican Constitution – a democratic nation can’t function on the likes/dislikes of an individual/group of individuals. It has to have common sets of rules that apply at all times to all people. The rules can neither be change in retrospect nor are they change if an agenda is already cooked up. That means we do not only have common sets of rules but also adhered to those rules at all times by all people. That requires discipline of government  (its called limited government). The watchdogs are informed and vigilant citizens. The citizens can assume such role when they acquire the requisite capacity to live a life of democracy themselves.  Henceforth they can demand and expect others to abide to those sets of common rules. On the other hand we shouldn’t expect a citizen mold to serve the servant – and they happily accept it to play such sovereign role.
2.	Impartiality of Law Administration/Rule of Law – is one thing to have sets of rules and is another to apply them across the board including how they applied to government. In fact the history of good democracies show constitutions/laws are first and foremost intended to constraint government rather than citizens. Its common knowledge that under both presidents (Jawara & Yahya) the few laws we have were/are selectively applied which negates the principles of equality before the law. More importantly government (whatever that means) were/are largely exempt(ed) from the laws of the land.
3.	Due Process of Law – this one suggest everyone is treated innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. Remember the famous incident of Ebrima Barry and Firefighters in Brikama. He was said to die of injuries sustained from the beatings of his arresting officers. The same happened to a Brikama Bakery Worker who was accused stealing. The arresting officers allegedly beat him from point of arrest to the Police Station. He also died supposedly from injuries sustained.  Some of these officers may still be serving our nation; regardless none were since brought to court. This is the portion of democracy that provides the protocol of how law enforcement matters are handle and process.
4.	The Lack of Requisite Capacity for Citizens to Participate in Governance – democracy is a way of life. Its not just some fancy governmental structures and/or some periodic election but a way of life the people live. It’s about living freely as one chooses so long others are not harm by such personal choices in an equal opportunity society. The norm here is simple fairness, equality, freedom of choice and individualism of enterprise. Until the majority have these traits in them and live by it – forget it. Our task is to teach this culture if we’re to become a democracy at some point.
5.	Separation of Power/Authority – the functionality of democratic institutions determined the level of democracy in a nation. Those institutions only functions well if and when they have independent functionality. The basic structure of democratic government is the existence of coequal branches (Executive, Legislature and Judiciary) with defined roles and responsibilities. They provide checks and balances that supposedly eliminate the possibility of tranny but more importantly serve the best interest of the govern.
6.	Decentralization – democracy is centered on people doing all for themselves except the few that can’t be done efficiently at individual level – such as schools, roads, national defense, etc. That said governance structures and decision-making should be lowered to the very natural bottom of the social strata in any given community. Why would we be able to elect a president but not our Commissioner/Governor, District Chief and/or village head? Above all it’s not so much about the individuals elected and/or appointed to such functions but what infrastructures and resources they’ve to work with and/or within? Besides national defense what of those issues can’t be handle by those directed affected and/or beneficiaries? Read my take on National Defense (specifically The National Army) in The Working Paper.
7.	Unadulterated Social Data/Statistics – decision making on matters of an estimated 1.7 million people can’t be effectively and efficiently made on the mood of an individual/group of individuals without supporting facts. Those facts can only come from data/statistics. Such data/statistics has to be collected and managed accurately otherwise is as good as no data/statistics. Simply think about the National Birth Register, National Death Register, National Automobile Register, Passport Register, and National Identification Card Register and many others. They do not simply exist – try seeking Gambia Government to prove they issued a 30-year-old birth certificate. Or what if you take off the registration plate of your white Toyota Corolla and screw it to the white T/Corolla of your spouse -  what else do they go by. Many government vehicles were registered to private individuals in this manner.  My dad passed away at the RVH in 1982 when I was too young. When I grew up and wanted to know the cause of dead. For months no body can show me his admission into the hospital much more release of corpse certification that may have enough information of cause of death. They must have been written but no systematic management hence after a short period who can find what. While people argue over elections fairness – one thing some may or may not seem to think about is how can we make it fair without basic numeration of citizens? I know people who arrived from G. Bissau and/or Cassamance with their parents to join us in the Primary school in the village; today they occupy responsible state functions and claimed Gambian citizenship in every which way. Not aware of when they regularize their status.  Democracy can’t function and/or manage in every which way – it’s about protocols, processes and procedures.  This is in fact bigger than a governmental problem, even our struggle suffer similar inabilities to show any paper trail. Some even think is theory, academic and/or trivial.

Elaborating on these key issues informed my problem analysis. That was the subject of  ‘The Working Paper’. A kind of document I argued our struggle should formulate/develop as ‘A National Democracy Vision’.  That vision becomes our agenda and not how to organize certain political parties on how to contest elections. Certainly not hoping and praying Yahya die and/or some gunmen kill him or kick him out of town.  The beauty of this approach is the creation of level playing field for all citizens at all times. It eliminates the un-natural demand of asking someone to wait or work for another until some per-determined transition period is over.  Above all we all have a role and shared risk in this approach. The political parties can neither worry we might torpedo them from their pole position nor can we assume we can descend on the land and dictate the show.  This is a true symbiosis – we form the whole together with defined roles and responsibilities.   

Next I shall breakdown the key components of what I think should be A National Democracy Vision. They will emanate from the about I viewed as problems. Therefore I will not be dealing with effects and symptoms of our problems.

In the near future I will also present the kind of vehicle  (organization) I think can/should carry up A National Democracy Vision. 

Burama FL Jammeh
The Founder/General Secretary
The People's Movement For Democratic Gambia
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facebook.com/Burama.jammeh
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810 844 6040

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