Saul,
    You should have kept a muted silence when the Jabou Joh's of this world
came with their slurs insinuating that there is a conspiracy to sully
Halifa's integrity by us. It is just silly way of derailing a debate that has
seen Halifa fidgeting with answers, evasive and croaky denials. The Jabou
Joh's of this world don't get it but this exercise has impinged some self
doubt in Halifa's robust self confidence when it comes to their role during
the transition.
    Any one who cares to know knows that the so-called transition to
"democratic order" was all part of grand strategy by the military to
civilianise themselves at a time when the military gov'ts are becoming
pariahs and invoke the wrath of everyone anywhere. The fact that Halifa had
lend support to this flawed process is a pointer to my charge that he had got
it wrong from the beginning. Why he did it I can't fully fathom.
    The transition is supposed to be over yet a major component of the
transition, that of local gov't elections are yet to be held. I don't hear
much noise being made over this. Today Jammeh uses the existing network of
local gov't to entrench himself further in to power.
    I remember when one former politician highlighted that Jammeh is only
interested in winning the next elections against the will of the Gambian
peoples by hook or crook. Halifa came out saying there is nothing wrong with
Jammeh transforming the erstwhile AFPRC into a political party and contest
the presidential elections. Of course there is nothing wrong with a former
military officer who contests elections so long as he/she plays the rules of
the game. But there is everything wrong with a military hell bent with
perpetuating themselves in power at all costs especially when all the rules
of the game have been rewritten by the same military. how can the AFPRC be
player, administrator and referee at the same? who would not call such a
process flawed? why didn't come out robustly and say that if Jammeh wishes to
contest the elections, he should resign 6 months prior to the elections and
leave the administration of the State to Indepedent/different administrative
transitory gov't? it was precisely the trappings of power that Jammeh used to
roughen the playing field to the disadvantage of other contestants. And after
this bogus exercise, Halifa didn't raise his voice or even do as he did with
Jawara when he did discover electoral engineering. This has all the stench of
double standards.
    Good Morning.
Hamjatta Kanteh

hkanteh

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