Foroyaa wrote:
    "in our view, if a person's term in office can only be sustained by
uncovering coup plots after coup plot leading to killings after killings,
then it is best for a person to call it a day than to leave such a historical
record."
    Clearly Halifa and CO are calling for Jammeh to call it a day.
Interesting days these are. I never thought my learned friends at Foroyaa
would realise that there can be no 'Way Forwards' or the vacuous aggrandised
theme 'Democratic Space' [that Halifa said spurred him to sacrifice
principles for the bogus transition; call it blind pragmatism]. So long as
Jammeh is in power. The long and short of it is that Jammeh doesn't give a
fig for democracy. He had said it to the point of ad nauseaum.  He had seized
every grand occasion to pour scorn on democracy and those who stand for it.
So why would anyone entrust a person like that to lead us unto the new
millennium and Second Republic? Why did Halifa espouse so shamelessly
Jammeh's candidature and find nothing wrong with or any conflict of interest
in Jammeh being anti-democracy at the same time being referee intent on being
player at the same time? Why did Halifa help usher in a fundamentally flawed
document like the 1997 that could never help us reconcile with it's monstrous
travesties of justice after the trauma of the transition that most Gambian
Families had to endure? Why did Halifa help usher in a fundamentally flawed
document like the 1997 which clearly takes us back to the days of Jawara or
even worse; for we had Term and Age Limits of the Presidency expunged by
Jammeh for selfish and personal reasons, a toothless and muscleless
semi-autonomous Electoral Commission that still reeks of Jawara's past, the
monarchical dispositions like the absolute freedom of the executive to hire
and fire on spurious grounds without explaining actions, a constitution in
which the executive still rides roughshod over the other arms of the Sate,
etc, etc. Folks I could fill a page with the downsides of the 1997
constitution. What made Halifa to do it when now clearly he had nothing to
show for it? Was the sacrifice worth it, for we are back to the Jawara days
and worse? Over the past three months so many allegations of massive
corruption has been propounded many of which has been shown to hold water.
What is Halifa's precious constitution doing about it? Why are we not having
our impeachment hearings? If the executive is as weakened as Halifa would
like us to believe why didn't the new non-partisan vocal National Assembly
members speak for the People and start the proceedings against Jammeh? The
questions are many. I could go on and on. The fact of the matter is this:
Halifa has virtually nothing to show for this vacuous aggrandised theme of
'Democratic Space' that he keeps telling us he had helped to create. But by
espousing political expediency, misplaced enthusiasm and blind pragmatism
that has led to a retrogressive of inversion of priorities during the
transition that is clearly leading to a tragic climax, Halifa and CO has
little or nothing to show for it.
    I have over the past two months or so bored you with my ravings and
rantings on Halifa, the 1997 constitution and the so-called transition. In
the process I might and has indeed stepped over the feet of others. Oft times
knowingly. Oft times oblivious to it. To the innocent I say, "please accept
my unconditional and profound apologies." I make no apologies to toe curling
hypocrites. To them I say, "in your faces." I hope we will all move on.
    For I decided to call it a day. I'm throwing in my towel after the bout
with my good friend Halifa. For I have made up my mind. Now there is no point
in stretching this exercise to embarrassing levels. On what remains of the
sticking points, Halifa can address us with his side of the story, I will let
it pass without comments. But will safe keep for another convenient time.
    Throughout all this debate, I have maintained that with a Term Limit, we
could peacefully change gov'ts without resorting to violence. Today Ghanaian
don't need to wage civil wars against Rawlings for at the end of his two
terms, there is a constitutional provision that disqualifies him for a third
term. Zambia has it, Nigeria, South Africa et al. In today's African
democracy, it is safe to contend that without the term limits there would be
some sort of upheaval where the ruling clique holds the angle and oppresses
it's People. Term Limits are now a prerequisite for any democracy. People can
put up with Jammeh's treachery so long as they know he is not there
indefinitely but only for a two term presidency after which he will vacate
office. They will patiently wait in peace until the day he has to go without
resorting to violence. With an indefinite term in office, the People agitated
and in the extreme might resort to unsavoury methods to alleviate their
sufferings. Today [assuming there was really a coup], some junior officers
has thought it would go down well if they get rid of Jammeh because of the
prevalent corruption, abuse of office and betrayal of the People. The vicious
cycle continues. On the other hand, South Africa, Nigeria, Zambia, Tanzania,
Ghana, et al., has their term limits. They won't be agitated to the point of
taking up arms against their corrupt leaders for they know there is a
specific time frame within which they [leaders] would step down.
Interestingly enough Rawlings is apologising to the Ghanaian people for the
wrong he has done to them whilst he was in power, for finally, thanks largely
to the term limit, Ghanaians don't have to put up with him. They don't need
guns to humble Rawlings this way; only their term limit would suffice.
    Contrast this with our situation. The People demanded a term limit to the
presidency in the draft constitution but was expunged from our midst by the
AFPRC. Halifa thought nothing wrong with this on the grounds that Jawara had
his indefinite term limit so what's the big deal? Good gracious. Another
naive reason he gave then was that when Jammeh's two term are over, Gambians
should just vote for another candidate even if Jammeh stands. How naive and
simplistic. Elections are not that simple. What has happened in 1996 is a
pointer to my argument that even against the wishes of the People Jammeh
could still install himself as president. What will the People do about it?
Pick up arms? Another military take over? The Gambian another hell on earth?
    Any historical disquisition of July 22nd. And it's aftermath wouldn't
look kindly on Halifa and CO. They have contributed unwittingly in no small
means to this abysmal state of affairs. Of course it would be wholly unfair
to contend that it was Halifa and CO's who should take blame for Jammeh's
treachery. This is unfair. Of course unlike Jammeh, Halifa has no standing
army, has no dipping pot to splash cash for his chosen cause or a militia to
carry machetes to carry out his orders. However, I'm under no illusion as to
how the powerful nature of the pen of an academic/scholar like Halifa can
sometimes hold sway in public opinion.  My contention runs thus: if any
individual voice in the public realm bears a measure of responsibility for
the tragic inversion of priorities as The Gambia slid towards into the abyss,
it would be Halifa's and his colleagues. This is highly contentious. The
realism rooted in it however, goes that, events that Halifa gave and lend
credence to during the transition has a direct and indirect bearing on recent
events. The long and short of it is that Halifa should bear/should part
responsibility for the retrogressive nature of our State of affairs.
     As my good sister Jabou Joh would put it, the public is the jury; they
would make the final assessment. I have as a life principle, never to
invade/intrude no individual's democratic extension. We all shall make up our
minds about what has happened. The most important thing is to stay true to
the truth and our consciences.
    What is unfolding in the Gambia doesn't surprise me. I have attached here
a copy of an essay I wrote for the Daily Observer on the commemoration of the
fifth anniversary of July 22nd.  I hope it would be useful for your perusal.
I salute you all and wish you all well. May peace continue to reign in the
Gambia.
Hamjatta Kanteh

hkanteh