Jammeh Rejects Spot-Counting of Ballots Berates West for "Sabotage"
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The Independent (Banjul)
August 10, 2001
Posted to the web August 10, 2001
Alhagie Mbye
Banjul, the Gambia
President Jammeh has flatly objected to the idea of counting votes at
polling stations immediately after the polls close on election day in
October.
He said it is just an idea outside the Gambian constitution, which shall
never be entertained.
President Jammeh made his position clear during an interview with Babucarr
Dieng a Senegalese television journalist.
The interview which was broadcast on Gambian television Monday evening
showed the president as emphasising that counting on the spot is neither
ordained by the constitution nor practicable in view of logistical
inadequacy to make it possible. He said it was impossible to get at least
fifteen police officers in 800 polling stations crowded with about 1, 500
people awaiting the counting to take place. He claimed that about 2,400
vehicles are also needed. He described the idea as an unproven experiment
unprecedented in the country. "We are not guinea-pigs. Even if there is
security for counting on the spot and we get the logistics, we are not going
to accept it look the system is fair... the entire process is fair" he
re-emphasised.
President Jammeh believes that on the spot counting cannot be covered by the
national television simultaneously, which could lead to problems of shortage
of security personnel to man police stations when about 10,000 police
officers are deployed at counting centers. "If counting on the spot is to
take place during the elections, we will not even be in a position to pay
for salaries for 20 years to come it is not our idea. There is no country
that has ever done that. It happened only in Uganda where there are no
political parties but only movements.
"I say we are not going to do it just to satisfy other people's bad
intention. Why it is that some European countries are not doing it. Even if
there is enough finance we are not going to do it. It will not happen" he
objected.
On his relationship with the IMF and World Bank, Jammeh remarked, "I still
maintain that they are not gods. They only give loans to be repaid with
conditions. In fact such loans become useless to citizens and make them
hungrier. Such things are unacceptable, even bilateral relationship with
them must be based on respect" he posited.
.President Jammeh maintained who maintained that "I am the same military man
you saw" said that such institutions are not what they profess to be. He
said during the end of 1999 when all their "subversive" activities against
The Gambia failed, they expressed interest to use the country as a "progress
example with their chicken change".
He noted that as far as the West is concerned, they are sub divided with
"good ones and confused one". He added that there are certain Western
countries that still have colonies in Africa to discourage independent
movements and reduce Africa to its knees while falsely preaching democracy
and human rights. "They stole our properties to create the West so why
should we accept their democracy and human rights, infact there is no
democracy in the West and I can challenge any Western leader about it and
embarrass him" he argued. He intimated that certain Western leaders "don't
know themselves and as a result I will never have good relations with them".
However he said there are also good Western countries who never colonized
anyone and are even willing to help. "Remember these ones are not the bad
crazy West," he added.
President Jammeh also accused some African leaders of serving the interest
of Western leaders to maintain themselves in power. He said some of these
leaders are even opposed to the African Union. He said during the African
Union summit, he challenged that category of African leaders to be bold
enough to show their stance against the union "so that their own citizens
will understand their designs". He claimed that even if there is conflict
between African countries, such leaders would not pay head to the calls of
their fellow Africans but are always prepared to be commanded by Western
powers, whom they serve without question.
"I insisted on calling journalists to cover remarks opposed to the AU but
they refused and say that I was violating their rights. They said I think
like a kid but my thinking was better because it means they were not
representing the wishes of the people" he argued.
On Senegal-Gambia relations President Jammeh noted that the two countries
are like "the same compound with different houses and if the other fails to
invite you in his house it may be a problem to get in".
He said after assuming power, President Abdoulaye Wade, never gave him a
mandate to negotiate in the Casamance conflict until the fighting escalated.
He said there was also controversy when journalists claimed that MFDC
soldiers are within his guards - a claim he vehemently denied.
He stressed that he knows Casamance terrain better than even combatants and
that he had made it clear to them that their quest for independence was
impossible and that he cannot allow any demand for independence in the
sub-region.
He said he was pleased that seven years under his stewardship have seen some
notable developments in the health, education and agricultural sectors and
further alleged that during the time of the previous regime, only sons and
daughters of the ousted president's party the PPP had access to university
education abroad. He said under his leadership scholarship opportunities are
for the most deserving. He disclosed that he is currently sponsoring 750
students some of whom have graduated.
He claimed that previous there were also few Gambian doctors since many
preferred to set up private clinics while dispensers calling themselves
doctors injected patients without knowing how to administer medicines,
causing some patients to get blind. He intimated that it was even worse
during 400 years of British rule when there was no trained Gambian doctor.
He claimed that The Gambia could now boast of 300 doctors excluding nurses.
He said with a University and a medical school Gambians are being trained
locally without incurring the burden inherent in sending them to the United
States and other countries further compounding the brain drain.
"They are still wicked to us, holding our people there after studies and
offer them attractive pay and tell them there is no democracy back home" he
charged.
He alleged that there is sabotage in the electricity sector, resulting in
crisis, which he alone cannot negotiate. He revealed that Nawec officials
used to give him false stories regarding contracts, adding that in only
seven years, the electricity and water company had signed agreements with 21
companies without installing a good engine against which backdrop he
justified his sacking of officials.
President Jammeh also said he regretted the attack on Kartong and the
Farafenni military barracks in 1996 and the student demonstrations last
year. He accused "certain elements" of using innocent children to overthrow
his administration.
President Jammeh also acknowledged that tribalism still exists in the minds
of some Gambians although he claimed that his government has been purged of
nepotism and tribalism.
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