The Gambia’s iron fist ruler Yaya Jammeh has reacted irritably to last week humiliating defeat by the National Reconciliation Party (NRP) in the Lower Saloum National Assembly seat by- election. The autocratic President who is also the leader of the ruling party has unanimously decided to dissolve his party’s structures in the Lower Saloum constituency with immediate effect. In the same vein, Mr. Jammeh has ordered the closure of the party’s regional office based in the town of Kaur.
This came in the wake of 6th August, 2015 by-election conducted by the country’s electoral commission to replace a seat left vacant after the explosion of the occupant of that seat from APRC and by extension, the National Assembly.
Jammeh who believes in using his unchecked powers to arm-twist and manipulate people into total submission to his wishes and dictates is said to be unhappy with the people of Lower Saloum who have decided to vote for Modou Bamba Gaye, an NRP candidate to represent them in the APRC dominated Assembly. Dictator Jammeh, the Governor of Central River Region, the APRC Secretary General and National Mobilizer, Omar Khan, Minister Bala Garba Jahumpa and Yankuba Colley respectively are all said to be very disappointed and embarrassed with the outcome of the results. Jammeh was quoted to have said he could not believe that the people of Kaur, a town he sees as his home and has held meetings at during his country wide tour can side with an opposition and not his candidate.
Our source indicated that the decision to dissolve the structures is due to misinformation given to Yaya Jammeh by his trusted men including Hon. Sainey Mbye of Upper Saloum and the Regional Governor that the Constituency Committee submitted Kabba Touray as the choice of the people, an information they knew was false and thus led to APRC losing their once stronghold, amidst spending almost half a million dalasi during their campaign.
Analysts say that The Gambia’s dictator in a violation of the country’s constitution and demonstration of his political immaturity and lack of respect for Gambian tax payers has once again said he will not approve any project meant for constituencies that vote for an opposition candidate. In a televised speech last Tuesday, President Jammeh, while addressing his cabinet in a retreat in his village of Kanilai threatened to cut off the people of Lower Saloum constituency from any development project, the same way he did with Kiang in the past.
