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Darboe: I Want To Form A Unity Government
Thursday, 24 November 2011 00:36
(JollofNews) - The leader of the United Democratic Party has expressed his willingness to form a unity government that will
include other opposition figures in the country.In his final address to the nation ahead of Thursday’s presidential elections, Lawyer Ousainou Darboe said, he wants to use a unity government to revive the hope and glory the country have lost, and bring forth the era of Development with Dignity.
Below is the full text of Mr Darboe’s statement:
In four years’ time, in 2015, The Gambia will be 50 years old. Fifty years, since we attained independence from the British colonialist. On that 18th day of February 1965, there was great hope about the glory and prosperity that was to come.
And for those of us who were youths at the time, we indeed enjoyed the initial benefits of self-determination and the honour of independence. Some of you have fond memories of 1965; some of you have heard the story of the proud raising of The Gambian flag; some of you have seen the pictures of that joyous and historic day.
Fellow Gambians, I was there on the birth of The Gambia as an independent country within the Commonwealth of Nations. I remember the men, women and children and their dignified pageantry; they came from every corner of The Gambia. They were attired and bejewelled in finery; their beautiful smiles symbolic of the glorious hope they had for their children and grandchildren. I remember the Seyfolus, in their bonnets and gowns; confident that Gambia was forever free; I remember the bright faces of the children; they, the innocent inheritors of a modern democratic Gambia. Together we rejoiced and prayed; ‘That all may live in unity; freedom and peace each day’. Like all the young men of the provinces, and the youths of the Kombos and Banjul, I too, made my pact with my country, and resolved to serve our motherland.
Fellow Gambians, today I come before you, for the third time, to ask you to give me your votes, so that I can form a unity government that will include Hamat Bah, the Independent Candidate, and all the opposition figures who support him, to revive the hope and glory that we have lost, and bring forth the era of Development with Dignity.
Like many of my contemporaries, when we won our independence from the British, it was to be the era for prosperity, self determination and development with for everyone. Our souls were filled with pride; our hearts effused with joy; and our aspirations for our country were unbounded. It became the solemn duty of every Gambian citizen, to do their patriotic best for the country, through hard work and diligence.
For me, I excelled in my education; I trained in law and jurisprudence; I represented the weak and the poor; I fought for the vulnerable and disadvantaged; I earned the respect and credit of my peers; I found my vocation to serve my country; and I have never stopped.
Like all right-minded Gambians, I found it offensive, obnoxious and outrageous, that Yahya Jammeh and his clique, with no mandate from citizens; with force of arms; with treasonable conduct; had usurped power and ended the democracy and freedom we had won from the British.
Fellow Gambians, just as we use righteous values and standards in our private lives to run our homes and bring up our children, as a country, we MUST maintain civilised values and the rule of law in the governance of this country. That is why in 1996, when these soldiers were armed to the teeth; when arbitrary arrests, detentions and all sorts of injustices were happening; when politicians were banned from running their parties; when a lot of atrocities were being committed, including killings, arrests and detentions in broad daylight; I interrupted my law practice to challenge Yahya Jammeh. That is why Omar Jallow (OJ) resisted; that is why Sidia Jatta and Halipha Sallah resisted; that is why Hamat Bah stood up in protest; that was why Lamin Waa Juwara resisted; and that is why today, Mai Fatty stands by my side today, fighting for our freedom and Development with Dignity; despite the persecutions we have all suffered.
It is true, that many people became disappointed and dissatisfied with Sir Dawda Jawara, after he remained in power for a very long time. Yet, whatever we think of him, Jawara maintained peace, human rights and the individual dignity of the citizens.
Yahya Jammeh justified his unlawful seizure of power because he said he wanted to end corruption and bad governance. Today, you are all witnesses to his very claims that he is rich beyond imagination. You see his lifestyle on a daily basis.
As civil servants struggle to find money for transport to go to work, Yahya Jammeh parades in a fleet of fancy vehicles and flies a private jet.
As farmers and labourers starve and struggle to get three square meals for their children; Yahya Jammeh pathetically throws crumbs to our children in the streets.
I remember the bright faces and hopeful eyes of the Gambian children at the birth of our nation. Forty four years on, the hope and glory is gone, Yahya Jammeh has made it his business to reduce our children to beggars, whilst he luxuriates in dubious wealth.
Fellow Gambians, enough is enough; go out on Thursday, 24th November 2011, and vote massively for me, Ousainou Numukunda Darboe and a UDP unity government. Let us do it for ourselves; let us do it for our children; let us do it for our honour and respect; let us do it for our country.
Today, grown men are compelled to behave like emasculated servants – whimpering, bowing and submitting to this tormentor, Yaya Jammeh, and his bullying agents. Today, our esteemed elders and religious leaders are compelled to behave like delirious sycophants – validating, encouraging and praising this tyrant, Yaya Jammeh, and his small clique of collaborators. As a nation of decent people, we have been disgraced, demeaned and demoralised. We are treated, spoken to and chastised as children. A wicked and contemptuous tyrant, with his small band of minions have subdued, subjugated and subverted the freedom and dignity of 1.7 million citizens. Enough is enough.
Fellow Gambians, ours is now a mature country. It is time for us to stop the denial; it is time for us to stop fooling ourselves; it is time for us to insist on values and honour. It is time for CHANGE! It is time for development with dignity. We the people; democracy is on our side; freedom is on our side; the Lord Allah, the Almighty, is on our side.
On Thursday, 24th November 2011; rise early and pray to your Lord, for peace, wisdom and honour. Go to your pooling station, to exercise your civic duty and seal your contract with destiny. Be calm, collected and steadfast, in the dignified manner of Gambian ladies and gentlemen. Enter the pooling booth, in the name of democratic freedom and development with dignity. You will be alone, just you; your conscience and God. In your hand, you have your voting card and your single marble. You have the future of your children and grandchildren in your hand; you have the destiny of our motherland in your hand. You may have attended Yahya Jammeh’s rallies because of peer and security pressure and the carnival atmosphere that he paid for. You may have stayed away from politics to avoid Yahya Jammeh’s vengeful attention. At this stage, you have to choose between right and wrong. No one is your judge except Allah.
Fellow Gambians, make your peace with Gambia and vote for what you know is right. Vote for a UDP unity government. Vote for a Darboe presidency. Vote for development with dignity.
In 1996, I stood up against Yahya Jammeh and his band of coup makers, because of their offensive, obnoxious and outrageous criminality. I warned you against the moral hazard of impunity and condoning misconduct. It is my duty as your presidential candidate, to remind you that it is not too late for us Gambian to redeem ourselves, for allowing Yahya Jammeh to suppress our people for 17 years. The shame of 17 years of Yahya Jammeh is on all our heads. This is the time to redeem ourselves and beg forgiveness for our condoning the venality and the viciousness he has brought to our country.
First, he overthrew an elected government; we did nothing, because we said, we were tired of Jawara;
Yahya Jammeh treats our country as his personal property. He abuses and demeans the office of president by running oligopolistic businesses, through opaque corporate structures.
For those Gambians who still fall for the fallacy of Jammeh’s development, I beg you to wake up to reality. A hospital without medicine is like a drinking vessel without water; a school without books is like a head without a brain; and a country without freedom is like a man without honour.
Fellow Gambians, today, I have returned to the KMC, having once again travelled the length and breadth of our country; meeting and talking with the good people of our land. My heart is filled with sorrow, pride and humility; I am sorry for the pain and suffering I saw in the eyes of old men. I am proud of the unwavering tenacity of Gambian women. I am humbled by the great responsibility the electorate places on the shoulders of politicians. I an encouraged by the determination they have shown in ushering in CHANGE on 24th November, 2011.
My mind races with the ideas and programmes that my government will undertake in its first 100 days; whilst I think of all the good and talented Gambians at home and abroad, who are ready and willing to join the unity government in its task of national reconstruction and reconciliation. Yet, I feel at peace with my country as I rededicate myself to the service of this country that I love so much. As I ask you for your vote and mandate, I also pray to Allah the almighty for guidance, wisdom and patience.
Fellow Gambians, I remind you once again to use your secret vote effect CHANGE. Go out on this appointed day of Thursday, 24th November 2011 and end the trap, the curse and the nightmare of the Yahya Jammeh’s government. Vote for a UDP unity government, vote for a Darboe presidency, vote for Gambia’s renaissance, make this Gambia’s AUTUMN REVOLUTION and vote for Development with Dignity.
I thank you for your kind attention.
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Comments
tell Darboe to stop drinking alcohol first, we don't want a bottle head to govern us
you are not denying that you are one, your behaviour proof that you are madingo, these are some of the things that mandigoes did wrong:
1. 40% of how mandigos are raised are simple based on bigotory, mandigos are nutured into tribalism.
2. Madingos are not creative or productive, they don't contribute nothing in Gambia but hatred
3. Madingos only want to work in the government to scavange the government wealth
4. Madingos don't encourage and support people, jealousy is what you know
And will continue to steer Gambia towards more Peace, Progress & Prosperity for the next 5 years.
How can you form a unity government when you cannot even form a united party? Darboe is a selfish person who is only interested in his personal welfare.This is the same reason why Halifa and Hamat refused to join him. The Gambia would be a total chaos if Darboe was elected (God forbid).
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