Background
His rise to power in this tiny West African State of the Gambia was nothing but an accident in history that no historian or political scientist seem to be able to explain or fit into a political narrative. He had the greatest opportunity of a life time as one of the youngest leaders ever to take the leadership of a small peaceful nation with great potentials in human capacity to build a model society and Democratic multiparty system. When he forced himself into the Presidency just as military rule was becoming extinct in Africa, he claimed to be a “soldier with a difference”, that staying in “power for 10 years was too long” that he wasn’t a “politician” and was out to correct a wrong and “will never introduce dictatorship in Gambia”. Many people were fixated on the screens watching this 29 years young man robbed his people off 30 years of political loyalty to the nation’s founding fathers.
Many thought history was repeating itself by bringing in another unique young African soldier Africa was robbed off little less than a decade earlier in the name of Thomas Sankara – a real soldier with a difference. But as young Sankara once said “A soldier without political education is a virtual criminal”. It turned Jammeh did not have any political education, moral military discipline, social upbringing or educational foundation to replicate what Africa was robbed off in Burkina Faso. He was simply a low IQ soldier who happened to be at the right place at the right time to take over power. He still had the opportunity to learn, grow and follow through on his promises that still echoes so clearly in the ears of the Gambian people.
But no, it turns out Gambians were doped into the biggest political scam history has ever recorded. One of their own who seems to have no social connection, no emotional connection and who cannot even relate to their political, economic and social conditions much less those of the global community which has become so interwoven at every level was now in charge. Gambia as a nation and its people was much loved around the world and every nation large or small wanted to build diplomatic friendship with this tiny West African nation on the path to becoming champion of Democracy and Human Rights. Not because of its mineral resources, gold or Diamond sediments or untapped oil reserves, but simply because of the beauty of its people, their peacefulness and love for Human rights and dignity. Gambia was a promise land that only needed subsequent successful political transitions to strengthen its democratic, social and economic institutions to become the symbol of hope and regional center for peace and security.
These were realistic attainable goals that were within the reach of the Gambian nation essentially on the same path with other West African nations such as Ghana and Senegal who are living examples of those promises. As in Chinua Achebe’s story of “Things fall apart” someone invaded the political scenes of the Gambia and try to be different and Mr. Tough. It did not take long before the true colors of Yahya Jammeh began to spew out everywhere. His lack of experience, political education and unwillingness to learn got worse the older he remained in office. 20 years later Yahya Jammeh successfully branded himself as a clueless leader still buried in the ancient empire mentality. He doesn’t trust anyone and as a result he thinks no one trust him either. He has diplomatically broken all relationships Gambia has enjoyed with International partners, such as Taiwan; the Commonwealth, the European Union, his neighbor Senegal, ECOWAS and even the United States.
Worst Jammeh and his government has now established himself as the most untrustworthy leader at the United Nations after he failed a UN Periodic review last month and consequently he nailed the coffin by denying UN rapporteurs to Gambia access to prison conditions. That was the last blow for a President who cannot maintain his own staff much less a robust global scrutiny. Because of Jammeh’s incompetence and inability to adjust to modern day leader ship theories and tactics he has put Gambia on the same path with North Korean one of the most associated nation in the world. While Gambia continue to house diplomatic embassies, it is almost certain that he is setting the Gambian people to an unprecedented isolation they have never experience. The outcome of his arrogance and alienation of other nations especially Western nations who are his biggest donors to development project, the Gambian people are going to continue to suffer while he enjoys whatever he is able to squeeze from the people.
Yahya Jammeh’s diplomatic blunder and Rhetoric on matters of less significance to the lives of the ordinary Gambian has created an enormous opportunity for his political opponents to seize on this moment and finish up the job. There are absolutely no international rights groups who are not working to expose all the human rights violations of the Jammeh regime. Most of the major sponsors of development projects, technical and military support to the country are all holding back to see how Jammeh is going to move forward. The withholding of these grants and loans to the country will no doubt cripple the regime.
It is a fluke for Jammeh to turn to the Arab nations for consistent funding. It is well-known that Arab nations have their own problems and have little or no respect for African leaders. Therefore, Yahya Jammeh’s government is facing economic and leadership collapse and with the strong push by rights groups and political dissidents to impose targeted sanctions on Jammeh and his closest aids, he is going to have a nightmare. What is left now is for Gambia’s opposition leadership to join the diplomatic crusade and push for the final kill on this regime. Leaders of opposition parties as well as Diaspora groups must actively engage rights groups, the US government, the European Union, the ECOWAS, the AU and the United Nations and make a strong push for political reform in Gambia. Sooner rather than later Jammeh will be so distraught, his government so chaotic that he will have no option but to either yield to political pressure or fall the same way he rose to power. The ball is now in the hands of Gambians to make the final push for change. The recipe for political change cannot be more visible.
By Demba Baldeh