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Opinion | Feeble Opposition In The Gambia - A Time For Strategic Change In Modus Operandi

FEEBLE OPPOSITION IN THE GAMBIA -

TIME FOR A STRATEGIC CHANGE IN MODUS OPERANDI.


To be candid, political opposition in the Gambia seem to lack strategic direction in the way they conduct their functions.


An opposition is a potential government in waiting therefore must mimic the appendages and portfolios of a government. Even though we have a shadow of coalition government, in all but name, UDP, the main opposition must have shadow ministers who will be the spokesperson for each ministry.


He or she will take on his opposite minister in the government and provide alternative perspectives on issues concerning that ministry or department. This will give our people the opportunity to hear and understand contending but more informed view on pertinent issues. He or she will challenge the government on decisions it takes, which does not seem to benefit the nation. Challenge mediocre and bad governance in the ministry he or she is assigned to lead if power changes.


Right now the manner the opposition operate have little or no strategic direction, opposition responses to government actions is hardly constructive and many a time it is the principal opposition spokesman who responds to random issues in somewhat haphazard fashion.


Opposition parties need to take their function seriously and take their vital position as rival to the existing government.

The leaders of the opposition parties must be vocal and seem to have a good understanding on political, economics and administrative issues. They must be visible and media savvy to expose government mediocracy and bad governance.


What we see now, is the old system of politicking where the opposition leaders are more active at political meetings and rallies where they talk about everything but really nothing that has significant impact on the governance of our nation.


Being in opposition is more than organizing fund raising, digging wells and going to funerals but an encompassing commitment to provide an alternative strategy on the way the country is run.


The main opposition UDP should restructure its internal governance and delivery system. It must start to allocate shadow ministry portfolios to effectively take on this clueless and vindictive government. We need a shadow minister of:


1. Finance

2.Trade

3. Interior

4. Agriculture

4. Water Resources

5. Education

5. Local Government

6. Health

7. Petroleum, etc, etc.


In doing so the shadow minister will gain an insight into how the ministries work and will try to educate him or herself about governance structure and workings of his or her shadow ministry.


The leader of the opposition will take on the president and challenge the effectiveness of his decisions and point out where weakness excess. In doing so he will provide alternative perspective on issues.


The firefighting manner of opposition delivery has not been effective and this clueless government does not fear the consequences of its decisions because there is very little challenge from the opposition. We can't go on like this, it is putting our country into a irreversible fall.


Lamin Darboe

Leicester, United Kingdom

Lamin Darboe, Leicester, UK

Editors Note:

Views expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of Gunjur Online. Got an opinion article? send it to us at GunjurNewsOnline@gmail.com



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