Barely two years ago, I wrote to you publicly giving you an unsolicited advice to step down after 3 years. I reminded you how dangerous your decisions could be should you failed to honor your promise to hand over power after 3 years. Needless to say, my advice fell on deaf ears. I implored you to leave The Gambian people before The Gambian people leave you. My efforts went in futile.
You and your “wailers” are once again plotting to launch a political party to extend your mandate to a second term, and even a possible third term. Mr. President, my reasons for asking you to do what is right are not motivated by personal interests or sentiments, and surely not to score political points against your person or to minimize your efforts as the president.
As a concern citizen, I’m want to contribute in the efforts to rescue the soul of our nation. When presidents lie or change their minds for the wrong reasons, people suffer and at times, even die. This type of attitude leads to instability, or even worse, can lead to atrocities.
Our independence first lost her innocence in 1981. We spilled the blood of our fellow countrymen and women in the name of country. We all prayed to the God of nations for forgiveness and pledged to never allowed such barbarism to happen again. Then comes 1994, our military completely betrayed our independence. Everything our political liberators worked for got taken away from us. Our independence was hijacked. Our identity as Gambians got lost. Our religions and diverse cultures adulterated and became political tools. Our childhood dreams turned into nightmares. Glory was removed from our farming tools and transferred upon bayonets and bullets. In the shadows of darkness, a brutal regime was creating fatherless children and windows, making that our new norm. Our national flag forever stained with the blood of innocent country men and women. And the promise land, that was once very promising was no-longer looking so promising.
We all fought together, some died and many others tortured and imprisoned. Some fought harder than others, nonetheless we all fought and sacrificed to regain our lost glory.
Mr President, in your drive to fulfilled your personal ambitions, you are slowly surrendering our democracy back into the same hands who denied us our human dignity and freedom for 22 years.
Mr. President, we have a nation to build and you are the architect sitting at the helm of our new democracy. A new nation that is slowly losing its purity once again. But Mr. President, I have not given up hope on you and I’ll not give up on you, because we cannot afford to give up on you. Especially not now when we are at crossroads facing the hard choice of doing what is right against what is convenient. Mr. President, it is never too late to do the right thing. Time is always right to do the right thing. And the right thing to do your excellency, is to go against the wrong advice you are receiving from your “wailers”.
Do not launch your individual political party, at least while you are still serving your mandate as a transitional president. I write to you as a comrade in the spirit of nationhood. Served your one term with pride and dignity and retire from partisan politics, sir.
Eid Mubarak, May Allah protect you and your family, and may Allah blessed The Gambia.
Affably Yours
Saikou Speaks
Barrow Porg
State House of The Gambia
The Fatu Network
KERR FATOU
The Chronicle
GunjurOnline
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