Special Coverage: 2011 Presidential Election...

Hamat: President Jammeh is Finish

Hamat Bah

(Mansa Banko ) - The independent presidential candidate in the presidential elections due Thursday said, Gambia’s military turned civilian president Yahya Jammeh is finish.  “I want Jammeh to know that his years are gone and time have come for the United Front to rule this country for five years,” Bah, who has the backing of the alliance of four opposition parties called United Front told a rally in Brikama, the administrative centre of West Coast region of The Gambia.

The outspoken politician who led his party, opposition-NRP in the 1996 and 2006 presidential races decried executive interference in the country’s judiciary under the Jammeh administration.

“Judges have been sacked with no reason being advanced for their sackings. People are missing without trace. Many have been forced into exile and others detained without trial,” Hamat told cheering supporters amid chanting of slogan “all must live.”

He also lamented the poor prison conditions, pledging to release all political prisoners jailed by the Jammeh administration.

The out-spoken politician said signs for the end of Jammeh’s rule have surfaced. “This is Yahya Jammeh’s last run for presidency. Gambian people are bothered and are living in distress for the past 17 years.”

“The APRC government has betrayed Gambian people. This is evident by the rising poverty coupled with poor governance system entrenched by the APRC administration.”

The independent candidate was overwhelmingly elected this month by representatives of four opposition political parties: PDOI), NRP, GPDP,and NADD at Laico, Atlantic hotel, Banjul.

Henry Gomez, is the leader and founder of GPDP, one of the opposition parties in the alliance.

He said, the United Front, if voted into office, will ensure the participation of every Gambian in national development, arrest the alarming rate of poverty that reduced Gambians to hypocrites and beggars.

Gomez also spoke at length on themass arrests of citizens and detention without trial stressing that the United Front government will salvage Gambians from slavery that they are subjectedto for the past 17 year rule of Jammeh.

A revered politician cum sociologist,Halifa Sallah of PDOIS party, told party militants that the United Frontenvisages a better Gambia whereall citizens have equal share in the government.He also spoke on the skyrocketing of basic commodities.

The relevance of elections, Sallah said, is to entrust the affairs of the nation to a person to administer it for five years while advising the electorate to be wise enough in casting their votes for that one candidate.

Sallah blamed the Jammeh’s administration for abdicating its responsibility to providing jobs for the youth who he said, out of desperation, risks their lives for better life through dangerous sea journey to Europe.

 

Halifa:‘United Front Will Assuage Poverty’

Halifa Sallah

(Mansa Banko ) -The secretary general of opposition PDOIS, Mr Halifa Sallah assured party supporters that United Front will alleviate poverty and attain food self-sufficiency for all Gambians, if voted into office come November 24 presidential polls.

Mr Sallah made this remark at a well attended mass political rally graced by supporters and sympathisers in the town of Bakau.

He pointed out that the high indebtedness of the country, which he claimed is due to the high amount of loans taken by the Jammeh administration.

According to him, a United Front government would restore democracy, fix the economy, create jobs for the youth and address societal ills the APRC regime could not handle.

 

In yet another decisive statement, Sallah said under a United Front government, no president will have the national power to arbitrarily dismiss civil servants, judges, magistrates, and national Assembly Members. He also pledged the coming into being of proportional representation in the National Assembly.

For Hamat Bah, the leader of opposition United Front, the people of Bakau are known for their struggle for freedom and justice. This he said was manifested by their positive stance in denouncing a regime that is bent on entrenching one party state and patron-client relationship.

Mr. Bah pledged that if elected, he would revive Bakau, bring more projects and industries to create job opportunities for youth as well as boost the socio-economic development of the country. He reiterated that United Front government in-waiting will restore the once vibrant fishing industry in Bakau.

“Lack of job opportunities in the country has led to rapid poverty. We have many young people graduating from GTTI, MDI and the University of The Gambia but are unable to grab any form of employment,” Bah said. 

 

Henry: Give Your Votes to Hamat

Henry Gomez

(Mansa Banko ) - The leader and founder of opposition GPDP, Mr Henry Gomez urged Gambians to vote independent presidential candidate, Hamat Bah into office in the Nov24 presidential polls.

Henry, whose party coalesced into a united opposition of four parties that back Hamat Bah’s candidature said, Mr Bah was selected by the whole country to lead the United Front.

He explained that at the end of the first term, the coalition will split and each party will be on its own and campaign for the next presidential election, but no party will serve more than two terms.

According to Gomez, due to overstay in power by many African leaders, Africa is today suffering from all forms of problems.

“The United Front is non ethnic or religious, and its membership encompasses all Gambians,” Gomez said.

He urged Gambians to give their votes to Hamat Bah to effect a change, noting that Gambians are desperate and starving.

“Majority of Gambians households cannot afford three square meals. They are living in abject poverty and there are no drugs in the health centres,” he said.