TEAM GAMBIA IS LATE, LATE DOING WHAT?

By Sheriff Janha

You keep saying Team Gambia is late.

But late doing what?

Late to publicly announce its objectives, vision and Blueprint?

Late to take the necessary time to consult all relevant stakeholders before forming the coalition?

Late to build a coalition strong enough to ensure that its eventual flagbearer cannot betray the coalition’s agenda once elected to power?

Late to ensure that the needs, aspirations and wishes of the Gambian people are captured BEFORE selecting or electing a flagbearer?

Late to give Gambians the opportunity to participate in the coalition-building process?

Late to make sure the mistakes and failures of the 2016 coalition are not repeated?

Late to establish the coalition’s agenda BEFORE getting consumed by the question of who will lead it?

Late to put the country before the individual?

Then tell us:

LATE IN WHAT?

Are you saying Team Gambia GRAND COALITION should have rushed into the competition simply to present itself to Gambians as the first coalition?

Should they have rushed into a room, negotiated positions and agreed on how to share power after winning, before agreeing on what they intend to do with that power?

Should they simply allow one individual to convince everyone to support him in exchange for positions, influence, power or privileges?

Is that what you mean by “late”?

Because if taking time to consult Gambians, develop a common agenda, establish a clear vision, build institutions and mechanisms for accountability and learn from the failures of 2016 is what you call late, then perhaps we need to ask a different question.

Late for the election or early enough to build something that can actually liberate the Gambian people from Self-perpetuating rulers, Deprivation and Poverty?

The Gambia does not need another arrangement to win an election.

The Gambia people need an agenda capable of transforming the country and ensure a life of libert, dignity and prosperity.

The Gambian people need a coalition where the Blueprint comes before the flagbearer.

Where the people come before the individual.

Where principles come before positions.

Where governance comes before power-sharing.

And where the individual eventually chosen to lead is bound by the agenda of the coalition not the coalition bound by wishes of the individual.

So, before telling Gambians that Team Gambia GRAND COALITION is late, tell us precisely,

Late to do what?

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