Democracy at Work

The Daily Observer (Banjul)

1 April 2011

editorial

At long last the debate is over; the IEC has announced that the Presidential election will take place in November 24th 2011. The announcement by the IEC shows the level of democracy in this country and the commitment of the leadership to nurturing that democracy for the common good.

We also wish to commend the government for injecting over D65 million into the upcoming general voter registration. The Commission has already developed a voter education guideline and is planning to conduct a massive voter education across the country before the voter registration begins. All these realities combined indeed speak volumes about the commitment of the Gambia goverment to democracy and fulfilling the needs and aspirations of the Gambian people.

It is now 16 years since The Gambia came under a leadership that restored its’ pride by embarking on infrastructural developments, as well as engendering democratic and political reforms that permitted the resurrection of the country from its’ democratic grave. Almost on a constant basis, we have seen the revolutionary leadership either establishing new democratic institutions or strengthening the already paralysed ones. This clearly explains why the country is able to register great development achievements within just a short space of time.

Democracy is a means for the people to choose their leaders and to hold their leaders accountable for their policies and their conduct in office. The people decide who will represent them in parliament, and who will head the government at the national and local levels. They do so by choosing between competing parties in regular, free and fair elections; hence government is based on the consent of the governed.

A working democracy is therefore one in which the ability of the elected representatives to exercise decision-making power is subject to the rule of law, moderated by a constitution that emphasises the protection of the rights and freedoms of individuals, and which places constraints on the leaders, and on the extent to which the will of the majority can be exercised against the rights of minorities.

It is an undisputable fact that The Gambia’s democratisation process came on course under the dynamic leadership of President Jammeh. It was after the coming of President Jammeh that the country got for the first time in the annals of its’ history, a constitution that puts into consideration the culture and tradition of the people.

An Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) was also elected to administer elections on a free and fair basis. Today, the institution is conducting one of the most free, fair and transparent elections in the continent. And the three arms of our government are operating on the basis of separation of powers with the necessary checks and balance mechanisms. Citizens are given a choice as they retain political sovereignty and are informed of the actions of the status quo through the legislature.

As the country therefore braces up for another electoral cycle, keeping in view the costs involved in organising such electrons particularly for a developing country like the Gambia, the so called advocates of democracy should therefore come aboard to assist the IEC both financially and materially to be able to organise the most efficient election in the country.

Up to the time of going to press, the Daily Observer reliably gathered that so far the only funds at the disposal of the IEC to execute its functions is the money from the Gambia Government. If the so-called advocates of democracy are really interested in the implementation of what they preach, this is the time to aid country and help nurture its’ democracy and not make groundless arguments only when the show is over.

It is obvious that God does not ordain a democratic society; it is built by a people. The ambition of our dynamic president has always been to build a Gambia where people contribute to the advancement of humanity.

As the government continues to provide the enabling environment for the citizens, to serve as the ultimate guardians of their own freedom, and to forge their own path towards the recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of humanity; we as citizens should continue to cement our utmost loyalty to the state and the leadership that makes all these happen. If democracy is to work, we must not only participate and exercise our rights, but must also observe certain principles and rules of democratic conduct.

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