The coalition team that defeated the APRC government at the polls in December 2016 has met with President Adama Barrow and agreed to extend his mandate from 3 years, as earlier agreed, to five years.
The delegation, headed by former Vice President Fatoumatta Jallow-Tambajang led representatives from 5 political parties and one independent, for the Friday, September 27th talks at State House. All the parties that formed the 2016 coalition except UDP and PDOIS were present.
Speaking to the press after the meeting, Fatoumatta Jallow- Tambajang affirmed that coalition 2016 initially comprised eight opposition parties, two independent national assembly members and two civil society representatives.
She however described the last week meeting as a landmark. “We have come to see how best we will strengthen our institution to support our government,” she stated.
She noted that the coalition government is the advisory body on economic and political policy, that would help the system of governance desired.
On the decision to extend the mandate, Madam Jallow-Tambajang explained that it was on the basis of the incompletion of their reform agenda, which was adopted by the coalition at its formation, that they “decided to extend the President’s social responsibility from three to five years”.
The former vice president asserted that for the past two years they have been interacting with Gambians both at home and abroad, and have been listening to what have been saying, how they feel this government is moving and where they want our country to go. She added: “because the change was everybody’s responsibility and we stood up not only to change the system but also to look at the processes and change the system of governance. We will continue to build our foundation of democracy, respect of rule of law, human rights, gender equality and environment”.
She went on to remind that the national development plan and the agenda was adopted by coalition 2016 which include reform processes such as institutional and economic reforms, truth and reconciliation commission, land commission, judiciary, among others.
“We inherited 22 years of bad governance and a broken economy. We had to tabilise the economy and bring people together for us to have national cohesion”.
MrsTambajang, key coalition 2016 stakeholder, said that they have now agreed with the President Adama Barrow to establish a secretariat with a point of reference. She announced that they will conduct a national dialogue in which young people will very much feature since they form largest chunk of the population.
She added that as a coalition they will put in place a good system of communication, saying their communication has been weak. This she said would be done with the help of a consultant.
The ex-VP took the opportunity to advise the media, especially online, to think of how to rebuild the country and not how to break it. “Building it in terms of educating the masses, informing them what works and what does not work. If you think a system is not working; no system is perfect, write professionally to the Office of the President or Secretary General and express your ideas and give good recommendations. That helps for a better Gambia”.