SURPRISE  SURPRISE!!!

Last Monday Veronica Mendy took the whole of the Daily Observer by surprise. The 20th of April happens to be her birthday anniversary. But she wouldn’t tell anybody until when she had decorated the dinning corner of the Daily Observer, upstairs, with goodies. When the editorial room was briefly interrupted, it was party time.

If you have been frequenting www.observer.gm, then you have been seeing the work of Veronica Mendy, as she is the able Daily Observer website Mistress. She is a graduate in CISCO Networking from the Management Development Institute (MDI), A+ and Advance Diploma in web design, at ITS. She briefly passed through Quantum Associates.

Why did she choose to celebrate her birthday at the Daily Observer?

Actually, Monday was not 20th, it was 21st, she only wanted to celebrate with,"my co-workers, so that I will share the joy with them. I feel happy whenever I am around them, so I decided to catch a little fun, because they’ve been so wonderful," She said.

Which age was she celebrating?

She wouldn’t disclose it, but be rest assured that she is pretty young.

Final word

She also said, ''A big thanks to the whole department, from the MD down to the cleaners, for the nice song that has been sang, I am happy that everybody has eaten and everybody was happy''.

HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY TO ODETTE VERONICA MENDY

FROM DAILY OBSERVER STAFF

Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg told heads of government of the 14-member Southern African Development Community (SADC), meeting in Mauritius, that “this situation should not be allowed to continue”.

Louis Michel, EU commissioner for development and humanitarian aid, called on SADC to find a solution to the Zimbabwean government’s refusal to accept the initial results of the 29 March elections, in which the opposition won control of parliament, and according to provisional vote returns, President Robert Mugabe also lost his job.

"The dramatic effects [of the crisis] will mainly hit the population of Zimbabwe but they will also hit the whole region," Michel said at the Mauritius gathering, billed as a ‘Development and Poverty’ summit. "I understand that this is not very easy to do … but this is an issue which is important for [SADC's] credibility."

The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) on Saturday began a recount of ballots in 23 out of 210 constituencies, which could overturn the opposition’s parliamentary majority. The main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), said the ballot boxes were being stuffed and it would not accept the recount.

The result of the presidential poll has yet to be released, three weeks after voting centres closed. It is expected that ZEC will order a runoff between Mugabe and MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai, despite a growing climate of fear, in which opposition supporters are reportedly being persecuted by the security forces and militants of Mugabe’s ZANU-PF party.

Zimbabwe was discussed at an extraordinary SADC summit in Zambia on 13 April. Then the region’s leaders called on ZEC to verify and release “expeditiously” the poll results “in compliance with the rule of law” and SADC’s electoral guidelines. Michel said he had been told by heads of government in Mauritius that no further statement would be made before the end of the vote recount.

Zimbabwe slammed

SADC officials on Sunday repeated that Zimbabwe was not up for discussion; they said the gathering was preoccupied with poverty and development issues, especially in the face of rocketing global food prices.

But Stoltenberg used his address to the summit to slam the Zimbabwean leadership. "The lack of results from the elections casts serious doubt about the willingness of the government to respect the voice of the people," he told heads of government. "The economic and humanitarian crisis in Zimbabwe, seriously affects the country, its people and the whole region."

Simbarashe Mumbengegwi, Zimbabwe's foreign minister, leading his country's delegation, rejected the criticism. "The vote counting is going fine," he told IRIN at the sidelines of the conference. "We will announce the results as soon we finish the count."

He later told reporters: "[The Norwegian Prime Minister] is clearly ill-informed. He is ignorant. Totally ignorant … Zimbabwe is a democracy."

On Sunday the 53-member African Union urged Zimbabwe to release the election results "without any further delay", and called for restraint from all parties.

The man was reportedly beaten to death in Hurungwe district, in Mashonaland West Province: unconfirmed accounts said another MDC supporter was killed in Mudzi distict in Mashonaland East Province. Both northern provinces have in the past overwhelmingly voted for ZANU-PF, but in the 29 March election the MDC picked up seats and local government wards.

A spokesperson for an organisation working with political violence victims told IRIN: "We can confirm that one MDC supporter was beaten to death by ZANU-PF supporters, youths and war veterans over the weekend in Hurungwe. The brother to the victim of violence is currently detained in a hospital with severe injuries. We are still making a follow up to confirm reports that there was another murder in Mudzi."

Acts of political retribution have reportedly increased in rural areas that were formerly seen as ZANU-PF strongholds, where the MDC scored startling successes in last month's poll.

"More than 200 families have had their homes burnt down and chased away. Many are reported to be living in the forests and nearby mountains while trying to make their way to urban areas, especially Harare [the capital]. Those who have been targeted are those who were election or polling agents for the MDC or known supporters," said the human rights defender, who asked not to be named.

Teachers who worked as polling officers are some of those who have been targeted, according to the secretary general of the Progressive Teachers' Union of Zimbabwe (PTUZ), Raymond Majongwe, told IRIN.

"Teachers who worked as polling or presiding officers are being accused of rigging the elections in favour of MDC. Teachers have been abducted and tortured to alter election results," Majongwe alleged.

Bednock Nyahude, the MDC winning candidate in the parliamentary elections for a constituency in Mashonaland Central, another former ZANU-PF stronghold, claimed he had been threatened by ruling party militants.

"ZANU-PF supporters have been threatening me and my supporters with physical assault. They have threatened to kidnap my children on their way from school," he reportedly said.

According to the official vote count, ZANU-PF has lost its majority in parliament for the first time since independence in 1980, but it has called for a recount in 23 constituencies where it claims its candidates were cheated. The presidential results are yet to be released, two weeks after the ballot. If it is determined that incumbent President Robert Mugabe or MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai failed to win over 50 percent of the vote, a  second round run-off will be called.

Military maneovers

Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions secretary general, Wellington Chibebe, told IRIN that the deployment of the military, war veterans and ZANU-PF militia was in line with statements made by senior military commanders who said they would not recognise any elected government except one led by ZANU-PF and Mugabe.

"What is happening is clear proof that the military meant what it said, but what is undeniable is that ZANU-PF has been beaten in the just ended elections and that it is now an opposition party. Mugabe lost the elections otherwise why is he traumatising innocent Zimbabweans?"

While the police confirmed there were "isolated" cases of violence, the chairperson of the Zimbabwe National War Veterans Association, Jabulani Sibanda, told IRIN that his members were not responsible for the attacks. "No genuine war veteran would go out and commit acts of violence. We are a disciplined force."

Ratidzo Moyo, a teacher in Mudzi, said she had witnessed the political unrest in the district before she fled. "I saw many villagers, especially MDC supporters and teachers, being beaten up by armed men and ZANU-PF supporters. I only carried a few clothes and came to Harare. I am afraid if I continue to stay there, I could be a victim of political violence."

For now she is staying with her sister in the high density suburb of Glen View in Harare. Although heavily armed soldiers and police patrol the township, she feels safer among urban residents.

"The situation is turning increasingly violent and this worries us, as well as the electorate," Rangu Nyamurungira, projects manager for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), told IRIN.

Zimbabwe held combined presidential and parliamentary elections on 29 March, which saw opposition party's win control of parliament from ZANU-PF for the first time since the country won its independence from Britain in 1980.

The opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, has claimed its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai won the presidential vote by the required 50 percent plus one vote, that if accurate, would negate the need for a run-off presidential ballot. However, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), whose executive is appointed by Mugabe, has yet to release the results.

ZANU-PF, which has ruled Zimbabwe since independence, has said there was no clear presidential winner and wants a recount in at least 21 constituencies where it says the party was prejudiced by ‘fraudulent’ counting. Seven ZEC officials have reportedly been arrested.

The recently amended Electoral Act does not provide a deadline for when election results should be announced, but the MDc has resorted to the courts to try and force the ZEC to release the results of the presidential ballot. The presiding judge has postponed judgment until 14 April.

"There is pervading fear that the delay in announcing the presidential results could be because the votes are being tampered with and we don’t believe ZEC when it says it is still verifying the results. The electorate has the democratic right to be informed about the results and the longer it takes, the greater the tension," Nyamurungira said.

Fear of a violent run-off

David Chimhini, the director of the Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET), said there was "an ominous potential of the political situation getting out of hand" should a run-off ballot be held, which is likely to pit Mugabe against Tsvangirai.

Chimhini, who won the Mutasa North parliamentary seat for the MDC in rural Manicaland province, said ZANU-PF youth militia and war veterans were gathering in his constituency.

"The militia... are re-assembling and holding frequent meetings with war veterans. This is getting people in my area really scared, they are well known for violence," he said. "They refer to a re-run as the beginning of another war."

Nyamurungira said human rights lawyers were receiving reports from across the country of MDC supporters being "tortured by loyalists of ZANU-PF and state agents who want to maintain the political status quo."

Chimhini said despite a heavy police presence in both rural and urban areas, authorities might be overwhelmed should tensions reach boiling point.

"It seems he [Mugabe] can’t come to terms with the fact that he can be defeated, and that is extremely dangerous. We might be going back to the [year] 2000 scenario where... he unleashed soldiers on the people and invaded farms, leading to hundreds of deaths," Chimhini said.

Intimidating the opposition

Takura Muzhingi, an MDC activist in former ZANU-PF stronghold Mhondoro district in Mashonaland West province, told IRIN he fled after a soldier accompanied by youths loyal to Mugabe visited him at his parents home. "They told me that my days were numbered since I had openly campaigned for Tsvangirai."

"They said they had a full list of all the people in Mhondoro who were known MDC supporters and come campaign time for the re-run of the presidential election, they would make mince meat of us," he said.

According to Muzhingi the soldier had paid regular visits to the local headman "telling villagers that when the re-run takes place, each village head will have to lead his people to the polling station and remind them who to vote for."

Muzhingi has sought refuge with his brother’s family in Chitungwiza, a small town 30km south of the capital Harare, and was arrested by riot police for being on the streets after midnight.

"Even though they did not beat us up, I still live with the fear and won’t venture out after dusk anymore. I hope that the situation will not degenerate into total chaos that would give the government the excuse to declare a state of emergency," Muzhingi said.

The government has not officially declared a curfew.

Targeting farms

In 2000, after Mugabe lost a referendum on a new constitution - the first time ZANU-PF had lost any vote - veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation war led the often violent farm evictions following the government's controversial land redistribution programme. Around 4,000 commercial white farmers were forcibly removed to make way for landless blacks.

At an 8 April press briefing, Tendai Biti, the MDC secretary general, called on the 14-member state regional body, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), to act so as to avoid "dead bodies on the streets of Harare [the capital]".

South African President Thabo Mbeki was appointed mediator last year by SADC in talks between ZANU-PF and MDC to agree the conditions for free and fair polls in Zimbabwe.

"There's been massive violence inside our country since March 29 2008...MDC people are being beaten up ... farms with remaining pockets of white people are being invaded. Farms with known MDC supporters are being invaded.

"Militias are being re-armed, ZANU-PF supporters are being rearmed. There has been a complete militarisation of Zimbabwean society since March 29 2008," Biti said.

Zanu-PF, the party of the incumbent Robert Mugabe has said that there should be a recount of the presidential election results to check for possible "errors and miscalculations." Zimbabwe's main opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC), questioned the legality of these actions. They said that recounts are only legal after the original set of results are made available.

The MDC released premature election results last Sunday, which claimed a large victory for their presidential candidate Morgan Tsvangirai against Robert Mugabe.

MDC leaders said that the unofficial tally, based on one-third of the election returns, shows Tsvangirai with 67% of the vote. The 'results' were posted on the doors of polling stations, and then sent to party officials by text messaging. MDC Secretary General Tendai Biti said, "Barring a miracle, Mugabe can't win."

Who is behind the presidential bid of Simba Makoni remains a mystery, but the campaign of Zimbabwe's former finance minister says it has been able to field candidates in most constituencies for the general elections next month.

Although the overstretched Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC) is still computing the final list of candidates in the four separate polls to be run on 29 March, the Makoni camp claims it has managed to field candidates or strike alliances in all the 210 parliamentary constituencies and for 60 senatorial seats.

By contrast, the ruling ZANU-PF party's campaign has been dogged by trouble. There have been reports of candidates being imposed on some constituencies, of individuals openly defying the party and registering themselves, and of ZANU-PF members defecting to join up under Makoni's independent banner. Several cabinet ministers and MPs were turfed out in the party primaries, an indication of the level of disgruntlement.

In the past few weeks, ZANU-PF provincial party chairmen have been appearing on television to publicly distance themselves from Makoni, 57. They have included the leaders of Manicaland Province, in the east, where Makoni hails from, and Mashonaland East Province, in the northeast, the stronghold of political baron Gen Solomon Mujuru, who is widely tipped to support Makoni's political strategy.

"What has happened is absolutely disgraceful," President Robert Mugabe said on 21 February in a live broadcast, during which he lashed out at the man once considered his protégé. "So I have compared [Makoni] to a prostitute; a prostitute could have stood up and claimed she had many men in MDC [the opposition Movement for Democratic Change] and others in ZANU-PF."

Makoni was one of the youngest ministers in Mugabe's first post-independence government in 1980, before quitting a few years later. After the shock of ZANU-PF's near defeat by the MDC in 2000 he was part of a group of technocrats drafted in to help re-energise the government, but fell out with Mugabe over economic policy and resigned in 2002.

Although acknowledging support from within ZANU-PF, Makoni has insisted he was not a stalking horse for any political interests. "I'm nobody's man, I'm real; I'm Simba Makoni, I cannot be used by anybody," he said in a press conference last week.

Makoni's entrance in the race is likely to hurt the MDC - the official opposition that has been split into two feuding factions since 2005. Philip Moyo, a resident of the capital, Harare, told IRIN he had voted for the labour-backed MDC ever since it emerged to take on ZANU-PF in 2000.

"But as time moved on, unease and uncertainty began to creep in ... When their attempts to reunite were dashed after the two factions fought over how to share 'safe' constituencies, I gave up on politics until the emergence of Makoni. The opposition has been taking the people of Zimbabwe for granted for close to 10 years now, and the appearance of Makoni is like a fresh breath of air."

ZEC officials told IRIN that after Makoni announced he was standing against Mugabe, there was a 10-fold increase in newly registered voters. The winner of the 29 March ballot needs over 50 percent of the vote to avoid a second round run-off with his closest rival.

New energy

Makoni's bid has been endorsed by the smaller of the two MDC factions, led by Arthur Mutambara. "Makoni has put national interests ahead of personal ambition, unlike some pretenders in the political arena. That is why some of us are prepared to put on hold our presidential ambitions to support the national cause," Mutambara told IRIN.

Makoni's emergence has been dubbed the 'Third Way' scenario - an alliance between reformists in ZANU-PF and MDC designed to pull Zimbabwe out of its deep political and economic crises, in which inflation has hit over 100,000 percent and only two people in 10 can find work.

Publisher Trevor Ncube was one of the first to expound on the idea. Writing in one of his publications last week, Ncube said: "The Third Way to me is a way of thinking that rejects the mediocrity offered by the MDC ... My thinking was, and still is, that under ZANU-PF our society has collapsed and we need a new beginning that rejects ZANU-PF corruption, oppression, arrogance and mismanagement, and offers Zimbabweans an opportunity to dream again."
 
Ncube went on to endorse Makoni, saying: "The choice between the MDC and ZANU-PF under the current circumstances is no choice at all. Makoni's decision to stand as a presidential candidate in the elections at the end of March is a huge personal sacrifice that now must be supported by all Zimbabweans who desire peaceful change."

But ZANU-PF's liberation war veterans, who led the campaign to have Mugabe endorsed as the party's candidate, say they still stand by the veteran president, who turns 84 this week.

Jabulani Sibanda, chairman of the group, said despite reports that some of his members had abandoned the association, they still supported Mugabe. "I think the so-called war veterans who have joined Makoni are the ones who were in the MDC. We still stand by our president in the face of sell-outs and counter revolutionaries, whose plans we were aware of all along."

Information minister Sikhanyiso Ndlovu also threw his weight behind Mugabe. "The people forming alliances are people driven by political immaturity and not ideological cohesion; they are reacting to the hardships that we have experienced. But of course, that is their democratic right."

Following the ruling APRC party’s resounding victory in the just concluded local government elections, the councillor elect for Kaur Ward Mr. Mamat Mbye, the campaign committee under the leadership of Mr Momodou Dodou Jarjusey, Chief and National Assembly Member, lower Saloum and the Divisional women mobiliser have commended President Jammeh for the support rendered to them during the campaign period.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Point Mr Mbye extended his gratitude to the entire electorate of Kaur Ward and all well wishers in Lower Saloum, the Government of Central River Region Ganjie Touray, Chief of Lower Saloum Ali Touray and Hon. Kebba Touray of lower saloum district for their unflinching support during the campaign period.

Mr Mbye also thanked Garage Kaur car parts, Alhagie Janneh and Mr Baboucarr Loum of Farafenni customs, Mrs Ndey Njie former National Assembly for Lower Saloum and Mrs Agie Yatteh Faye, Divisional women mobiliser.

“I wish to extend my heartfelt gratitude to Cherno Touray Gambian Ambassador to Guinea Bissau, Alhagie Sainey Mbye manager saloum security firm, the Upper Saloum campaign committee Omar Touray, Gambia Ports Authority Mamat Jobe, Soma Customs Ndogal Ceesay, Abdoulie Boye and all the green boys and girls of Lower Saloum,” Mr Mbye added.

He further went on to thank the campaign team of Ballanghar, the Alkalo’s and Yai compins and all youth leaders in Kaur Alhagie Baboucarr Noha, Jimbala village Mrs Amie Faye women Bureau and Councillor Lower Saloum and the entire campaign committee of Upper Saloum under the leadership of Chief Malick Mbye and Hon. Sainey Mbye desk officer Central River Region for their support. 

The Desk Officer for North Bank Region (NBR), Hon. Alhaji Ablie Suku Singhateh, has expressed strong words of gratitude to the electorate in North Bank for showing unalloyed support to and solidarity with the APRC party in the just concluded local government elections.

Hon. Singhateh also paid a glowing tribute to the Head of State, also the Secretary General and leader of the APRC party, Alhaji Dr. Yahya Jammeh, for creating and nurturing a conducive atmosphere for accomplishment of numerous major projects in his region. This, he added, has clearly served as a catalyst for the ruling party’s admirable electoral victory in the recently held local government polls.

Speaking to this paper at the National Assembly offices on Independence Drive in Banjul, the APRC NBR desk officer said: “ Though we have seen some electoral defeats in some wards like Illiasa, Saba and Sabach Sanjal but cumulatively, we are far ahead of our opponents. The margin is in thousands. All this is made possible due to the stainless credentials of the APRC party and its leadership. The President and the party’s advancing development pace have already blazed the campaign trail for us, hence the APRC’s convincing victory.  We sincerely thank the President because it’s thanks to his sterling efforts that we were able to maintain a firm ground. It made it very easy for us to convince the masses.”

To Hon. Singhateh, who is also a member of the Abuja-based ECOWAS Parliament, the people of North Bank Region will never betray the leader because he has a concern for them.

“When people in North Bank take stock of the APRC dispensation, they easily and quickly come round to the facts that it is the APRC that brought them electricity, potable water, built them a referral hospital in Farafenni, the Kerewan bridge, schools, health installations among many other good things of life,” said he.

He finally thanked the people of North Bank Region for peacefully conducting themselves before and after the elections.

Hon. Ousman Bah of Sabach Sanjal constituency and Tapha Saidy, Divisional Youth mobiliser, re-echoed similar sentiments.

Tapha Saidy thanked the divisional desk officer for his ‘immense’ financial and moral support.  
 

At times it feels like the United States is very far away. But of course the reality is that what goes on there politically will have ramifications for the whole world. We are gaining great insight into the race for the party nominations ahead of November’s presidential election from The Point’s man on the ground Alhagie Mbye and it is important that we all take careful note of the reports he sends back.
 
America is the world’s sole remaining superpower and the approach of its President to foreign policy issues has implications for the entire world.

With this in mind let us examine the attitudes of those still in the race to gain their party’s nomination as candidate.

John McCain is the Republican front runner at the moment and has been very clear and direct with regard to his position on Iraq. He has supported George W. Bush policies on Iraq, including the surge of troops in 2007. He says there are not enough troops on the ground to achieve the long-term successes of clearing insurgency strongholds, training Iraqi forces and rebuilding. This support for the continued occupation of Iraq is common to the other main contenders for the Republican nomination.

Mitt Romney opposes troop withdrawal. He also supported the President’s plan for additional troops in Iraq. Mike Huckabee has said on the issue, “Setting a timetable for withdrawal is a mistake that would result in strategic and humanitarian consequences.” He also opposes proposals to cut funding to the war. He calls Iraq a battle in the “generational, ideological war on terror.”

This shows very clearly that if a Republican candidate succeeds in their bid to get to the White House we will see at least a continuation of US foreign policy in Iraq.

On the Democratic side the views of the two front runners for the nomination are quite different.
 
Hillary Clinton voted for the use of military force in Iraq, but after learning about the lack of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction she said she would have voted differently. She opposed the Bush plan to increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq but has conceded that in some places the troop surge is working. She continues to say the occupation should be ended.

Her main rival for the Democratic candidacy Barack Obama opposed the use of military force in Iraq. He voted for a war spending bill that would have withdrawn most U.S. troops by March 2008. He supports the phased redeployment of U.S. troops and opposed George Bush’s plan to send additional troops to Iraq.
 
It is clear from these positions that the United States position in the world would be quite different under a Democratic President. If the troops were withdrawn from Iraq the act could be used as a launching pad to rebuild trust in American power around the world. The withdrawal would almost certainly be seen as a very positive step in the Middle East and might help rebuild the States tattered reputation there.

Of course a very serious concern to many all over the world is the American position on Iran. Tensions are running high and it’s hoped that a non-military solution to the standoff might be found. The hawks who currently occupy the White House have been very aggressive in their position. Almost, it seems, to the point of making the crisis very much worse.

John McCain believes a nuclear-armed Iran is an “unacceptable risk” to regional and global stability. Mitt Romney supports tighter sanctions, the isolation of Iran diplomatically and would do everything to stop Iran getting nuclear arms. He is keeping the military option on the table. Mike Huckabee says he supports diplomacy with Iran, while keeping military options open. He tempered this however by writing in a Foreign Affairs essay that Osama Bin Laden would welcome a war between the United States and Iran.

On the Democrat side Hillary Clinton has said she will negotiate with Iran but stops short of saying she would negotiate with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad personally. She voted for a measure urging Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps be labeled a terrorist organization. She says Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapons and that all options must remain on the president’s table. Barack Obama supports direct presidential diplomacy with Iran without preconditions using a carrot and stick approach. If Iran abandons its nuclear program and support for terrorism the U.S. will offer incentives like economic investments, and a move toward normal diplomatic relations. If Iran does not change; the U.S. will step up economic pressure and political isolation. He does not rule out military action.

So while there are radically different approaches to the issue of Iraq the potential for continued global aggression seems only marginally less likely if there is a Democrat in the White House. With this in mind we shall watch with interest as the race unfolds and hope that a moderate candidate with the interests of international peace is elected by the American people to be their next leader. 

As He Foretells Bleak Future for Opposition

The APRC Campaign Manager for Kanifing municipality has expressed ‘hearty’ congratulations and gratitude to the electorate in the Kanifing municipality for what he termed their genuine expression of loyalty and allegiance to the APRC party by voting in the party’s sponsored candidate in the just concluded local government polls.

Mr Momodou Turo Darboe asserted that APRC’s electoral victory was a clear indication that the opposition no longer have any space in the hearts and minds of Gambian people.

Writing in his capacity as the APRC Campaign Manager for the Kanifing municipality, Mr Darboe stated that the electoral victory of the APRC in the Kanifing municipality and other parts of the country is an explicit acknowledgement of the party’s accomplishments in the country over the past decade.

“People have realised that the APRC is the only serious and action-oriented party that can improve the quality of life for them. Since Gambian opposition have failed miserably, we should not allow ourselves to be misused. I thank the electorate for turning their back to the opposition thus enabling APRC to secure majority of the seats contested

“The people have spoken. And they’ve spoken in the language of development. The people of Kanifing municipality and other parts of the country want development and are quite aware that the only party that can bring development to their living rooms is APRC party. APRC’s victory is recognition of the party’s development-oriented posture,” added Darboe.

According to him The Gambia under President Jammeh is not the right place for the opposition to actualise their dreams.

“It’s never, never too late for them to join forces with the APRC and be accepted as bona fide party members. I would urge the opposition remnants to come on board so as to contribute to the party’s growth in popularity than being enemies of progress on the sidelines,” he echoed.

He thanked President Jammeh for reposing ‘such a confidence’ in him by appointing him to lead the campaign trail in the Kanifing municipality.

“I would also like to thank all those who have turned out to exercise their franchise by voting for the APRC in this local government elections. I would also like to thank all those individuals and businesses that contributed to the success of our campaign,” he posited.

It would be recalled that the APRC-sponsored candidate for the KMC, Mr Yankuba Colley, polled 19,073 votes whilst his opponent, Momodou A. Danso of UDP, polled 8,412 votes.