By: Mariama Njie and Nyima Sillah
Citizen’s Alliance a New Political Party has been launched and party officials say is sweeping in to fix the country’s leadership problem.
Launched at a local hotel on Friday, Citizen’s Alliance has brought the number of political parties in the country to 11- a development some observers say has rendered the country’s political space crowed.
The Gambia since independence experienced a problem in terms of the right political leadership as pin the country’s underdevelopment to its inability to get the right people in leadership positions, but Citizen’s Alliance has now entered the fray and it is saying its eyes are fixed on giving the country the kind of leadership it desires for development.
Earlier on Friday, CA officials were at the Independent Electoral Commission where the party was officially given the nod, making it the country’s newest political party.
Speaking at the Launching, Dominic Mendy, the party’s interim chairman said after 22 years of authoritarian rule and the peaceful change of government Gambians have shown the capacity to choose good from evil.
“People have bestowed trust on our leaders and have relegated themselves to waiting in hope yet, three years afterwards Gambians are more confused about the capacity of the system of governance”, he said.
Mendy pointed out that, making the Gambia a progressive country cannot be achieved on the grounds of tribalism, victimization, corruption, nepotism, constitutional vandalism and gender imbalance.
“CA embodies all Gambians from diverse professions, all Gambian ethnic groups, cultures and regions who have chosen to take action to change the fate of our motherland for good”, he added.
Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, member of CA, said poverty and unemployment are the country’s biggest challenges affecting mainly women, young people and the elderly.
“Our women are not empowered because they lack control over our productive resources, services and market. Our youths lack access to decent job opportunities because they lack access to quality skills training”, he said.
He told the crowd that, Citizen’s Alliance is going to be the first party in the history of Gambia to transform promises to reality, noting that Citizen’s Alliance is committed to inclusive development, democracy, rule of law and good governance.
He further explained that, CA is created to respond to the country’s desperate need for new effective and transformational political leadership that will focus on uniting the Gambia.
“The high corruption and bribery must come to an end. “Citizens’ Alliance is a political organisation founded on the ideals of democracy, civil liberties, social cohesion and social justice,” he remarked. “CA is created to respond to the country’s desperate needs for a new effective, transformative and innovative leadership.”, he stressed.