The Gambian electorates should now understand the magnitude of power they wield. It should dawn on us how large a spectrum of the sales pitches of political party ideas targeting us. All parties have a prominent "vote for XYZ" phrases inscribed on every available surface. Our votes are all that matters within this material time, which is before after the elections. Hence, as politicians kneel for endorsements, let us remind them of the numerous unkept promises they made to us over the years. Let us not wait till they are at the "STAY-HOUSE" to moan about our everyday problems.
The youths of this nation are, according to the political class, responsible for our own misery. To them, our unemployment is analogous to our laziness. Although, they set the system such that it is their families that get to live the privileges of our rights. They rigged the level playing field from whence they allocated scholarships to some and left the majority of us to drop out inconsiderate of our academic prowess.
The Gambian state, by birth and default, is an enemy to the youths. From independence to date, what all governments had for us is impoverishment and death. The first republic birthed a frustration that resulted in the mass murder of scores of youths buried in unmarked graves somewhere in Banjul. So it was the birth of an imperiled nation, at least that is the hocus pocus sold to the much younger generation. The economy relies on aid, grants, and loans; thus, we are born inheriting considerable debts. That is how the economy, by default, got structured from the onset.
The youths of this nation have been captives to a vicious cycle of poverty. To escape from which requires a visa to the United States or Europe. It is no wonder many drowned in the Mediterranean sea trying to make it to Europe, more became enslaved in Libya. The greatest betrayal of these youths is how the government managed to facilitate their deportation. The death of these youngsters in Italy floods the news media. We have never heard the government make any announcements or make any effort to respond to these tragic events. Their families, whom they wished to get out of suffering, now have to face the responsibility of repatriating their corpses, thus for these youths, it is a constant betrayal and disappointment of the system.
Whether it is the PPP's first republic, Yaya Jammeh's murderous regime, or the Barrow acephalous government, none of them ever prioritized the youths. However, with elections looming, we would be the center of their attention. They would come to us, try to get us into trucks to rally for them. They would come to us with lofty promises, but we should desist from this pattern of lies and deceits. No allegiance should be superior to the one owed to mother Gambia.
Let us prioritize ourselves this time around. These prioritizations should include but not necessarily limited to; maintenance of peace during campaigns. Avoid being puppets to some self-seeking politicians to fuel tribalism or any vices that would divide us as a people.
LET PEACE REIGN IN THE MOTHERLAND!
Editor's note:
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