Hon. Mai Ahmad Fatty, GMC Party Leader
OP ED By Mai Ahmad Fatty
In the journey of building a peaceful and prosperous nation, truth must never be sacrificed on the altar of partisanship.
Today, our political conversations too often echo division instead of dialogue. We are witnessing a dangerous trend where objectivity is dismissed, and the merit of an idea is judged not by its substance, but by its source.
To commend government for what is right, while constructively criticizing what is wrong, is not inconsistency. It is called integrity. That is what objective minded responsible citizenship does.
It is not weakness to acknowledge success, even when it comes from political rivals. It is called strength. It is wisdom. It is patriotism. Where we differ in vision, let us still recognize progress when it happens, for doing so builds credibility, fosters trust, and keeps the nation moving forward.
The role of the opposition is not to oppose for the sake of opposing. It is to offer alternatives, to keep government accountable, and to ensure that power always serves the people and not the other way around. This settled political practice on the part of certain leaders who also influence and sponsor their sorrogates or social media larkeys to vilify their perceived adversaries with insults and manufactured or distorted facts unwittingly project the type of future government they intend to impose on Gambians. Reflexive rejection of every policy, no matter how beneficial or progressive, does not strengthen democracy. It weakens it.
Those who silence or shame others for recognizing good in a political opponent should appreciate that political maturity demands fairness, not blind loyalty. Our allegiance must be to the truth, not to tribe or party.
Equally important is the principle of freedom of expression. Every Gambian has the right, both morally and constitutionally, to express their views on national matters without fear, without insult, and without intimidation. It is not a crime to disagree. It is not disloyal to question authority. It is not wrong to hold a different view. What is wrong both morally and legally, is to attack, shame, or attempt to silence someone simply because their opinion challenges your own.
This intolerant trend in Gambian political culture should end. When free speech is crushed by public scorn or partisan mobs, democracy suffers. When people are afraid to speak their minds, the nation loses valuable perspectives and truth itself becomes endangered.
I share the view of Sir Dawda Jawara that peace is not the absence of criticism but the presence of justice, tolerance and balance. Equally, it is my considered view that stability is not maintained by silence, but by constructive engagement. Peace, stability, and national security begin with how we speak to, and about, each other. The words we use matter. The tone we set matters. Let us reject the toxic rhetoric that fuels hatred and division.
Let us embrace a higher standard of political engagement; one that values respect over rivalry, unity over uniformity, and dialogue over diatribe. Let us teach our youths that political maturity is not demonstrated by how loudly we speak, but how wisely we listen.
The Gambia is bigger than any party, any leader, or any ideology. The Gambia belongs to all of us. We owe it to her and to the future generations to rise above petty politics, and speak with the voice of wisdom, of nationhood, and of peace.
May our words build, not break. May our politics heal, not harm. The Gambia deserves no less.