Political Patronage:
“KU BOKA C GETA GEE NAN C MEOW MEE”
Diasporans who have returned with merit and those who formerly struggled for The Gambia’s liberation deserve a government job as a “sacrifice” and patriotic duty.
Part I
Fatoumatta: The renowned Gambian musician Ali Cham, popularly known by his stage name Killa Ace, eloquently and brilliantly conveyed the concept of “Political Patronage or spoils system victory” in one of his masterful songs in Wolof. “KU BOKA C GETA GEE NAN CI MEOW MEE” translates roughly to “everyone belonging to the dairy herd deserves to drink milk,” implying that those without cattle herds are undeserving of milk.
However, this analogy extends to government appointments, jobs, and contracts, which often become political rewards. Employees are expected to kick back to the political parties responsible for their employment, perpetuating a cycle of patronage throughout the ecosystem. Regrettably, this chaotic system and assault on the Civil Service and Foreign Service has materialized into a conventional system. President Adama Barrow is urged not to allow political patronage to resurface in his new administration, which would lead to substandard hiring practices. Instead, he should focus on reversing his predecessor President Yahya Jammeh’s policy of politicizing the civil and foreign services. He must discourage the practice of politicizing key appointments, put an end to the political patronage system, and foster trust and loyalty within a merit-based system. In both diplomatic and civil services as well as government-owned institutions, no organization or system is immune to this chaos; no integrity test is safe from partisanship; no scrutiny of qualifications is free from intrigue.
Introspection: I hold no reservations against the Presidential Transition Team following the historic election of President Adama Barrow in 2017. Their actions aimed to revitalize and fortify Gambia’s nascent democracy by selecting a cadre of cabinet members and senior advisors. These individuals possess governmental experience and field expertise, essential for navigating the immense challenges that lie ahead in steering Gambia beyond the Yahya Jammeh era and reinstating trust in the government—particularly within the Civil Service, Security Service, and Foreign Service appointments.
However, I believe those in President Barrow’s inner circle failed to facilitate a seamless initiation of the ‘Change’ spacecraft. Rather than seeking competent men and women to collaborate with President Adama Barrow, his closest advisors permitted political godfathers to regroup and usurp the people’s mandate. The disarray within the Civil Service and the attacks on the Foreign Service are cases in point. How can we speak of change when the status quo resurfaces? The jostle for positions by thoroughly incompetent, and possibly corrupt, individuals was equally disconcerting! Indeed, populating top positions in the ‘traditional’ manner is at odds with the ethos of change.
Fatoumatta: If I were to have a say in this matter, I would urge the President to open all pivotal civil service roles to public competition—as is now practiced in other nations—and require aspirants to engage in an open contest, not within the secluded confines of party elders’ homes but in full view of the general populace. The President’s advisors ought to have crafted a mechanism to vet even ministerial candidates, national security nominees, key diplomatic appointees, and other political designates. Nonetheless, unless the President embraces open competition, he will struggle to curtail the godfathers’ influence. Moreover, realizing his vision would be unattainable if he remains beholden to entrenched powerful interests.
Returning to work in the Gambia after residing in the Diaspora can rightly be considered “giving back”; it is not a sacrifice. Sacrifice implies an unfair loss incurred by relinquishing something of greater value. Since many diasporans would not have their comfortable exile without benefiting from Gambia’s free or subsidized education, their return to the nurturing country of their youth does not constitute a “sacrifice.”
After time spent in the Diaspora, coming back to the Gambia often includes perks not typically found in previous diasporic locations. For instance, positions such as head of a government agency, minister, or special adviser come with substantial allowances, a team of aides, and access to the power structure.
Diasporan returnees seeking recognition for accepting a government job in the Gambia at a lower salary are being intentionally misleading. Some receive more than double the official salary of the Gambian President. Yet, it is common knowledge that the President does not rely on his salary.
The Diaspora contributes little to the Gambia that isn’t already abundantly available there. Thousands of individuals could potentially exceed any contribution made by a diasporan Gambian. Nevertheless, they are overlooked due to their lack of connections to those in power and absence of the social and symbolic capital conferred by living abroad. Thus, serving is a privilege, not a sacrifice.
Self-preservation is an innate instinct; therefore, most will not leave their diasporic homes if it places undue hardship on themselves and their families.
Fatoumatta: If any Gambian from the Diaspora chooses to move back to the Gambia, it should not be viewed as a “sacrifice.” At most, it could be seen as “giving back,” or even more so, a privilege. The Gambia boasts thousands of individuals with impressive skill sets who are often overlooked. A diasporan who has worked merely as contract staff abroad…
Fatoumatta: It is heartening to observe that Gambians have at last recognized the need for an urgent and, hopefully, profound reform of the patronage system. It is evident that in since 2017 to date, some Gambians were cognizant of the widespread disapproval that met the appointment of unqualified individuals in the Civil and Foreign Service. The entrenched patronage system has persisted for as long as one can recall. Within this system, considerations for public office are primarily based on connections rather than competence or proven experience. The patronage system does not inquire what you can contribute to your country but rather who you can depend on to advocate for you when job openings arise. I have termed this phenomenon “technical know-who” as opposed to technical know-how. Technical know-who is problematic for several reasons. Firstly, it often results in the misplacement of individuals in roles unsuited to their abilities. Secondly, stemming from the first issue, technical know-who values the reward of personal allegiance above the achievement of nationally desired outcomes. Thirdly, the mediocrity that flourishes under this system of spoils undermines excellence and hinders ongoing efforts to combat corruption. It also provokes controversy.
The ongoing controversy surrounding Civil and Foreign Service appointments exemplifies the issue at hand. However, President Barrow must proceed with caution, as any corrective actions he mandates could spark even more severe controversy. Here’s why: if President Barrow merely aims to balance the representation claims of his grand coalition partners with those of the under-represented groups in the political arena, and if he employs the patronage system as a reward mechanism, he is likely to miss the mark in ensuring that every Gambian feels included.
The current patronage system is fundamentally flawed, favoring powerful supporters while disadvantaging most Gambians. It also enables politicians, whether over-represented or under-represented, to repeatedly assign favored individuals from specific regions or ethnic groups to various posts, while consistently overlooking candidates from other areas. The likelihood of such a system avoiding controversy is highly questionable.
Fatoumatta: The President is also intent on addressing Gambia’s endemic corruption. A logical starting point is the reform of public official recruitment and selection processes. No administration can effectively tackle corruption if its own officials are appointed through corrupt practices. This is evident in institutions like the police, immigration, the Gambia Revenue Authority, and the Gambia Ports Authority. Those with direct access to the President should offer sound advice. Regrettably, our issues are too deep-rooted to be merely glossed over. Real change will commence when we confront authority with honesty. The Gambian civil service system, originally modeled after the Westminster system, was designed through years of effort to eliminate the patronage and corruption that had previously characterized government employment. Its goal was to professionalize and depoliticize government workers, enabling them to serve the populace and the nation instead of narrow political interests or ideologies.
Fatoumatta: Many individuals enter politics driven by personal interests and the pursuit of benefits. They gain access to state funds and have control over the distribution of lucrative licenses and contracts. Interestingly, active participation in party politics in the Gambia does not guarantee rewards, as it is often newcomers who reap the benefits. Nonetheless, it is widely believed that post-victory rewards are typically allocated based on political loyalty, dedication, and patronage. Regrettably, those who have made significant sacrifices frequently find themselves overlooked.
