Gambians warned to desist from selling votes
JULY 30, 2021
By Omar Bah
Lamin Chamang Komma, a US-based Gambian civil society leader, has appealed to Gambians to desist from selling their votes.
“It is shameful to sell your vote. There is no amount of money that is worth your sovereignty. It will only take a shameless person to sell his vote and then turn around to discuss matters affecting his country,” Komma told The Standard.
Mr Komma, who traveled from the United States to obtain his voter’s card, said every Gambian should realise that the December election is a matter of making or breaking The Gambia.
“It is going to be about our future and the future of generations yet to be born. This is why I traveled from America to come home to register and take part in shaping a new destiny for my country,” he said.
Implications
Komma said there are several negative political consequences that emerge from the practice of selling votes or buying voter cards.
“In The Gambia the effect is consequential because vote selling would inevitably create a dependency of such voters on the income or material incentives that they are receiving for their votes,” he said.
This, he argued, will further perpetuate “a type of poverty trap and insulate a hegemonic power that will violate the rights of most of the citizens”.
“Vote buying is simply electoral fraud and clandestine as well as illegal efforts to shape election results. Selling one’s vote is a fraud that takes on a panoply of arrangements; it ranges from procedural violations of electoral law intended to distort results and the outright use of violence against voters,” he said.
Such fraudulent activity, he added, undermines political stability because, in close races between two parties, it can be crucial.
“It also discourages political competition which may shape the rhythm and nature of the electoral process in a country,” he added.
He said vote buying in The Gambia will be an attempt to steal election which indicates that such “a party lacks the moral compass to lead the country”.
“In general, vote selling is rarely an isolated action because it perpetuates corruption in the entire political system. When a candidate chooses to buy for support, instead of competing freely for votes, it fundamentally illustrates a disregard for democratic norms and a willingness to use illegal means,” he said.
Vote selling, he added, will obstruct the democratic process by interfering with the rights of Gambians to freely decide who will represent them and their interests.
“Similarly, such actions will result in the candidate with the deepest pockets winning the election, rather than the candidate who would best serve the interest of the Gambian people,” he added.
This, he further argued, is because elections create a social contract between candidates and citizens who will vote with the presumption that the contenders will govern along the lines of their stated policy framework.
He said observation about the impending Gambian election, selling votes will enable poor governance and undercut citizens’ ability to hold their elected officials accountable.
“Because the candidates understand that all they need to do to be elected is pay off voters and government officials, ultimately, they will have no incentive to be responsive to issues their population care about — such issues as water, road, sanitation, education, and unemployment,” he said.
Diaspora voting
The US-based Gambian registered his disappointment over what he describes as the government’s refusal to afford the diaspora the opportunity to vote in December.
“I believe the government had a very preconceived mind about the Diaspora that we are always criticising them and that they may not have too much support there but this is so unfair to the over 200, 000 Gambians living abroad,” he said.
He also urged Gambians to desist from tribal insults.
Lamin Chamang Komma, a US-based Gambian civil society leader, has appealed to Gambians to desist from selling their votes.
“It is shameful to sell your vote. There is no amount of money that is worth your sovereignty. It will only take a shameless person to sell his vote and then turn around to discuss matters affecting his country,” Komma told The Standard.
Mr Komma, who traveled from the United States to obtain his voter’s card, said every Gambian should realise that the December election is a matter of making or breaking The Gambia.
“It is going to be about our future and the future of generations yet to be born. This is why I traveled from America to come home to register and take part in shaping a new destiny for my country,” he said.
Implications
Komma said there are several negative political consequences that emerge from the practice of selling votes or buying voter cards.
“In The Gambia the effect is consequential because vote selling would inevitably create a dependency of such voters on the income or material incentives that they are receiving for their votes,” he said.
This, he argued, will further perpetuate “a type of poverty trap and insulate a hegemonic power that will violate the rights of most of the citizens”.
“Vote buying is simply electoral fraud and clandestine as well as illegal efforts to shape election results. Selling one’s vote is a fraud that takes on a panoply of arrangements; it ranges from procedural violations of electoral law intended to distort results and the outright use of violence against voters,” he said.
Such fraudulent activity, he added, undermines political stability because, in close races between two parties, it can be crucial.
“It also discourages political competition which may shape the rhythm and nature of the electoral process in a country,” he added.
He said vote buying in The Gambia will be an attempt to steal election which indicates that such “a party lacks the moral compass to lead the country”.
“In general, vote selling is rarely an isolated action because it perpetuates corruption in the entire political system. When a candidate chooses to buy for support, instead of competing freely for votes, it fundamentally illustrates a disregard for democratic norms and a willingness to use illegal means,” he said.
Vote selling, he added, will obstruct the democratic process by interfering with the rights of Gambians to freely decide who will represent them and their interests.
“Similarly, such actions will result in the candidate with the deepest pockets winning the election, rather than the candidate who would best serve the interest of the Gambian people,” he added.
This, he further argued, is because elections create a social contract between candidates and citizens who will vote with the presumption that the contenders will govern along the lines of their stated policy framework.
He said observation about the impending Gambian election, selling votes will enable poor governance and undercut citizens’ ability to hold their elected officials accountable.
“Because the candidates understand that all they need to do to be elected is pay off voters and government officials, ultimately, they will have no incentive to be responsive to issues their population care about — such issues as water, road, sanitation, education, and unemployment,” he said.
Diaspora voting
The US-based Gambian registered his disappointment over what he describes as the government’s refusal to afford the diaspora the opportunity to vote in December.
“I believe the government had a very preconceived mind about the Diaspora that we are always criticising them and that they may not have too much support there but this is so unfair to the over 200, 000 Gambians living abroad,” he said.
He also urged Gambians to desist from tribal insults.
The Kukoi coup: Four decades today
JULY 30, 2021
Forty years ago today, The Gambia was rocked by a coup attempt against the PPP government of Alhaji Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara.
According to historian Hassoum Ceesay, the violence lasted 8 days, killing 1000 Gambians and while property worth US5million was lost to looting and arson. Mr Ceesay added that “the coup was unique in that it was led by a civilian, and the plotters led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang, were mainly civilians including taxi drivers, fishermen and watchmen.”
Historian Ceesay went down memory lane to explain the prelude to the coup: “The writings were literally and figuratively on the walls. There was a looming disaster and all Gambians knew something terrible will befall our nation. In the period 1979-1981, there was youth revolt led by the various anti government subterranean groups like Black Scorpions, Movement of Justice in Africa (MOJA), and The Gambia Socialist Revolutionary Party of Pengu George etc. These groups organised youths into resistance mood, and there was arson such as the burning of President Jawara’s yacht, the MV Mansa Kila -ba; the burning of markets, street graffiti and sustained insults on state leaders including Jawara and denigrating of state institutions like The Gambia Commercial and Development Bank.
In November, the assassination of Field Force (Paramilitary) Commander Eku Mahoney at Bakau Barracks by a sentry, Mustapha Danso shocked the nation and by the time Kukoi struck, the PPP government was under sustained attack and severely undermined.”
Kukoi’s coup was the coup de grace; a lot of damage had been inflicted on the state already”, he said.
Asked who was Kukoi Samba Sanyang, the historian explained: “He was a brilliant young man, born in 1953 and died in 2013. He attended Saint Augustines High School in Banjul and entered the famous Ngasobil Seminary in Senegal to train to become a Catholic priest. After a few years, he was expelled and in 1977, he stood as a candidate for the National Convention Party of Mr Sheriff Mustapha Dibba in the elections of that year. Kukoi had lost faith in the democratic process of our country when he lost the elections for the Foni East Constituency that year scoring less than 800 votes, he became disillusioned. Between 1977 and July 1981, he travelled the world learning revolutionary ideas. He lived in Libya and became known to Colonel Gaddafi who is suspected to have given him support to overthrow the PPP government. Kukoi was a brilliant man who became a miserable revolutionary”.
Mr Ceesay said while President Jawara was away in London, UK, attending the marriage ceremony of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, Kukoi, assisted by 11 men walked from their base in Tallinding to Bakau where they attacked the Field Force armoury and started the coup on 30 July 1981, a day before Tobaski.
“The first to die was Kikala Baldeh, the armoury commander. Then the rebels took over Radio Gambia, Yundum airport, and State House. At Radio Gambia, Kukoi made his first broadcast to Gambians announcing his coup, and his new government called Supreme Council of the Revolution (SCR) which he chaired. At State House, Kukoi kidnapped the First Lady and the rest of the Jawara family and held them hostage, until they were freed by a special British force. Hostage taking was a disturbing peculiarity of the Kukoi coup hitherto unknown in coup making in Africa,” Hassoum Ceesay said.
But according to the historian, Kukoi had other techniques at hand: “He kidnapped notable Gambians and forced them at gunpoint to denounce Jawara over Radio Gambia. Sanjally Bojang, the respected chief and farmer was a good example. They were forced to denounce Jawara and to ask him not to return to The Gambia’,” Ceesay said.
Asked how the coup was crushed, Hassoum explained that when Jawara heard of the coup he was advised by his loyal ministers, then holed up at the Police HQ in Banjul, that there was enough resistance by loyal forces of the police to stop the coup. He invoked the 1965 Defence Pact with Senegal and asked his High Commissioner in Dakar Bakary Bunja Dabo to work on military support from Senegal to restore democracy in the country. Senegal sent troops to Banjul on 1 August 1981 and they crushed the coup with leader Kukoi fleeing to Bissau. Dozens of Senegalese soldiers died in including 18 soldiers on board a military chopper shot by Kukoi’s rebels at Radio Syd. Senegal sacrificed a lot to restore democratic order in The Gambia”, Ceesay noted.
Asked about the aftermath of the coup, the historian explained: “Jawara handled the aftermath well. He refused to be vindictive or vengeful. No ethnic group or region was profiled for the coup. Over 2000 people were detained but each was accounted for, and there were no missing prisoners. Each detained person was given an arrest warrant and their names gazetted. There was no impunity. The hybrid courts tried the accused, and many, including opposition leader S.M Dibba, were freed and others sentenced. No executions took place from the treason trials. Rule of law was maintained. All the 3000 rifles let loose from the Bakau depot were recovered by end of August 1981. Also, Jawara defied the odds and dared the assassins to conduct his annual Meet the Farmers Tour from August 12 to 20 1981 to explain to Gambians what happened and to call for national unity and reconciliation”.
The media, especially radio, played a key role in the reconciliation process. Through the Radio Gambia flagship programmes like One Gambia, One Nation, Gambians quickly reconciled and started the recovery process. He further explained that “through the Looted Properties Commission led by Alh K. Conteh, contrite Gambians returned over 70 per cent of looted goods back to their owners; through the Detainees Review Panel led by Sheikh Joof, many people who were wrongfully arrested were released even before the end of August 1981. Through the External Aid Commission led by Ambassador E.M. Taal, international support poured into the country and ordinary Gambians also contributed money, chicken, and cows to the Government recovery effort”, Hassoum Ceesay revealed.
Asked what lessons Gambia of 2021 can learn from Gambia of July 1981: “Well, there was too much bile and bitterness and insults against our elected leaders and public institutions in the years leading to July 30 1981 catastrophe. Public confidence was severely eroded. There was anger. The opposition NCP started their ‘Sosolaso’ campaign promising not to spare the PPP, for example. Kukoi used this opportune moment to strike. So Gambians should remember this.”
According to historian Hassoum Ceesay, the violence lasted 8 days, killing 1000 Gambians and while property worth US5million was lost to looting and arson. Mr Ceesay added that “the coup was unique in that it was led by a civilian, and the plotters led by Kukoi Samba Sanyang, were mainly civilians including taxi drivers, fishermen and watchmen.”
Historian Ceesay went down memory lane to explain the prelude to the coup: “The writings were literally and figuratively on the walls. There was a looming disaster and all Gambians knew something terrible will befall our nation. In the period 1979-1981, there was youth revolt led by the various anti government subterranean groups like Black Scorpions, Movement of Justice in Africa (MOJA), and The Gambia Socialist Revolutionary Party of Pengu George etc. These groups organised youths into resistance mood, and there was arson such as the burning of President Jawara’s yacht, the MV Mansa Kila -ba; the burning of markets, street graffiti and sustained insults on state leaders including Jawara and denigrating of state institutions like The Gambia Commercial and Development Bank.
In November, the assassination of Field Force (Paramilitary) Commander Eku Mahoney at Bakau Barracks by a sentry, Mustapha Danso shocked the nation and by the time Kukoi struck, the PPP government was under sustained attack and severely undermined.”
Kukoi’s coup was the coup de grace; a lot of damage had been inflicted on the state already”, he said.
Asked who was Kukoi Samba Sanyang, the historian explained: “He was a brilliant young man, born in 1953 and died in 2013. He attended Saint Augustines High School in Banjul and entered the famous Ngasobil Seminary in Senegal to train to become a Catholic priest. After a few years, he was expelled and in 1977, he stood as a candidate for the National Convention Party of Mr Sheriff Mustapha Dibba in the elections of that year. Kukoi had lost faith in the democratic process of our country when he lost the elections for the Foni East Constituency that year scoring less than 800 votes, he became disillusioned. Between 1977 and July 1981, he travelled the world learning revolutionary ideas. He lived in Libya and became known to Colonel Gaddafi who is suspected to have given him support to overthrow the PPP government. Kukoi was a brilliant man who became a miserable revolutionary”.
Mr Ceesay said while President Jawara was away in London, UK, attending the marriage ceremony of Princess Diana and Prince Charles, Kukoi, assisted by 11 men walked from their base in Tallinding to Bakau where they attacked the Field Force armoury and started the coup on 30 July 1981, a day before Tobaski.
“The first to die was Kikala Baldeh, the armoury commander. Then the rebels took over Radio Gambia, Yundum airport, and State House. At Radio Gambia, Kukoi made his first broadcast to Gambians announcing his coup, and his new government called Supreme Council of the Revolution (SCR) which he chaired. At State House, Kukoi kidnapped the First Lady and the rest of the Jawara family and held them hostage, until they were freed by a special British force. Hostage taking was a disturbing peculiarity of the Kukoi coup hitherto unknown in coup making in Africa,” Hassoum Ceesay said.
But according to the historian, Kukoi had other techniques at hand: “He kidnapped notable Gambians and forced them at gunpoint to denounce Jawara over Radio Gambia. Sanjally Bojang, the respected chief and farmer was a good example. They were forced to denounce Jawara and to ask him not to return to The Gambia’,” Ceesay said.
Asked how the coup was crushed, Hassoum explained that when Jawara heard of the coup he was advised by his loyal ministers, then holed up at the Police HQ in Banjul, that there was enough resistance by loyal forces of the police to stop the coup. He invoked the 1965 Defence Pact with Senegal and asked his High Commissioner in Dakar Bakary Bunja Dabo to work on military support from Senegal to restore democracy in the country. Senegal sent troops to Banjul on 1 August 1981 and they crushed the coup with leader Kukoi fleeing to Bissau. Dozens of Senegalese soldiers died in including 18 soldiers on board a military chopper shot by Kukoi’s rebels at Radio Syd. Senegal sacrificed a lot to restore democratic order in The Gambia”, Ceesay noted.
Asked about the aftermath of the coup, the historian explained: “Jawara handled the aftermath well. He refused to be vindictive or vengeful. No ethnic group or region was profiled for the coup. Over 2000 people were detained but each was accounted for, and there were no missing prisoners. Each detained person was given an arrest warrant and their names gazetted. There was no impunity. The hybrid courts tried the accused, and many, including opposition leader S.M Dibba, were freed and others sentenced. No executions took place from the treason trials. Rule of law was maintained. All the 3000 rifles let loose from the Bakau depot were recovered by end of August 1981. Also, Jawara defied the odds and dared the assassins to conduct his annual Meet the Farmers Tour from August 12 to 20 1981 to explain to Gambians what happened and to call for national unity and reconciliation”.
The media, especially radio, played a key role in the reconciliation process. Through the Radio Gambia flagship programmes like One Gambia, One Nation, Gambians quickly reconciled and started the recovery process. He further explained that “through the Looted Properties Commission led by Alh K. Conteh, contrite Gambians returned over 70 per cent of looted goods back to their owners; through the Detainees Review Panel led by Sheikh Joof, many people who were wrongfully arrested were released even before the end of August 1981. Through the External Aid Commission led by Ambassador E.M. Taal, international support poured into the country and ordinary Gambians also contributed money, chicken, and cows to the Government recovery effort”, Hassoum Ceesay revealed.
Asked what lessons Gambia of 2021 can learn from Gambia of July 1981: “Well, there was too much bile and bitterness and insults against our elected leaders and public institutions in the years leading to July 30 1981 catastrophe. Public confidence was severely eroded. There was anger. The opposition NCP started their ‘Sosolaso’ campaign promising not to spare the PPP, for example. Kukoi used this opportune moment to strike. So Gambians should remember this.”
SIS hosts virtual meeting of West Africa intelligence services
JULY 30, 2021
Press release
The State Intelligence Service (SIS) in its capacity as the regional chair is hosting the 15 regional member states of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) to a virtual meeting/workshop from July 29-30, 2021.
The theme of the meeting is: “Expansion and entrenchment of terrorist and violent extremist groups in parts of Africa: strategy for rolling back the threat and preventing a terrorism epicentre- scenario on the continent”.
The objectives of this workshop would be to come up with the necessary recommendations that would facilitate the crafting of appropriate strategies for rolling back the terrorist threat on the African continent and preventing the region from becoming a terrorism epicenter.
It could be recalled that the SIS hosted a similar meeting in June 2019, when the service was selected as Chair of the Region, a position it still maintain thanks to the support, trust and cooperation of Gambia government, the general public and indeed the West African region and the continent in general.
In his keynote address the director general of SIS Ousman Sowe, who is the current chairperson of the CISSA (West Africa Region) thanked President Adama Barrow and members of his government for approving the hosting of the meeting by the SIS and also welcoming member services to this very important regional meeting. As host, Sowe expressed his optimism by the level and full membership participation to this meeting, comprising 47 participants from all the 15-member intelligence services.
DG Sowe dilated on the theme of the meeting emphasising its relevance and timeliness giving the present realities in not only the Sahel and West Africa but also in other parts of Africa. This he said gives the meeting a compelling imperative to come up with preventive anti and counter terrorism rollback strategies across the continent.
In this regard, DG Sowe emphasised the need for the whole-of-government, whole-of-society cooperation and collaboration with regional governments, non-governmental and civil society actors, international partners, the academia, the private sector and with full involvement of the youths and women groups. DG Sowe further stressed the need for multilayered and multifaceted approaches and strategies that include but not limited to economic, political, social, religious, educational, developmental, diplomatic and military, underpinned by actionable and strategic intelligence which he said is particularly needed for advising our political leadership on the issues.
The CISSA Regional chairperson Sowe concluded by recognising the continued collaboration between the member services and called on all to keep abreast with the ever-evolving dynamics of terrorism and extremism, most recently the impact of the Civid-19 pandemic on the rise of violent extremism as well as the increased abuse of the internet for terrorism and extremist purposes.
The CISSA executive secretary, Madam Zainab Ali Kotoko in her opening remarks at the meeting, congratulated the DG Sowe for his enviable leadership of CISSA West Africa in these unprecedented difficult times. She further congratulated the SIS as a service, through its DG and Chair of CISSA West Africa for hosting this very imperative virtual meeting. She expressed her believe that the deliberations in this meeting would facilitate the taking of informed decisions on appropriate strategies for rolling back the terrorist threat in the African continent and preventing the Region from becoming a terrorism epicenter.
Also speaking on the occasion, the DG National Intelligence Agency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ambassador Rufai ABUBACARR who is also the CISSA Continental Chairperson, expressed the great importance attached to such meetings for the region to forge a common understanding in a collective security response. He further stated that the Intelligence Estimates produced at such meetings would help the continent come up with strategies to roll back the threat on the continent. He expressed his satisfaction that CISSA West Africa Region has so far been doing very well in this sphere. He said CISSA continues to strive for African integration but highlighted one of the challenges to this endeavor as the security issues attached to the ratification of the African Union protocol on the free movement of goods and people, in line with the provisions of the Africa continental Free Trade Agreement (AcFTA). The DG NIA of Nigeria thus emphasized on the need for a collective collaboration ratifying this protocol without compromising respective security concerns.
The meeting ends on July 30, 2021 with the adoption of recommendations that will feed into the Continent’s Strategies in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
Overall, the SIS Gambia feels very encouraged by the hosting of this very important regional meeting as it speaks of the being consolidated gains of the SIS in its ongoing reforms, restructuring, recasting and repositioning as the premier intelligence of the Gambia. DG Sowe said hosting such regional occasion is testimony to the trust and credibility that the SIS is registering not only inside the Gambia but also among regional services and beyond. The SIS he said is working on building Gambia’s intelligence service of the future with the aspiration to become one of the best intelligence services around the world.
The State Intelligence Service (SIS) in its capacity as the regional chair is hosting the 15 regional member states of the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA) to a virtual meeting/workshop from July 29-30, 2021.
The theme of the meeting is: “Expansion and entrenchment of terrorist and violent extremist groups in parts of Africa: strategy for rolling back the threat and preventing a terrorism epicentre- scenario on the continent”.
The objectives of this workshop would be to come up with the necessary recommendations that would facilitate the crafting of appropriate strategies for rolling back the terrorist threat on the African continent and preventing the region from becoming a terrorism epicenter.
It could be recalled that the SIS hosted a similar meeting in June 2019, when the service was selected as Chair of the Region, a position it still maintain thanks to the support, trust and cooperation of Gambia government, the general public and indeed the West African region and the continent in general.
In his keynote address the director general of SIS Ousman Sowe, who is the current chairperson of the CISSA (West Africa Region) thanked President Adama Barrow and members of his government for approving the hosting of the meeting by the SIS and also welcoming member services to this very important regional meeting. As host, Sowe expressed his optimism by the level and full membership participation to this meeting, comprising 47 participants from all the 15-member intelligence services.
DG Sowe dilated on the theme of the meeting emphasising its relevance and timeliness giving the present realities in not only the Sahel and West Africa but also in other parts of Africa. This he said gives the meeting a compelling imperative to come up with preventive anti and counter terrorism rollback strategies across the continent.
In this regard, DG Sowe emphasised the need for the whole-of-government, whole-of-society cooperation and collaboration with regional governments, non-governmental and civil society actors, international partners, the academia, the private sector and with full involvement of the youths and women groups. DG Sowe further stressed the need for multilayered and multifaceted approaches and strategies that include but not limited to economic, political, social, religious, educational, developmental, diplomatic and military, underpinned by actionable and strategic intelligence which he said is particularly needed for advising our political leadership on the issues.
The CISSA Regional chairperson Sowe concluded by recognising the continued collaboration between the member services and called on all to keep abreast with the ever-evolving dynamics of terrorism and extremism, most recently the impact of the Civid-19 pandemic on the rise of violent extremism as well as the increased abuse of the internet for terrorism and extremist purposes.
The CISSA executive secretary, Madam Zainab Ali Kotoko in her opening remarks at the meeting, congratulated the DG Sowe for his enviable leadership of CISSA West Africa in these unprecedented difficult times. She further congratulated the SIS as a service, through its DG and Chair of CISSA West Africa for hosting this very imperative virtual meeting. She expressed her believe that the deliberations in this meeting would facilitate the taking of informed decisions on appropriate strategies for rolling back the terrorist threat in the African continent and preventing the Region from becoming a terrorism epicenter.
Also speaking on the occasion, the DG National Intelligence Agency of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ambassador Rufai ABUBACARR who is also the CISSA Continental Chairperson, expressed the great importance attached to such meetings for the region to forge a common understanding in a collective security response. He further stated that the Intelligence Estimates produced at such meetings would help the continent come up with strategies to roll back the threat on the continent. He expressed his satisfaction that CISSA West Africa Region has so far been doing very well in this sphere. He said CISSA continues to strive for African integration but highlighted one of the challenges to this endeavor as the security issues attached to the ratification of the African Union protocol on the free movement of goods and people, in line with the provisions of the Africa continental Free Trade Agreement (AcFTA). The DG NIA of Nigeria thus emphasized on the need for a collective collaboration ratifying this protocol without compromising respective security concerns.
The meeting ends on July 30, 2021 with the adoption of recommendations that will feed into the Continent’s Strategies in the fight against terrorism and violent extremism.
Overall, the SIS Gambia feels very encouraged by the hosting of this very important regional meeting as it speaks of the being consolidated gains of the SIS in its ongoing reforms, restructuring, recasting and repositioning as the premier intelligence of the Gambia. DG Sowe said hosting such regional occasion is testimony to the trust and credibility that the SIS is registering not only inside the Gambia but also among regional services and beyond. The SIS he said is working on building Gambia’s intelligence service of the future with the aspiration to become one of the best intelligence services around the world.
SUSPENDED KMC CEO FIGHTS BACK
JULY 30, 2021
By Tabora Bojang
Suspended Kanifing Municipal Council CEO, Sainabou Martin Sonko has described as false and misleading allegations that she illegally acquired a loan in the name of the staff and used the money to buy a property. She calling it a smear campaign by Mayor Bensouda to tarnish her image in retaliation of her alleged discovery of former deputy mayor Musa Bah’s ‘graft’.
Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda told journalists on Monday that his office has intercepted a financial transaction initiated and entered into by Mrs. Sonko. Mayor Bensouda said Mrs Sonko entered into illegal transactions amounting to D12 million for the acquisition of a land for the KMC staff.
The mayor said investigations have also discovered that the land acquired by Mrs Sonko is grossly over-valued and she forged council documentation and approvals to obtain a guarantee purportedly from KMC to secure the loans.
He added that the Council has already recovered about D7.6 million from the D12 million.
However, speaking on the matter for the first time in a write-up seen by The Standard and confirmed by the CEO herself, Mrs Sonko said all the accusations leveled against her are false, misleading and only intended to defame her. “I am cooperating with my lawyers to complete the petition and the legal action to be filed against the Mayor and the Council for defaming my character and when we are ready, I will also give a press briefing to give a detail explanation and the evidences will speak for themselves,” she vowed.
Madam Sonko in turn alleged that she discovered fraud by deputy mayor Musa Bah who resigned in the wake of the allegations, which she reported to Mayor Bensouda about two months ago but he [Bensouda] pleaded with her to keep it secret since it would not do any good for him and his party in an election year.
“So when I signed the corporate guarantee for the KMC staff welfare association for AGIB to grant the welfare a loan facility to purchase a piece of property in Brufut that was intended to be reallocated to interested staff, the mayor became mad with me and summoned a directors meeting and demanded my resignation. I confided in a trusted colleague that I had discovered a more serious case than mine and the mayor did not take any action against that individual and he is now asking me to resign based on a guarantee I signed not in my name but for staff welfare,” Madam Sonko alleged.
She said she has an audio which she played to her that trusted colleague as proof. “My friend advised me to share the audio with her to serve as a backup in case something happens to my phone. How the audio reached the Freedom Online Newspaper, I cannot explain but immediately the audio was leaked, the mayor blamed me for it and began the smear campaign to tarnish my image only to pay back for what had happened to the deputy mayor,” Sonko said.
“But the one-million-dollar question I want to ask is, if it was true that I defrauded the Council the amount of money they are claiming, why am I going about my business in this country freely and not arrested and put behind bars?” Madam Sonko quizzed. The Standard tried contacting officials of the KMC but was told that there would be a press briefing by the council on Saturday.
Suspended Kanifing Municipal Council CEO, Sainabou Martin Sonko has described as false and misleading allegations that she illegally acquired a loan in the name of the staff and used the money to buy a property. She calling it a smear campaign by Mayor Bensouda to tarnish her image in retaliation of her alleged discovery of former deputy mayor Musa Bah’s ‘graft’.
Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda told journalists on Monday that his office has intercepted a financial transaction initiated and entered into by Mrs. Sonko. Mayor Bensouda said Mrs Sonko entered into illegal transactions amounting to D12 million for the acquisition of a land for the KMC staff.
The mayor said investigations have also discovered that the land acquired by Mrs Sonko is grossly over-valued and she forged council documentation and approvals to obtain a guarantee purportedly from KMC to secure the loans.
He added that the Council has already recovered about D7.6 million from the D12 million.
However, speaking on the matter for the first time in a write-up seen by The Standard and confirmed by the CEO herself, Mrs Sonko said all the accusations leveled against her are false, misleading and only intended to defame her. “I am cooperating with my lawyers to complete the petition and the legal action to be filed against the Mayor and the Council for defaming my character and when we are ready, I will also give a press briefing to give a detail explanation and the evidences will speak for themselves,” she vowed.
Madam Sonko in turn alleged that she discovered fraud by deputy mayor Musa Bah who resigned in the wake of the allegations, which she reported to Mayor Bensouda about two months ago but he [Bensouda] pleaded with her to keep it secret since it would not do any good for him and his party in an election year.
“So when I signed the corporate guarantee for the KMC staff welfare association for AGIB to grant the welfare a loan facility to purchase a piece of property in Brufut that was intended to be reallocated to interested staff, the mayor became mad with me and summoned a directors meeting and demanded my resignation. I confided in a trusted colleague that I had discovered a more serious case than mine and the mayor did not take any action against that individual and he is now asking me to resign based on a guarantee I signed not in my name but for staff welfare,” Madam Sonko alleged.
She said she has an audio which she played to her that trusted colleague as proof. “My friend advised me to share the audio with her to serve as a backup in case something happens to my phone. How the audio reached the Freedom Online Newspaper, I cannot explain but immediately the audio was leaked, the mayor blamed me for it and began the smear campaign to tarnish my image only to pay back for what had happened to the deputy mayor,” Sonko said.
“But the one-million-dollar question I want to ask is, if it was true that I defrauded the Council the amount of money they are claiming, why am I going about my business in this country freely and not arrested and put behind bars?” Madam Sonko quizzed. The Standard tried contacting officials of the KMC but was told that there would be a press briefing by the council on Saturday.
Mamma Kandeh must either be with Gambian victims or be with former dictator Jammeh
JULY 30, 2021
By Musa Manneh (UK)
I am a concerned Gambian and a keen follower of Gambian politics. I have watched the interview of Eye Africa Tv and Mamma Kandeh, leader of the GDC party which was aired on Sunday, 18th July 2021. In this interview, Mamma Kandeh heavily attacked Mr. Essa Faal, Lead Counsel of the Gambia’s maiden Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) and the commission in the way and manner they handled the testimonies of the witnesses.
Mamma Kandeh also criticized the Barrow Government for the seizure of former president Yahya Jammeh’s assets and defended Jammeh’s widely rumoured home coming from exile.
Kandeh went further to accuse Essa Faal of being disrespectful to witnesses by telling them that they were lying to the commission under oath. He also stated that the Commission should not have visited Kanilai, the birthplace of the former president Jammeh to find out evidence of certain killings as mentioned at the TRRC.
Jammeh was accused of having ordered the killings of many Gambians and non-Gambians, some of whom were allegedly thrown into the wells in the forest around Kanilai and some were allegedly thrown into his crocodile pool.
Indeed Mamma Kandeh has got it all wrong. He is playing a political strategy that will not work. He has to decide to either support the victims or support his former political God-father Yahya Jammeh. It is no surprise for Gambians that Mamma Kandeh is defending Yahya Jammeh against his victims and the TRRC officials just to get Jammeh and APRC’s support. He said it clearly in the interview that he is a political breed of the APRC.
The multi-million dollar question is; how on earth can this person (Kandeh) who criticized Jammeh for abuse of human rights, be the same person to defend him against the victims? This is real hypocrisy at work and it must be condemned.
It is an open secret that Kandeh is threathened by Essa Faal’s coming into the political ring, hence Mr. Faal has already won the hearts and minds of many Gambians and has almost taken the rank of Number 3 in the country’s political structure after President Barrow and Lawyer Darboe.
Mamma Kandeh’s politicial strategy will not work. I know what he is doing and the cards he is trying to play but it won’t work.
Kandeh is a failed politician and very soon Gambians will understand what I meant by this. It is due to his style of politics that he cannot get any position apart from Parliamentary seat. He refused to join the 2016 Coalition against Jammeh simply because he wanted to lead the Coalition and now he has regretted it.
Recently he has started delegating his deputy Hon. Tina Faal to meet almost all party leaders except President Barrow and Darboe, to join him in a Coalition against President Barrow but that plan too has failed.
His main target is to get the APRC into a Coalition which he wants to lead but the APRC rejected him due to some reasons.
His latest televison interview was planned and well calculated because he feels threathened by Counsel Faal’s coming into politics. He is losing it everyday and saw that the only thing he could do now is to start attacking people he saw as threats and praising Yahya Jammeh and the APRC to get their confidence and support.
For Lead Counsel Essa Faal, he has his own strategy of getting the witnesses who appear before the TRRC to tell the truth and he knows that very well but refused to acknowledge it. Instead, he wants to use that to criticize Mr Faal to score political points.
Indeed it is very sad that this same Mamma Kandeh who claims the TRRC could not find anything to implicate Jammeh in his rights violations against innocent Gambians is the same guy who wants to seek support from the same victims. Let it be very clear that Mamma Kandeh must decide to either be with the victims or be with the dictator Yahya Jammeh. Kandeh is Jammeh’s disciple in politics and he has always been loyal to Yahya Jammeh even after his expulsion from the APRC.
Let it be clear from now onwards that no victim of Jammeh’s regime should vote for politicians like Mamma Kandeh. He has shown no sympathy for the victims. His only interest is to get to the presidency.
Why is Kandeh worried about Essa Faal’s questioning strategies? Why is he saying that Essa Faal exposed some witnesses for being uneducated? Did he forget that some of the alleged perpetrators are semi-illiterates and were used by former dictator Jammeh to violate the rights of others?
Should we allow our country to continue with that same trend? Hell no!
Mamma Kandeh should apologize to Gambians especially Jammeh’s victims before it is too late. He thinks by attacking Essa Faal, the TRRC and Barrow Government he will score political points? Oh no he got it wrong!!! He won’t. In fact, this interview has exposed his political nature.
Mr. Faal and the entire TRRC team have done a great job to unearth the truth about rights violations, reconcile families and friends and they deserve the commendation of all but not criticism based on politics. Take politics out of the work of the TRRC, for they were appointed as civil servants and are paid with taxpayers’ money.
Let Mamma Kandeh repent before it is too late. Essa Faal is not his match and nothing can change the love and admiration Gambians have for him.
I am a concerned Gambian and a keen follower of Gambian politics. I have watched the interview of Eye Africa Tv and Mamma Kandeh, leader of the GDC party which was aired on Sunday, 18th July 2021. In this interview, Mamma Kandeh heavily attacked Mr. Essa Faal, Lead Counsel of the Gambia’s maiden Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) and the commission in the way and manner they handled the testimonies of the witnesses.
Mamma Kandeh also criticized the Barrow Government for the seizure of former president Yahya Jammeh’s assets and defended Jammeh’s widely rumoured home coming from exile.
Kandeh went further to accuse Essa Faal of being disrespectful to witnesses by telling them that they were lying to the commission under oath. He also stated that the Commission should not have visited Kanilai, the birthplace of the former president Jammeh to find out evidence of certain killings as mentioned at the TRRC.
Jammeh was accused of having ordered the killings of many Gambians and non-Gambians, some of whom were allegedly thrown into the wells in the forest around Kanilai and some were allegedly thrown into his crocodile pool.
Indeed Mamma Kandeh has got it all wrong. He is playing a political strategy that will not work. He has to decide to either support the victims or support his former political God-father Yahya Jammeh. It is no surprise for Gambians that Mamma Kandeh is defending Yahya Jammeh against his victims and the TRRC officials just to get Jammeh and APRC’s support. He said it clearly in the interview that he is a political breed of the APRC.
The multi-million dollar question is; how on earth can this person (Kandeh) who criticized Jammeh for abuse of human rights, be the same person to defend him against the victims? This is real hypocrisy at work and it must be condemned.
It is an open secret that Kandeh is threathened by Essa Faal’s coming into the political ring, hence Mr. Faal has already won the hearts and minds of many Gambians and has almost taken the rank of Number 3 in the country’s political structure after President Barrow and Lawyer Darboe.
Mamma Kandeh’s politicial strategy will not work. I know what he is doing and the cards he is trying to play but it won’t work.
Kandeh is a failed politician and very soon Gambians will understand what I meant by this. It is due to his style of politics that he cannot get any position apart from Parliamentary seat. He refused to join the 2016 Coalition against Jammeh simply because he wanted to lead the Coalition and now he has regretted it.
Recently he has started delegating his deputy Hon. Tina Faal to meet almost all party leaders except President Barrow and Darboe, to join him in a Coalition against President Barrow but that plan too has failed.
His main target is to get the APRC into a Coalition which he wants to lead but the APRC rejected him due to some reasons.
His latest televison interview was planned and well calculated because he feels threathened by Counsel Faal’s coming into politics. He is losing it everyday and saw that the only thing he could do now is to start attacking people he saw as threats and praising Yahya Jammeh and the APRC to get their confidence and support.
For Lead Counsel Essa Faal, he has his own strategy of getting the witnesses who appear before the TRRC to tell the truth and he knows that very well but refused to acknowledge it. Instead, he wants to use that to criticize Mr Faal to score political points.
Indeed it is very sad that this same Mamma Kandeh who claims the TRRC could not find anything to implicate Jammeh in his rights violations against innocent Gambians is the same guy who wants to seek support from the same victims. Let it be very clear that Mamma Kandeh must decide to either be with the victims or be with the dictator Yahya Jammeh. Kandeh is Jammeh’s disciple in politics and he has always been loyal to Yahya Jammeh even after his expulsion from the APRC.
Let it be clear from now onwards that no victim of Jammeh’s regime should vote for politicians like Mamma Kandeh. He has shown no sympathy for the victims. His only interest is to get to the presidency.
Why is Kandeh worried about Essa Faal’s questioning strategies? Why is he saying that Essa Faal exposed some witnesses for being uneducated? Did he forget that some of the alleged perpetrators are semi-illiterates and were used by former dictator Jammeh to violate the rights of others?
Should we allow our country to continue with that same trend? Hell no!
Mamma Kandeh should apologize to Gambians especially Jammeh’s victims before it is too late. He thinks by attacking Essa Faal, the TRRC and Barrow Government he will score political points? Oh no he got it wrong!!! He won’t. In fact, this interview has exposed his political nature.
Mr. Faal and the entire TRRC team have done a great job to unearth the truth about rights violations, reconcile families and friends and they deserve the commendation of all but not criticism based on politics. Take politics out of the work of the TRRC, for they were appointed as civil servants and are paid with taxpayers’ money.
Let Mamma Kandeh repent before it is too late. Essa Faal is not his match and nothing can change the love and admiration Gambians have for him.
Court denies bail for serial rape suspect
JULY 30, 2021
By Aisha Tamba
The High Court in Kanifing yesterday rejected the bail application of one Mr Michael, filed by his lawyer. The accused person is standing trial for allegedly raping two women and faces eight charges ranging from indecent assault to child pornography. He denied all charges.
His counsel told the court that Micheal has been remanded since 2017 and pleaded that he be granted bail since the offences he is charged with are bailable.
However, the state counsel reminded the court that the accused person has been charged with two counts of rape, two counts of indecent act, two counts of child pornography. He argued that the accused person is not a Gambian and granting him bail is like giving him a visa to Nigeria. “The court should consider what signal it’s sending to the society. The accused person is not entitled to bail and he is not in a position of trust,” the state consul stated.
Justice AT Osei denied the bail application, stating that the defence counsel did not assure the court that his client could be trusted.
The High Court in Kanifing yesterday rejected the bail application of one Mr Michael, filed by his lawyer. The accused person is standing trial for allegedly raping two women and faces eight charges ranging from indecent assault to child pornography. He denied all charges.
His counsel told the court that Micheal has been remanded since 2017 and pleaded that he be granted bail since the offences he is charged with are bailable.
However, the state counsel reminded the court that the accused person has been charged with two counts of rape, two counts of indecent act, two counts of child pornography. He argued that the accused person is not a Gambian and granting him bail is like giving him a visa to Nigeria. “The court should consider what signal it’s sending to the society. The accused person is not entitled to bail and he is not in a position of trust,” the state consul stated.
Justice AT Osei denied the bail application, stating that the defence counsel did not assure the court that his client could be trusted.
CRR farmers: Crop season could be a failure Jul 30, 2021, 12:40 PM
Farmers in the Central River Region (CRR) are concerned that this year’s crop season could be a failure amid lack of rain.
Farmers used to sow their crops either in mid, end of June or early July yearly. However, this year has been very different with many crops on the verge of dying due to prolonged drought after sowing first seeds.
Our correspondent who visited some farms said some farmers were yet to sow their crops because of lack of rain.
According to him, some farmers have lost their groundnut seedlings as it took too much time for the rainfall. Some crops have dried up at their infant stage and some did not germinate at all while animals suffer for lack of feeding, our correspondent said.
The Point has learned that grasses are drying, leaving animals without feed.
According Musa Jallow, a farmer at Tankong Kunda, “this year is serious and threatening for farmers” adding that he sows more than 30-seeder of groundnut and the ones that germinated died because of low rainfall.
According to him, most did not germinate as expected, saying and he spent a lot on the farm.
Mawdo Baldeh, a shepherd also expressed worry about the rainy season, saying cows and other animals are suffering because hays which were kept for animals had finished and there is no grass for them to graze.
He said some animals are dying of hunger.
Farmers called for an alternative, saying without government intervention there will be a disaster for some farmers this year as two months have gone into the rainy season without any hope of a successful rainy season this year.
According to some their season has already failed as farming is their only source of survival.
Samba Waan, a native of Changai Torro, said they never experienced such drought. According to him, most of the people in his community have not sowed their crops yet with August just at the corner.
Moli Baldeh of Konkoduma in Sami District, said his farm was doing well but his crops are now dying as a result of the drought.
Farmers used to sow their crops either in mid, end of June or early July yearly. However, this year has been very different with many crops on the verge of dying due to prolonged drought after sowing first seeds.
Our correspondent who visited some farms said some farmers were yet to sow their crops because of lack of rain.
According to him, some farmers have lost their groundnut seedlings as it took too much time for the rainfall. Some crops have dried up at their infant stage and some did not germinate at all while animals suffer for lack of feeding, our correspondent said.
The Point has learned that grasses are drying, leaving animals without feed.
According Musa Jallow, a farmer at Tankong Kunda, “this year is serious and threatening for farmers” adding that he sows more than 30-seeder of groundnut and the ones that germinated died because of low rainfall.
According to him, most did not germinate as expected, saying and he spent a lot on the farm.
Mawdo Baldeh, a shepherd also expressed worry about the rainy season, saying cows and other animals are suffering because hays which were kept for animals had finished and there is no grass for them to graze.
He said some animals are dying of hunger.
Farmers called for an alternative, saying without government intervention there will be a disaster for some farmers this year as two months have gone into the rainy season without any hope of a successful rainy season this year.
According to some their season has already failed as farming is their only source of survival.
Samba Waan, a native of Changai Torro, said they never experienced such drought. According to him, most of the people in his community have not sowed their crops yet with August just at the corner.
Moli Baldeh of Konkoduma in Sami District, said his farm was doing well but his crops are now dying as a result of the drought.
Halifa challenges GRTS to cover Assembly more effectively
By Tabora Bojang
As the assembly last night debated on supplementary appropriation bill which includes D30 million to the GRTS, the National Assembly Member for Serekunda Halifa Sallah accused the national broadcaster of failing its responsibility to provide effective coverage for National Assembly proceedings.
“This institution [GRTS] is not covering us, when they should be providing live coverage of the sessions of this National Assembly like it did with the TRRC. That is why people felt that nothing is happening here, they feel that this National Assembly is rubber stamped and not doing anything meaningful but talking about skin bleaching because that is the mediocrity that has actually been given and that image is us [NAMs],” the PDOIS Secretary General said.
The Serekunda NAM added that even though he will not be among those who will deny GRTS election coverage, he will not continue to encourage the institution’s persistent snubbing of parliamentary proceedings when it is funded by taxpayer money.
“They have failed in their responsibility in that regard and we cannot continue to encourage them. So GRTS should know that they should cover this National Assembly, they should cover its committees so that people will know what is happening and being done; they will educate the public to know what parliamentary democracy is all about,” Sallah noted.
As the assembly last night debated on supplementary appropriation bill which includes D30 million to the GRTS, the National Assembly Member for Serekunda Halifa Sallah accused the national broadcaster of failing its responsibility to provide effective coverage for National Assembly proceedings.
“This institution [GRTS] is not covering us, when they should be providing live coverage of the sessions of this National Assembly like it did with the TRRC. That is why people felt that nothing is happening here, they feel that this National Assembly is rubber stamped and not doing anything meaningful but talking about skin bleaching because that is the mediocrity that has actually been given and that image is us [NAMs],” the PDOIS Secretary General said.
The Serekunda NAM added that even though he will not be among those who will deny GRTS election coverage, he will not continue to encourage the institution’s persistent snubbing of parliamentary proceedings when it is funded by taxpayer money.
“They have failed in their responsibility in that regard and we cannot continue to encourage them. So GRTS should know that they should cover this National Assembly, they should cover its committees so that people will know what is happening and being done; they will educate the public to know what parliamentary democracy is all about,” Sallah noted.
Commendations for Mayor Bensouda: On track against corruption
JULY 29, 2021
The decision of Mayor Bensouda to suspend his CEO and Director of Finance and report them to police for investigations for corruption has been recognised by anti-corruption campaigners to be the most effective means in combating corruption. That is, to fight corruption, it must be taken up at the highest level by bringing top officials to book.
When senior officials are confronted it sends an unambiguous message to the rest that indeed there are no more sacred cows! Hence the decision by the Mayor is indeed in the right direction. It is a pragmatic deterrent.
One American CSO defined corruption as thus: “Corruption is the abuse of office for personal gain, and it takes many forms. It’s the politician taking a bribe before awarding a building contract to the briber. It’s the city council member paying for his family vacation with public funds. It’s the official demanding bribes from citizens in exchange for access to clean water.”
In this definition, we can clearly see this KMC saga in it in full. In fact, the late Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General once said that “Corruption is a curse and an attack on the foundations of any civilized society. It undermines morality, democracy, good governance and the rule of law. It swallows resources needed for development. And it is an affront to people who bring high ethical standards to their work and dealings with their fellow human beings and who expect the same in return, in the time-honoured tradition of “do unto others. Corruption is evil and insidious, and must be opposed at every turn.”
The only reason the Gambia is so poor with citizens deprived of the most basic social services and necessary public infrastructure is simply and squarely due to corruption in the Government. When a government is corrupt, society itself becomes corrupt as citizens are forced to bribe in order to access basic services that they have already paid for with their taxes. To tell the truth, corruption is an epidemic in the Gambia thanks to the Government!
Corruption has thrived in this country because the governments we have since Independence are not interested in transparency and accountability. Corruption cannot be fought and defeated when there is no transparency and laws are not enforced to ensure accountability. The Gambia does not lack good laws to combat corruption, what it lacks is the political will to fully enforce those laws to prevent, detect and prosecute perpetrators. It is for this reason that Mayor Bensouda needs commendation and encouragement for showing that political will! Now, let us call the president, NAMs, mayors, chairpersons and councillors to emulate him.
In fact, Kofi Annan said it best when he noted that if corruption is a disease, transparency is a central part of its treatment. The President of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim buttressed this point even better by saying that only radical and greater transparency should drive the prevention and uncovering of corruption.
In the world of human rights, the greatest threat is corruption. Every human right violation there is, at the core of it lies corruption. Perpetrators violate rights simply because they want to unduly access resources, illegally maintain power and enjoy privileges or cover up their excesses. Hence to ensure access and control and hide, perpetrators such as public officials bend laws and inflict pain on individuals in order to silence and exterminate anyone who would serve as an obstacle to their diabolical objective.
This is why, while we commend the Mayor, it is necessary we also urge him to go further to review the bylaws of KMC just to ensure that there is radical and greater transparency and then enforce those bylaws. To be transparent means he should also bring in the use of technology in the work of the Council so as to make financial management more effective, open and accessible to all stakeholders especially citizens.
In fact, the Local Government Finance and Audit Act has stipulated that the budget estimates of Area Councils should be pasted in every ward for public scrutiny. But how many times do citizens see the budget of the municipalities and area councils? To ensure effective transparency and accountability and combat corruption, it is necessary that area councils pursue participatory budgeting processes in order to bring citizens into the budget making process. The truth is there is so much corruption in the local councils and this is precisely why they are largely unable to address the basic needs of residents. This must stop.
Talking about laws, it is important to highlight the passing of the Access to Information Bill 2021 on the first day of this month. I hope the President will assent to it by July 30, marking the 30-day limit as required by the Constitution for him to do so. This is one of the best laws to create radical and greater transparency hence bring about accountability. This is why such laws are also called sunshine laws because sunshine is the best disinfectant.
While we commend the Mayor for this remarkable and necessary action, one wonders why Pres. Adama Barrow has never prosecuted any senior public official in his Government for corruption for almost five years in office. It is an open secret that his Government is notorious for corruption which has been exposed countless times by his own Government and by the media and citizens. In fact, some of these cases are now before the National Assembly Petitions Committee. Yet Pres. Barrow has never found it necessary to bring anyone to book. Why? Clearly the President is protecting corruption and its perpetrators for which the National Assembly also has a duty to act against that.
When senior officials are confronted it sends an unambiguous message to the rest that indeed there are no more sacred cows! Hence the decision by the Mayor is indeed in the right direction. It is a pragmatic deterrent.
One American CSO defined corruption as thus: “Corruption is the abuse of office for personal gain, and it takes many forms. It’s the politician taking a bribe before awarding a building contract to the briber. It’s the city council member paying for his family vacation with public funds. It’s the official demanding bribes from citizens in exchange for access to clean water.”
In this definition, we can clearly see this KMC saga in it in full. In fact, the late Kofi Annan, former UN Secretary General once said that “Corruption is a curse and an attack on the foundations of any civilized society. It undermines morality, democracy, good governance and the rule of law. It swallows resources needed for development. And it is an affront to people who bring high ethical standards to their work and dealings with their fellow human beings and who expect the same in return, in the time-honoured tradition of “do unto others. Corruption is evil and insidious, and must be opposed at every turn.”
The only reason the Gambia is so poor with citizens deprived of the most basic social services and necessary public infrastructure is simply and squarely due to corruption in the Government. When a government is corrupt, society itself becomes corrupt as citizens are forced to bribe in order to access basic services that they have already paid for with their taxes. To tell the truth, corruption is an epidemic in the Gambia thanks to the Government!
Corruption has thrived in this country because the governments we have since Independence are not interested in transparency and accountability. Corruption cannot be fought and defeated when there is no transparency and laws are not enforced to ensure accountability. The Gambia does not lack good laws to combat corruption, what it lacks is the political will to fully enforce those laws to prevent, detect and prosecute perpetrators. It is for this reason that Mayor Bensouda needs commendation and encouragement for showing that political will! Now, let us call the president, NAMs, mayors, chairpersons and councillors to emulate him.
In fact, Kofi Annan said it best when he noted that if corruption is a disease, transparency is a central part of its treatment. The President of the World Bank Jim Yong Kim buttressed this point even better by saying that only radical and greater transparency should drive the prevention and uncovering of corruption.
In the world of human rights, the greatest threat is corruption. Every human right violation there is, at the core of it lies corruption. Perpetrators violate rights simply because they want to unduly access resources, illegally maintain power and enjoy privileges or cover up their excesses. Hence to ensure access and control and hide, perpetrators such as public officials bend laws and inflict pain on individuals in order to silence and exterminate anyone who would serve as an obstacle to their diabolical objective.
This is why, while we commend the Mayor, it is necessary we also urge him to go further to review the bylaws of KMC just to ensure that there is radical and greater transparency and then enforce those bylaws. To be transparent means he should also bring in the use of technology in the work of the Council so as to make financial management more effective, open and accessible to all stakeholders especially citizens.
In fact, the Local Government Finance and Audit Act has stipulated that the budget estimates of Area Councils should be pasted in every ward for public scrutiny. But how many times do citizens see the budget of the municipalities and area councils? To ensure effective transparency and accountability and combat corruption, it is necessary that area councils pursue participatory budgeting processes in order to bring citizens into the budget making process. The truth is there is so much corruption in the local councils and this is precisely why they are largely unable to address the basic needs of residents. This must stop.
Talking about laws, it is important to highlight the passing of the Access to Information Bill 2021 on the first day of this month. I hope the President will assent to it by July 30, marking the 30-day limit as required by the Constitution for him to do so. This is one of the best laws to create radical and greater transparency hence bring about accountability. This is why such laws are also called sunshine laws because sunshine is the best disinfectant.
While we commend the Mayor for this remarkable and necessary action, one wonders why Pres. Adama Barrow has never prosecuted any senior public official in his Government for corruption for almost five years in office. It is an open secret that his Government is notorious for corruption which has been exposed countless times by his own Government and by the media and citizens. In fact, some of these cases are now before the National Assembly Petitions Committee. Yet Pres. Barrow has never found it necessary to bring anyone to book. Why? Clearly the President is protecting corruption and its perpetrators for which the National Assembly also has a duty to act against that.
7 UK MPS CALL FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF TRRC REPORT disappointed with Barrow’s broken promise
JULY 29, 2021
By Alagie Manneh
At least seven members of the House of Commons in the UK have signed an Early Day Motion, EDM, welcoming the “imminent publication” of the Gambia’s truth commission’s report, and demanded it be “fully implemented”.
An EDM in the Westminister system is a motion tabled by Members of Parliament that formally call for debate “on an early day”. In practice, they are rarely debated in the House and their main purpose is to draw attention to particular subjects of interest.
The MPs including long-serving Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn, also expressed their regret that President Barrow refused to step down as originally agreed with the coalition that backed him.
Tabled on 21 July in the UK parliament and published on the same day, the motion reads: “…This House welcomes the imminent publication of the report by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission of The Gambia, following publicly televised testimony for over two years from victims and former officials, including members of an elite death squad, implicating former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh in the killing and torture of political opponents, the murder of almost 60 West African migrants, the rape and sexual assault of women and a sham HIV treatment programme resulting in over 30 deaths. [This House] hopes the report recommendations will be implemented, and the criminal prosecution of Jammeh and his main accomplices will follow.”
The parliamentarians noted that “since the end of Jammeh’s brutal 22-year dictatorship in 2017, progress in restoring fundamental rights has yet to be consolidated, for instance by ensuring future elections are free and fair and the harassment of journalists and other civil society representatives by the security forces ended. [This House] regrets current Gambian President Adama Barrow did not step down as originally agreed with the coalition that backed him…”
The motion said corruption, FGM and child marriage remain “serious problems” in The Gambia.
The MPs praised the imposition of sanctions by the UK Government and others on former Gambian president Jammeh, his wife and the former director-general of the country’s National Intelligence Agency.
“[This House] calls on the Government [of The Gambia] to continue supporting The Gambia’s democratic transition, to assist with implementing the report recommendations and to back the criminal prosecution of Jammeh and others responsible for gross abuses there.”
At least seven members of the House of Commons in the UK have signed an Early Day Motion, EDM, welcoming the “imminent publication” of the Gambia’s truth commission’s report, and demanded it be “fully implemented”.
An EDM in the Westminister system is a motion tabled by Members of Parliament that formally call for debate “on an early day”. In practice, they are rarely debated in the House and their main purpose is to draw attention to particular subjects of interest.
The MPs including long-serving Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn, also expressed their regret that President Barrow refused to step down as originally agreed with the coalition that backed him.
Tabled on 21 July in the UK parliament and published on the same day, the motion reads: “…This House welcomes the imminent publication of the report by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission of The Gambia, following publicly televised testimony for over two years from victims and former officials, including members of an elite death squad, implicating former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh in the killing and torture of political opponents, the murder of almost 60 West African migrants, the rape and sexual assault of women and a sham HIV treatment programme resulting in over 30 deaths. [This House] hopes the report recommendations will be implemented, and the criminal prosecution of Jammeh and his main accomplices will follow.”
The parliamentarians noted that “since the end of Jammeh’s brutal 22-year dictatorship in 2017, progress in restoring fundamental rights has yet to be consolidated, for instance by ensuring future elections are free and fair and the harassment of journalists and other civil society representatives by the security forces ended. [This House] regrets current Gambian President Adama Barrow did not step down as originally agreed with the coalition that backed him…”
The motion said corruption, FGM and child marriage remain “serious problems” in The Gambia.
The MPs praised the imposition of sanctions by the UK Government and others on former Gambian president Jammeh, his wife and the former director-general of the country’s National Intelligence Agency.
“[This House] calls on the Government [of The Gambia] to continue supporting The Gambia’s democratic transition, to assist with implementing the report recommendations and to back the criminal prosecution of Jammeh and others responsible for gross abuses there.”
THE GAMBIA GOVERNMENT CLARIFIES DELAYED TRRC REPORT SUBMISSION
Banjul, The Gambia — The Hon. Attorney General and Minister of Justice has taken note of misinformation circulating in media spheres and public discourse regarding the recently announced deferment of the Submission of the TRRC’s Report.
Crucially, Section 29 of the TRRC Act provides that the Commission shall submit a report of its work to the President at the end of its operations while Section 29(2) and (3) detail the form and contents of such report.
The President of the Republic of The Gambia, was ready to receive the Commission’s Report on the 30th of July as planned. In a meeting with the Attorney General & Minister of Justice on the 27th of July 2021, the Chairman of the Commission indicated that the Report was not ready and the Commission will need more time to complete it. The Chairman confirmed that what was ready was a compendium of the Findings and Recommendations and not the full Report.
In light of the need to comply with the provisions of the TRRC Act, and most importantly, the post-submission timelines, The Attorney General deemed it essential that the full Report was submitted and not just a compendium. The Chairman subsequently made a request for an 8-week extension which was granted by the Government. It is important to state that the postponement of the initial submission date of July 12th is immaterial in light of the fact that the Report is still unfinished.
As indicated in the statement released by the Chairman, the Commission has a considerable amount of work to do in completing the sixteen volumes that make up the findings and recommendations, sixteen volumes of transcripts as well as other ancillary reports. It is imperative therefore, that the Commission is given sufficient time to complete this very important task, so as not to jeopardize 3 years of remarkable work.
The Gambia Government remains fully committed to supporting the TRRC throughout this important process including by ensuring that it is properly funded until the completion of its work. Furthermore, His Excellency, the President is ready to receive the complete TRRC Report as prescribed by the TRRC Act as and when it is ready.
Signed:
Ebrima G Sankareh
The Gambia Government Spokesperson
Crucially, Section 29 of the TRRC Act provides that the Commission shall submit a report of its work to the President at the end of its operations while Section 29(2) and (3) detail the form and contents of such report.
The President of the Republic of The Gambia, was ready to receive the Commission’s Report on the 30th of July as planned. In a meeting with the Attorney General & Minister of Justice on the 27th of July 2021, the Chairman of the Commission indicated that the Report was not ready and the Commission will need more time to complete it. The Chairman confirmed that what was ready was a compendium of the Findings and Recommendations and not the full Report.
In light of the need to comply with the provisions of the TRRC Act, and most importantly, the post-submission timelines, The Attorney General deemed it essential that the full Report was submitted and not just a compendium. The Chairman subsequently made a request for an 8-week extension which was granted by the Government. It is important to state that the postponement of the initial submission date of July 12th is immaterial in light of the fact that the Report is still unfinished.
As indicated in the statement released by the Chairman, the Commission has a considerable amount of work to do in completing the sixteen volumes that make up the findings and recommendations, sixteen volumes of transcripts as well as other ancillary reports. It is imperative therefore, that the Commission is given sufficient time to complete this very important task, so as not to jeopardize 3 years of remarkable work.
The Gambia Government remains fully committed to supporting the TRRC throughout this important process including by ensuring that it is properly funded until the completion of its work. Furthermore, His Excellency, the President is ready to receive the complete TRRC Report as prescribed by the TRRC Act as and when it is ready.
Signed:
Ebrima G Sankareh
The Gambia Government Spokesperson
Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission Chairman, Dr Lamin J sise, said Monday, his Commission will on Thursday, 30 September 2021, submit its final report to the President of the Republic.
See below the full text of the statement issued by Dr Sise:
Following the end of the Public Hearings of the TRRC on 28thMay 2021, the Commission embarked intensely on the preparation of its Final Report for submission to the President of the Republic of The Gambia pursuant to Section 29(1) of the TRRC Act, 2017.
The Commission, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and the Office of the President, after consultations, agreed on 12 July 2021 as the date for the submission of the Final Report to the President. However, The Office of the President informed that due to the previously arranged engagement, the President was not available to receive the Commission on the 12th of July and therefore proposed the new date of 30 July 2021.
Notwithstanding the heavy schedule of work devoted to completing the draft report, the Commission informed the Attorney General on 27 July that it needed more time (about eight weeks) to complete all 16 volumes of the report and other important documents. Accordingly, and following a meeting between the Chairman of the Commission and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Commission suggested a new date of Thursday, 30 September 2021 as the date of submission of the Final Report of the TRRC to the President.
The Attorney General, in his capacity as the line-Minister for the TRRC, confirmed the new date on behalf of the Office of the President. He assured the Chairman of the TRRC that the Government will fully fund the extension requested to complete the report.
Considering that the commission received Two thousand six hundred statements and heard testimonies from 393 witnesses covering sixteen themes, the report writing process was a daunting task for the commission. The team involved in the process is working round the clock to make sure it is given the attention it deserved.
The work to be continued during the eight week extension period involves the finalization of the following:
1. Sixteen volumes, each containing overview, findings, and recommendations on
(a) Soldiers with a difference
(b) November 11th 1994 – Extra Judicial Killings of Security officers
- Advertisement -(C) Unlawful killing of Finance Minister Ousman Koro Ceesay
(D) The convoy of the President – Accidents and Deaths
(E) April 10th and 11th, 2000: Student Demonstrations
(F) Attacks on Freedom of Expression and the Media
(G) Attacks on Religious Freedoms
(H) The Junglars – Unlawful killings, Tortures and Human Rights Violations
(I) The Presidential Alternative Treatment (HIV/AIDS) Programme
(J) Sexual and Gender based Violence
(K) President Witch Hunt Exercise
(L) Enforced Disappearances
(M) Killing of West African Migrants
(N) Institutional hearings – National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
(O) Institutional Hearings – Prisons
(P) Institutional Hearings – Justice Sector Institutions
2. Sixteen volumes of transcripts of the Commission’s Public Hearings.
3. TRRC’s Outreach Engagements: Activity Report.
4. Public Hearings: Witness Portrait Album.
The commission is currently intensely working on final stages of these documents in an effort to present the report in full to the President on the new scheduled date. The TRRC expects to complete the preparation of its Final Report and does not expect any further extension.
Following the end of the Public Hearings of the TRRC on 28thMay 2021, the Commission embarked intensely on the preparation of its Final Report for submission to the President of the Republic of The Gambia pursuant to Section 29(1) of the TRRC Act, 2017.
The Commission, the Attorney General and Minister of Justice and the Office of the President, after consultations, agreed on 12 July 2021 as the date for the submission of the Final Report to the President. However, The Office of the President informed that due to the previously arranged engagement, the President was not available to receive the Commission on the 12th of July and therefore proposed the new date of 30 July 2021.
Notwithstanding the heavy schedule of work devoted to completing the draft report, the Commission informed the Attorney General on 27 July that it needed more time (about eight weeks) to complete all 16 volumes of the report and other important documents. Accordingly, and following a meeting between the Chairman of the Commission and the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, the Commission suggested a new date of Thursday, 30 September 2021 as the date of submission of the Final Report of the TRRC to the President.
The Attorney General, in his capacity as the line-Minister for the TRRC, confirmed the new date on behalf of the Office of the President. He assured the Chairman of the TRRC that the Government will fully fund the extension requested to complete the report.
Considering that the commission received Two thousand six hundred statements and heard testimonies from 393 witnesses covering sixteen themes, the report writing process was a daunting task for the commission. The team involved in the process is working round the clock to make sure it is given the attention it deserved.
The work to be continued during the eight week extension period involves the finalization of the following:
1. Sixteen volumes, each containing overview, findings, and recommendations on
(a) Soldiers with a difference
(b) November 11th 1994 – Extra Judicial Killings of Security officers
- Advertisement -(C) Unlawful killing of Finance Minister Ousman Koro Ceesay
(D) The convoy of the President – Accidents and Deaths
(E) April 10th and 11th, 2000: Student Demonstrations
(F) Attacks on Freedom of Expression and the Media
(G) Attacks on Religious Freedoms
(H) The Junglars – Unlawful killings, Tortures and Human Rights Violations
(I) The Presidential Alternative Treatment (HIV/AIDS) Programme
(J) Sexual and Gender based Violence
(K) President Witch Hunt Exercise
(L) Enforced Disappearances
(M) Killing of West African Migrants
(N) Institutional hearings – National Intelligence Agency (NIA)
(O) Institutional Hearings – Prisons
(P) Institutional Hearings – Justice Sector Institutions
2. Sixteen volumes of transcripts of the Commission’s Public Hearings.
3. TRRC’s Outreach Engagements: Activity Report.
4. Public Hearings: Witness Portrait Album.
The commission is currently intensely working on final stages of these documents in an effort to present the report in full to the President on the new scheduled date. The TRRC expects to complete the preparation of its Final Report and does not expect any further extension.
How CEO Sonko’s alleged fraud came to light Jul 28, 2021, 12:35 PM | Article By: Adama Tine
A senior official at the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), who wishes to remain anonymous in an interview with this source yesterday, said that actions of the recently sacked KMC CEO Mrs. Sainabou Martin Sonko, had directly violated the Local Government Finance Audit Act as well as the Public Finance Act 2014.Mrs. Sainabou Martin Sonko according to reports, alledgedly acquired a bank loan in the name of the Staff Association of KMC without their consent and used the funds to acquire a property which has been “grossly overvalued and also forged the council’s documents and approval to obtain a guarantee purportedly from KMC” “to secure the said loan.
Her actions constitute criminal offence ranging from fraud, tax evasion and theft, officials say.
According to our source, there’s a requirement in the law that if the council has to go for a loan, they should have the prior approval of the Hon. Minister which was never done in this case despite the fact that it was staff welfare.
He added that whereas the council is to secure a loan, they must have the approval of the minister and the council should guarantee an entity and normally a resolution but in this case he said, nothing of such happened neither was the matter brought before the general council to resolve.
He said the revelation about the former CEO came up one day while they were about to have a directors meeting when one member of the staff association revealed to the mayor that the committee that was about to be dissolved took a loan guaranteed by the mayor himself and the council, which was a very big shock to the mayor as he was never aware of that and that prompted him to start investigations.
“Upon investigations we realised that D12 million was secured as loan by the CEO Mrs. Sainabou Martin Sonko on behalf of the KMC staff welfare to purchase a land of 100x 100m,” our source continued.
“We were also told at the gathering that immediately that loan was disbursed, D10 million was paid into the account of the land vendor and thereafter over D1 million was withdrawn from the staff welfare,” disclosed the source.
He further revealed to our reporter that the council has also recommended the termination of the appointment of the CEO of KMC and other individuals involved in the matter. In addition, in relation to a digital revenue collection contract, a complete investigation and committee review was recommended with immediate effect.
When asked about the case of the recently resigned deputy mayor of KMC, Musa Bah, on Monday amid a reports that he solicited bribes of up to one million dalasis from a company, our source said: “The council has not disbursed that said amount but had only disbursed D400,000.00 (four hundred thousand dalasis) to that company as an advance payment of a contract so where that one million comes from I don’t know neither the mayor,” he noted.
Her actions constitute criminal offence ranging from fraud, tax evasion and theft, officials say.
According to our source, there’s a requirement in the law that if the council has to go for a loan, they should have the prior approval of the Hon. Minister which was never done in this case despite the fact that it was staff welfare.
He added that whereas the council is to secure a loan, they must have the approval of the minister and the council should guarantee an entity and normally a resolution but in this case he said, nothing of such happened neither was the matter brought before the general council to resolve.
He said the revelation about the former CEO came up one day while they were about to have a directors meeting when one member of the staff association revealed to the mayor that the committee that was about to be dissolved took a loan guaranteed by the mayor himself and the council, which was a very big shock to the mayor as he was never aware of that and that prompted him to start investigations.
“Upon investigations we realised that D12 million was secured as loan by the CEO Mrs. Sainabou Martin Sonko on behalf of the KMC staff welfare to purchase a land of 100x 100m,” our source continued.
“We were also told at the gathering that immediately that loan was disbursed, D10 million was paid into the account of the land vendor and thereafter over D1 million was withdrawn from the staff welfare,” disclosed the source.
He further revealed to our reporter that the council has also recommended the termination of the appointment of the CEO of KMC and other individuals involved in the matter. In addition, in relation to a digital revenue collection contract, a complete investigation and committee review was recommended with immediate effect.
When asked about the case of the recently resigned deputy mayor of KMC, Musa Bah, on Monday amid a reports that he solicited bribes of up to one million dalasis from a company, our source said: “The council has not disbursed that said amount but had only disbursed D400,000.00 (four hundred thousand dalasis) to that company as an advance payment of a contract so where that one million comes from I don’t know neither the mayor,” he noted.
Darboe, Barrow urged to reconcile ahead of December polls
JULY 28, 2021
By Omar Bah
The opposition Gambia Action Party deputy leader, Omar Beyai, has appealed to Ousainu Darboe to use his experience and wisdom to reconcile with President Adama Barrow in the interest of national unity.
“I want to appeal to Ousainu Darboe to use his experience and fatherly heart to find a way of reconciling with Adama Barrow. I am saying this because I am worried that the relationship between the two could endanger our election,” he told The Standard.
He said Darboe and Barrow should reconcile “so that we will be able to get a smooth election free from violence in December”.
“Our leaders in this country should at least be exemplary. When they are seen working with each other or forgiving each other, automatically the other young aspiring politicians too will do the same,” he said.
He said the reconciliation of the two is crucial in bringing the divided political class together.
”Looking at the political situation in the country, The Gambia’s peace and security lies in the hands of the UDP and NPP, so I challenge the two parties to do everything possible to ensure that they reconcile their differences,” Beyai said.
He urged Gambians to desist from the politics of insults .
Beyai said he has chosen not to contest in the December election due to personal reasons but he endorses the candidate chosen by GAP.
“I urge all my supporters to rally behind the GAP leader,” he said.
Also adding his voice on the matter Lamin Keita, the UDP’s Wisconsin Chapter chairperson, said: “The relationship between the two is very scary because the incumbency gave leverage to the NPP to bully other opposition parties. An ominous sign for this is the Kanilai incident where UDP election monitoring team were attacked. In such a scenario, a word should have come out from the NPP condemning the act. These are actions expected from a responsible government, but they staying mute and silence means compliance. My advice to both parties is that the country, The Gambia, is above everything. Preach words of inspiration and wisdom that will encourage peace building among Gambians. Condemn derogatory remarks that lean toward tribal and ethnic divisive politics,” he said.
The opposition Gambia Action Party deputy leader, Omar Beyai, has appealed to Ousainu Darboe to use his experience and wisdom to reconcile with President Adama Barrow in the interest of national unity.
“I want to appeal to Ousainu Darboe to use his experience and fatherly heart to find a way of reconciling with Adama Barrow. I am saying this because I am worried that the relationship between the two could endanger our election,” he told The Standard.
He said Darboe and Barrow should reconcile “so that we will be able to get a smooth election free from violence in December”.
“Our leaders in this country should at least be exemplary. When they are seen working with each other or forgiving each other, automatically the other young aspiring politicians too will do the same,” he said.
He said the reconciliation of the two is crucial in bringing the divided political class together.
”Looking at the political situation in the country, The Gambia’s peace and security lies in the hands of the UDP and NPP, so I challenge the two parties to do everything possible to ensure that they reconcile their differences,” Beyai said.
He urged Gambians to desist from the politics of insults .
Beyai said he has chosen not to contest in the December election due to personal reasons but he endorses the candidate chosen by GAP.
“I urge all my supporters to rally behind the GAP leader,” he said.
Also adding his voice on the matter Lamin Keita, the UDP’s Wisconsin Chapter chairperson, said: “The relationship between the two is very scary because the incumbency gave leverage to the NPP to bully other opposition parties. An ominous sign for this is the Kanilai incident where UDP election monitoring team were attacked. In such a scenario, a word should have come out from the NPP condemning the act. These are actions expected from a responsible government, but they staying mute and silence means compliance. My advice to both parties is that the country, The Gambia, is above everything. Preach words of inspiration and wisdom that will encourage peace building among Gambians. Condemn derogatory remarks that lean toward tribal and ethnic divisive politics,” he said.
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DAILY NEWS FROM BJL THE GAMBIA,12/05/2021:
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