By: Dawda Baldeh

Musa Ousainou Yali Bachilly, leader of the opposition Gambia Action Party (GAP) said he endorses Talib Ahmed Bensouda for re-election as Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) mayor because of his manifesto. Mr. Bensouda is the incumbent mayor of KMC who is seeking a second term mandate under the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) ticket.

Mr. Bachilly was speaking at the manifesto launch of Bensouda on Saturday 6th May 2023 as Gambians go to the polls on 20^th May 2023 to elect mayors and chairpersons of local councils.

“I am not UDP, but I respect UDP. The political maturity people have in the Gambia is different. I endorse Bensouda based on his manifesto. We should see Gambia before anything because if you love the country, you must be tolerant, confident and patient,” he said.

Speaking on bribing electorates for votes, Bachilly told residents of Kanifing Municipality (KM) to collect any money given to them by the ruling party but vote for Mr. Bensouda, adding that Bensouda has not given anyone money to attend his nomination, but that people used their own money to attend the nomination because they love him.

“Don’t reject any money; collect any money they give you because it is yours and vote for Bensouda. He has not given anyone money, but he has presented his manifesto. We should stop deceiving people. The government should use that money and invest in the health sector because our hospitals are without medicines. It doesn’t make sense. They [NPP] are going round giving people money,” he explained.

He continued that there will be no problem if the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) put the interest of the country first.

“It is true that the central government is NPP and KMC’s current mayor is UDP. If UDP and NPP put Gambia first there will be no problem,” Bachilly told attendees.

The GAP leader branded himself as a concerned citizen even though he is a political leader.

“I love Gambia. I love Gambia more than GAP. Our father [Ousainou Darboe] loves Gambia,” he added.

Emphasizing on point five of the manifesto, which covers transportation, Bachilly noted that if the council brings buses and the central government brings buses without reducing the fares and addressing the problems of the people, they are more into making money.

“Some people will wake up every day and will struggle to travel from Brikama to Banjul. This should not be. Fifty-eight years (58) of independence we are facing problems with our transport system; that’s bad,” he said.

Through confidence, you can unite the people and Bensouda has achieved that in the council. We should stop politics of deception, politics of attack, politics of betrayal, politics of insult. Gambia is KMC and KMC is Gambia because any region you think of in the Gambia has people residing in KMC,” Bachilly stressed.

GAP leader said the KM has improved over the years under the leadership of Talib Ahmed Bensouda.

By: Dawda Baldeh

As he seeks re-election, incumbent of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Talib Ahmed Bensouda has launched a five-point manifesto ahead of the much-anticipated 20th May 2023 mayoral/chairmanship elections. He said, if re-elected, he will prioritize road construction.

The main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) mayoral candidate for KMC told journalists that his first term [2018-2023] was focused on waste management.

“When we were coming into the office, waste management was on our top list because of the illegal dumpsites that existed in communities, riverine areas, gutters, abundant homes, and markets,” he explained.

Bensouda said promises are “dangerous”, saying if they [promises] fail, they become lies.

“In UDP, our leader has always told us not to promise people but to always talk about our plans,” he noted.

According to him, the waste management issue has now been fixed. “We want to move to other areas and the top of our list this coming five years is road infrastructure,” Bensouda revealed.

He added that based on the surveys they conducted and feedback they got from their councillors, road network is the biggest problem within the Kanifing Municipality.

“Before we ended the first mandate, we passed a project called ‘The Kanifing Municipal Road Network Project (The KMRNP)’. This project will cost more than three hundred million dalasis (D300,000,000). We will construct twenty-three kilometers (23km) of roads in our municipality and six kilometers (6km) of drain network,” he narrated.

Confident of victory, Bensouda said the council over the past years has witnessed significant improvement that has improved the quality of living among residents of KM.

“We will ensure road safety will be observed in places like schools, mosques, and places of convergence to ensure that traffic is controlled,” he promised.

He commended the people of Kanifing Municipality for allowing him run the affairs of the council over the years while urging them to give him a second mandate to continue what he described as ‘forward development’.

The unveiling ceremony was held at Sea View Garden in Senegambia and was attended by Ousainou Darboe Esq, the leader of the United Democratic Party and other prominent opposition leaders including Musa Ousainou Yali Bachilly, leader of the Gambia Action Party, and representatives of Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) and National Unity Party (NUP). These parties have endorsed the re-election of Mr. Bensouda.

By: Fatou Kebbeh

A 20 million civil lawsuit against five (5) schools filed by several ‘hijabi’ students has been heard by Justice Ebrima Jaiteh of the Banjul High Court on Thursday for the first time.

Gambia Senior Secondary School, St. Therese’s Upper Basic School, Reverend JC Faye, Grace Bilingual School and St. Peter’s Senior Secondary School have been sued, having allegedly caused emotional distress and embarrassment to students after allegedly forcing them to remove their veils.

Hundreds of people gathered at the premises of the High Court to show support for what is apparently an unprecedented case in the country.

Most were dressed in veils and sitting at the Arch 22nd.

The students, three (3) of whom are minors, sued the five schools, the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education and the Attorney General as they seek enforcement of their constitutional right in the 1997 Constitution to be allowed to use veil.

Under the Gambian Constitution, the High Court has the exclusive original jurisdiction to hear and decide on cases of fundamental rights and freedoms.

The applicants want the court to make an order directing the schools to allow them and other Muslim female students to wear veils in the expression of their Islamic beliefs.

They also want the court to make an order directing the Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education to take up all necessary measures including passing of laws, rules and regulations to ensure that schools allow female students to wear veils.

The students are Kadijatou Saidy (1st applicant), Maimuna H. Jawo (2nd applicant), Fatou Binta Darboe (3rd applicant), Aasiya A. Darbo (4th applicant) while the 5th and 7th applicants are all minors. The representatives of all the parties for the applicants and the defendants were present in court.

The matter was adjourned to the 20th of June 2023 at 10 a.m. for a hearing.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Honourable Yahya Sanyang, the National Assembly Member for Latrikunda Sabiji has filed a report at the Bundung Police Station against a woman identified as Fanta Jawara who, according to the lawmaker, is an NPP supporter disguised as a UDP supporter in a viral WhatsApp audio attacking the Jola tribe.

He warned people to desist from tribal attacks, saying even supporters of the party will be dealt with if they are found using tribal comments.

Speaking exclusively to The Fatu Network, Honourable Sanyang clarified that the person behind the tribal comment is not a supporter of UDP.

“UDP will never accept any tribal comments associated with it. We are not tribal; we only give our policies and programme.

“This goes out to even our supporters. No UDP supporter should engage in tribal bigotry or tribal remarks. Any of our supporters who are found wanting of tribal comments will be expelled from the party and we will hand them over to the law,” Hon. Sanyang emphasized.

The lawmaker told The Fatu Network that such tribal comments can lead to disputes and unrest among the people of the Kanifing Municipality.

Asked about why he took the matter to the police, Hon. Sanyang responded, “She resides in my constituency, and we don’t tolerate tribalism.”

He disclosed that the impersonator disguised herself as a “Mandinka UDP supporter.”

“Our investigations revealed that she is one Fanta Jawara who resides in Latrikunda Sabiji Constituency, Piccadilly.

“She is an NPP supporter who disguises herself as a UDP supporter just to tag UDP as a tribal party.

“We got information from the NPP executive coordinating group that she released the audio. People came from that group and informed them she is the one and the audio was picked from that group.

“There is no doubt that she is Fanta Jawara and there is no doubt that she is NPP,” Hon. Sanyang explained.

For Honorable Sanyang, Fanta’s exposure is an indication of what he refers to as “NPP dirty politics.”

He accused the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) of engaging in tribal politics by visiting certain tribes during campaigns and ignoring others.

“If they (NPP) are interested in developing the KMC then why are they visiting some tribes and not all tribes in their house-to-house campaigns?

“The NPP is only doing this to increase the dissatisfaction of other tribes against UDP so that people will vote against UDP.

“This is what they continue doing to accuse UDP of being a tribal party,” he added.

Despite the audio coming at a very critical time of the local government elections, Hon. Sanyang is optimistic that this will not affect the party or its candidates rather it exposes the political bigotry of the NPP.

“This is a move well circulated to implicate UDP, but Allah has come to our aid and that Fanta Jawara is an NPP supporter,” he told The Fatu Network in an exclusive interview.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Fanta Fatty, a 37-year-old resident of Mariama Kunda is pleading for urgent support to start up her business after getting all the required paperwork, training, and business ideas.

Fanta’s business plan is centered on helping rural women gardeners to access markets to minimize income loss due to lack of storage and processing capacity.

“I got the idea when I was in the village in Basse after seeing how women gardeners struggled to sell their vegetables after harvesting. So, I chose to start a business where I can buy the vegetables from them, process into different products and package well to avoid spoilage,” Fanta told The Fatu Network.

However, Fanta’s ambition towards helping rural women gardeners has come to a halt due to the conditions of her family.

“Now I have got all the paperwork, training, business card/plan, and registered the business [Fanta’s Agricultural Food Processing] but my husband is seriously sick. I want to start the business but I have spent all what I had saved to help cure my husband,” she narrated.

This has left the young woman with no choice but to openly seek support for her business.

“I am a young woman and I don’t want to beg people always; so I choose the business so that I can support my family and create job opportunities for other young people. I have children whom I need to take care of with the money I earn from my own sweat,” she noted.

She told The Fatu Network that she needs a Q-box that she will place on the highway to start the business before it grows.

She is engaged in the processing of agricultural products into a variety of finished products with proper packaging to attract market buyers.

Fanta mentioned that she needs approximately Fifty Thousand Dalasis (D50,000) for her business.

Anyone who wishes to support her either in cash or in kind can call following mobile numbers: +220 700 5061 OR +220 334 1268

Every year, 3rd May is observed as a day to remind governments and other stakeholders of the need to respect their commitment to press freedom. It is a day for media workers globally to reflect on issues of press freedom and professional ethics. The day is also set aside to support media that are oftentimes targets of violation and abuse.

This year’s World Press Freedom Day theme “Shaping a Future of Rights: Freedom of expression as a driver for all other human rights” signifies the enabling element of freedom of expression to enjoy and protect all other human rights.

Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right from which all other human rights can be realised. In fact, a new UNESCO analysis of V-Dem data in 180 countries indicates a strong correlation between Freedom of Expression and the health of other human rights.

The UNESCO analysis shows that the countries with the highest levels of freedom of expression also enjoy a significantly higher level of protection of civil, political, economic and social rights, such as access to justice, a near absence of political killings and very low levels of exclusion across gender, socio-economic, urban-rural, political and social group indicators.

“Therefore, the GPU is urging The Gambia Government to make the realisation of freedom of expression and a free and independent press a top priority for Gambians to fully enjoy all other rights, including civil, political, economic and social rights,” GPU President Muhammed S. Bah said.

State of Press Freedom

In The Gambia, there have been significant improvements in press freedom and freedom of expression in recent years, after the country saw a 35-point improvement to rank 50th position out of 180 countries in 2022, according to Reporters without Borders Press Freedom Index. The 2023 Index released today by RSF ranks The Gambia 46 out of 180 countries.

There has also been a proliferation of media houses, which means more people now have access to the media to express their opinions. The number of private radio stations have increased by almost 75% with 39 FM stations in operations, according to data from the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority (PURA), which is responsible for registration of broadcast media. Gambians now enjoy the luxury of watching multiple local television channels with five private television stations in operations, in addition to the national television. There are seven newspapers, nine community radio stations, and at least twenty online news media platforms.

“Despite this progress, there are still a significant number of press freedom and freedom of expression concerns, including the pending media law reforms, the physical attacks on journalists by mainly the police and political party activists, and the verbal attacks on journalists by politicians including the president of the republic,” GPU Secretary General Modou S. Joof said.

The Gambia Press Union there for reiterates its call on the Gambia government, especially the executive and the legislature, to expedite the process of media law reforms. Proposed media law reforms promised six years ago have yet to be realised.

Though some media laws found in the Criminal Code have not been replicated in the Criminal Offences Bill, 2022 – there are still some problematic sections like false publication and broadcasting that are replicated. These laws have been recommended to be repealed by the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC), which the government has accepted in its white paper.

“Apart from the slow progress in media law reforms, physical attacks on journalists since 2017 are committed with impunity. There absolutely no accountability for crimes against journalists,” Joof said.

For example, out of the recorded five cases of intimidations, attacks, assaults, arrests, detentions and prosecution of journalists and civil society activists, the data from the GPU State of Freedom of Expression Report, 2021, shows that:

i) 3 violations resulted in no legal action being taken against the violators; and

ii) 3 violations with no serious investigation carried out by the Police, with only an apology being proffered on behalf of the violators.

Since 2017, no one has ever been brought to book for any of the violations, and the climate of impunity for crimes against journalist persists.

“The GPU wishes to remind the government that it is the responsibility of the state to guarantee journalists’ safety and combat impunity and enable the media to carry out its work independently and without interference,” Bah said.

Upcoming local elections

As the mayoral elections enters the nominations and campaign periods, we urged all political parties, their leaders and followers, to refrain from both physical and verbal attacks on journalists, and from any act of intimidation towards journalists. Political party leaders have a responsibility to ensure that journalists covering their events (press conferences and political rallies) are safe and free to do their work without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

We are also urging the police to refrain from assaulting journalists before, during and after the elections, and political party leaders and government officials to refrain from making statements against journalists or the media that are likely to fan violence against journalists.

In the same vein, we are urging journalists to remain apolitical in their coverage of the election process and to strictly adhere to the Cherno Jallow Charter of Ethics for Journalists (the industrywide code of conduct for journalists) and the Rules for Election Coverage by the Independent Electoral Commission. Finally, in commemoration of this World Press Freedom Day, we wish to pay tribute to the fallen heroes of the Gambian media.

These are those who sacrificed their lives and livelihoods for the freedom and development of Gambian media in particular, and an inclusive and democratic Gambia based on respect for human rights and dignity.

For inquiries, Contact GPU Secretary General

Tel: +220 348 0043

Email: [email protected]

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

Ismaila Badjie, a strategist in Ahmed Gitteh’s team, who is running to become the next chairman of the Brikama Area Council, has revealed to The Fatu Network that 10% of the council under the chairmanship of Gitteh will consist of the differently-abled, a group of people who have hardly ever been considered for positions within the council.

Badjie disclosed this to TFN after accompanying Ahmed Gitteh to submit his nomination papers at the IEC regional office in Brikama earlier today.

Mr. Badjie explained that the youths of the region, the less empowered, and the differently-abled are not integrated into the council, something, according to him, the Gitteh council will change if elected chairman of the council.

“We will make sure that the youth are integrated. We will make sure that the differently-abled are integrated. We are looking at around ten per cent of the positions in the council to be given to the differently-abled,” he said.

According to them, they can serve as secretaries and the only thing one will need is just to sit and receive or make calls to the work.

“We can have a secretary who can work. She just needs to sit and receive phone calls. They are also part of our society,” he stressed.

Badjie believes the best candidate in this contest is Ahmad Gitteh and is convinced that he will bring the needed development in the region including empowering young people and women.

The area councils in the country are generally marred with corruption. However, according to Badjie, Gitteh’s nine-point agenda will stamp out corruption in the council.

Ahmad Gitteh, after submitting his nomination papers today, told reporters that he is more optimistic now than ever before, noting that he has the support of the youth and women.

He expressed and reiterated his commitment to helping young people through entrepreneurship support should he be elected as the chairman of the Brikama Area Council on the 20th of May.

Ahmad Gitteh and his team have a nine-point agenda which they promised to share with the people of the West Coast region.

By: Dawda Baldeh

Ebrima Nyang, administrative secretary (1) of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) said incumbent KMC mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, who is seeking re-election under the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) ticket, is better than the mayoral candidate of ruling National People’s Party (NPP) Bakary Y. Badjie.

Mr. Nyang said “the NPP has no agenda.”

Nyang, who was in attendance at Talib’s nomination on Monday 1st May, said “All genuine voters in Kanifing Municipality (KM) should vote for Talib Ahmed Bensouda if they are interested in development.”

He told journalists that his party [GDC] and every other individual within KM has seen the improvement Talib made within the past five years.

“Talib Ahmed Bensouda is better than NPP Bakary Y. Badjie because those people have no agenda. That is why they continue accusing him [Bensouda] everyday without producing any evidence.

GDC will vote for him because he is committed to developing KM which is in line with our party agenda,” Nyang explained.

Asked about what others referred to as a setback for GDC endorsing the UDP mayoral candidate, Nyang responded, “We are all oppositions, and we have a common goal which is to rescue the country from Present Barrow’s continuous failure in delivering the country’s needs.”

He added that opposition parties are not enemies and that they can endorse each other when necessary.

“No one is happy with how Barrow is ruling the country not even some of his close friends. We want to remove Barrow and put the country in the right direction. Talib is a good person who has proven himself to be given a chance for re-election and we will re-elect him,” Nyang added.

When questioned about the difference between the two large crowds each nominee pulled during their nominations, Nyang wasted no time in asserting that NPP borrowed people from all regions to attend nomination in KM.

“I can tell you they borrow people from all parts of the country just to make sure they have the crowd. But as you can see, the people behind Bensouda are from KMC and if you go to Banjul or West Coast you will see different people not like what NPP did to bring everyone at KM,” he asserted.

The young politician said the people of KM have already decided to vote for Bensouda and that Barrow and his people will lose the election ‘woefully’.

He further commented on the relationship between UDP and GDC, saying UDP is the first party to openly support GDC when their Niamina West lawmaker died.

“Because our candidate died while serving, UDP refused to put up anyone to contest for the by-election and they supported us [GDC]. So, we have a very good relationship as opposition parties,” he explained.

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

The Secretary-General and party leader of the opposition United Democratic Party (UDP), Lawyer Ousainou Darboe, has challenged President Adama Barrow and his National People’s Party (NPP) to a debate on ideas and programmes instead of competing to show who pulls out more crowds, declaring that UDP is not into a crowd competition as that is insignificant to the Gambian people.

The UDP party leader challenged the ruling party for a debate on ideas and what they can offer Gambians. He said his party will demonstrate to Gambians why they have been backing the wrong horse.

“I challenge them. Let them come. Let us debate ideas. Let us meet ‘fasa fass’ whatever they say, we [will] show them it is not true. So that Gambians have now realized that really, they were backing the wrong horse,” he said.

Darboe was speaking to the press at the UDP’s Manjai Bureau after the nomination of the party’s candidates in the mayoral and chairperson elections today.

Yesterday, after the nomination of its candidate for mayoral and chairmanship elections, the NPP organized a grand rally at Buffer Zone with a large crowd.

Today, it was UDP’s turn for nominations, and they had a bustling crowd as well. However, Darboe said that his party is not in a crowd competition with the NPP. Instead, they want to compete in ideas.

“If it is about the crowd, we are not in a crowd competition. We want to compete in ideas. We want to compete in programmes. We want to compete in the ability to satisfy the Gambian people and not the crowd. The crowd is insignificant. What is significant for the Gambian people is what we can offer them,” he told reporters.

Darboe sounded confident that his party candidates will win in the various local government area councils in the country. While expressing hope for the election, he implored his party supporters to be law-abiding during the course of the elections.

Both the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and United Democratic Party (UDP) pulled out a bustling crowd in their various area councils in the Kombos.