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Ousman Touray Wins Heroes Award Exemplary Youth Award

Hadram Hydara
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Ousman Touray Wins Heroes Award Exemplary Youth Award

By: Fatou Kebbeh

Ousman Touray, a young Gambian Pan-Africanist has won the Exemplary Youth Award of 2022/2023 Heroes Awards organized by The Fatu Network at a ceremony attended by prominent personalities across the country and beyond.

Speaking exclusively to The Fatu Network, Touray expressed gratitude to the organizers of the award and all those who supported him in the voting process.

Mr. Touray is among those young Africans who are gaining recognition in Pan-Africanism for their active advocacy on issues affecting the African continent.

He completed his bachelor’s degree program in Development Studies in 2019, from the University of The Gambia (UTG).

While waiting for his graduation, he went to Rwanda for a post-graduation program. Ousman is currently pursuing a master’s degree in international development.

“Winning this award is a big plus for me because I felt like we’re being recognized home, and also our work and engagement matters to the people of The Gambia,” said Ousman.

He added that whatever a person does is inspired by a story in one way or the other.

“I grew up in the remotest place of this country where having access to basic needs was a big challenge.

“But seeing people striving to make things better despite the conditions in which they live in has help shape my activities whether in academia or engagements socially,” he added.

The young Pan-Africanist mentioned that he is motivated daily, adding that sometimes he travels around the continent to attend different events with little or no support for his travel expenses.

Narrating his inspirational journey to TFN’s reporter, Mr. Touray revealed his interest and passion in serving young people and how to take part in eradicating some of the challenges faced by young people so they could realize their possibilities.

“The youth need people to look up to as mentors who have been there before them, so they could show them the way because it’s important,” Ousman told the Fatu Network.

He added that, his father, and individual scholars both in Gambia and outside, have really helped in shaping the person he is today.

When asked for his opinion on the award he won out of hundreds of others who are doing the same or similar advocacy, Ousman responded that he had the opportunity to represent Gambia in different national and international forums, helped support young entrepreneurs, took part in giving back to community and has been part of high-level dialogues.

He emphasized that he has been in the spotlight in African discussions, especially in areas of development, worked under logistics in The Gambia where they do distribution of goods across the country and in the sub region.

Despite all these achievements, Ousman outlined challenges he faced while growing up.

“I remember it was a struggle to get to a good high school not [to] talk of moving to the University, [I] also encountered [a] lot of challenges especially securing scholarships.”

According to him, these were not the only challenges because in his entrepreneurial journey, he tried lot of businesses but failed.

He added that he was also deported in some countries, but he never stopped because challenges are what motivate people.

The young Pan-Africanist urged for young people to be supported, noting that it is the responsibility of everyone to take part in making things better.

OPINION: Unemployment in The Gambia: A threat to National Development.

Hadram Hydara
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OPINION: Unemployment in The Gambia: A threat to National Development.

By: Katiby Sawo

A good number of young people in The Gambia are unemployed. Every year, our schools pumped out graduates, who scavenged to secure jobs on their own.

There is nothing much being done by the Gambia Government under the leadership of His Excellency President Adama Barrow, having the primary duty to create job opportunities for Gambians, to address this menace.

What is the government doing to remedy this problem? Is the government going to allow this problem to persist?

The Gambia has a youthful population. Therefore, The Gambia has the potential to become a vibrant country in Africa since it has the human resource.

However, most of the youth spend their days at the ghettos and would either drink green tea or smoke.

This smoking and drinking green tea in the ghetto doesn’t mean they are aimless. The reality is they are ready to work but the working environment is not provided by the government.

Some want to become teachers, accountants, engineers, journalists, etc. They end up becoming street boys because they can’t fulfil their dreams.

The Gambia government doesn’t establish enough factories; on the other hand, the private sectors are weak.

If the private sector was strong, it would have been the game changer and hope for the young people because it would have consumed most of the jobless youths.

Due to family stress and hope for better living standards, some of the youths would prefer to embark on the back-way journey to Europe in search of greener pastures.

This is because they feel that their situation will never change in The Gambia and they will never be able to realize their potential.

The government of The Gambia should put the youth into consideration, they are the majority in this country.

More than 50% of the country’s population are youths, and half are jobless or not earning good pay. What should be done to remedy this tragic situation in the country, of Gambia?

The ministry through the government of The Gambia should focus on the labour market. The ministries in their capacity can create or build skill centres within each region throughout the country.

Doing so will make it possible for some youths to engage in meaningful activities and then utilize their skills to earn something for themselves and their family.

In conclusion, if all these things are considered, the labour market will reduce and the force of unemployment will beat down, which will eventually result in positive feedback.

The issue of embarking on the ‘backway’ will likely decline.

Mama Kandeh – I can see GDC is stopping NPP from sleeping 

Amara Thoronka
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Mama Kandeh – I can see GDC is stopping NPP from sleeping 

By: Dawda Baldeh

The leader of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) party Mamma Kandeh has accused the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) of engaging in what he calls ‘dirty politics’, asking the ruling party to speak the truth when engaging electorates.

Kandeh’s rivalry with the NPP dated back four years ago and got tensed after the 2021 presidential election which he and others rejected and refused to congratulate President Adama Barrow on his victory. He said everyone has the right to seek any political position in the country.

“I know that no one can stop the NPP from politics, but politics is not about spreading lies. Let them speak the truth when talking to the people which is better than making unfounded accusations,” Kandeh said, adding that it is not necessary to accuse people.

He said the NPP should remember that they are Gambians and that they have every right to seek any position and that the GDC cannot deny them that right.

“We are not accusing them, so they should stop accusing us. They should do the right thing because they are the ruling party. This is very sad,” Kandeh added.

The GDC leader thanked his supporters for standing with the party, describing them as heroes. However, he denied that the party is dead as claimed by his opponent the NPP.

“I can see GDC is stopping NPP from sleeping. They are not looking at any other party apart from GDC. They can fabricate any story against us by bringing people and claiming they are from GDC who are cross carpeting to NPP.

I heard Saikou Mballow reacting to a recent CepRASS survey which predicted UDP will have more seats in the mayoral and chairmanship election. He (Saikou) agreed with the survey but he said things have changed recently. What led to the change is that they (NPP) have discussed with the GDC militants,” he asserted.

According to Kandeh, the assertions by Saikou Mballow means that GDC is existing even though they (NPP) claimed they have killed the party. The GDC boss added that the NPP wish is to end the existence of GDC saying that will never happen.

“The party will never collapse. I don’t own anyone and I don’t buy anyone but there are people who believe in the party and they believe in me. I am calling our supporters to vote for the UDP contestants wherever we don’t have a candidate,” he emphasized.

Kandeh also mentioned that he heard Saikou Mballow claiming that they formed an alliance with UDP. “This is not true. Saikou cannot witness where we formed alliance with UDP and we know that we don’t have alliance with UDP,” he noted.

Kandeh urged GDC supporters especially in the North Bank to vote for the candidate for the United Democratic Party because they cannot afford to vote for someone who belittles them.

“Papa Njie Tunkara said oppositions are nothing and they cannot do anything that is why he left GDC to join NPP. Hence, he said we are nothing, I believe he doesn’t need our votes and we should not give him our votes.

Let’s give our votes to Bojang, the UDP candidate. He is an opposition like us. I think this is better than sitting at home and not going to vote or by giving half votes to Papa Tunkara,” he stressed.

The opposition leader emphasized that anywhere they don’t have a candidate, apart from the West Coast Region, they will vote for UDP candidates.

“In Brikama Area Council, we endorsed Jainaba Bah, the Peoples Progressive Party candidate. If they are saying we have sold our party to UDP then why are they not saying we have sold our party to PPP? I am urging the NPP to have some shame and do the right thing because that is the only thing that will last,” he said.

 

A HIGH-LEVEL GPF DELEGATION VISITS THE BADEN WUTTERMBERG STATE POLICE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

Hadram Hydara
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A HIGH-LEVEL GPF DELEGATION VISITS THE BADEN WUTTERMBERG STATE POLICE OF THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY

A delegation of nine senior officers of The Gambia Police Force led by the AIG Admin Mr. Ebrima Bah, departed Banjul International Airport on Monday 8th May 2023, for a week-long official visit to their counterparts in The German State of Baden Wuttermberg.

The visit is part of the implementation process of The German Police Support Team Project in The Gambia aimed to provide The GPF delegation the opportunity to participate in a ‘Training Workshop on Evaluation and Strategic Consulting’ to strengthen the management and coordination mechanisms of the Joint Project work activities.

Speaking on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ebrima Bah explained that the visit will not only strengthen the existing cordial collaboration and cooperation between the two parties but also deepen the understanding and perspective of members of The Gambian delegation on general police work. AIG Bah said with optimism that the visit will also help in securing support for more training and capacity-building programs for The GPF.

The Senior Project Officer of The GPST Mr. Sven Stredther, who has served a three-year term in The Gambia, also thanked The GPF for their support and cooperation in enhancing the work of the project since 2018.

The visit continues with study tours to several Police institutions and facilities in the Baden Wuttemberg State.

Veteran floriculturist purchases house from flower sales

Hadram Hydara
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By: Lolly Sowe

Narr Sambou, a Senegalese national in The Gambia and a veteran Floriculturist with over four decades as a floriculturist, has disclosed to The Fatu Network the benefits he gains in a business most people associate with low-income earners.

Narr began selling flowers in the early 80s and he has benefited immensely from the income generated as he purchased a house for his family in Senegal, pays school fees for his children, and feeds the family.

The business of flower vases is more useful than just serving as a water source for cut flowers according to him.

The right vase will help a flower arrangement keep its form for the most attractive display throughout your event and it will also help support blooms in the best position.

Narr Sambou who is described as a dedicated, committed, and passionate old man who started selling flower vases in the 1980s in the previous regimes to date at the Fajara Traffic Lights said the business is beneficial.

He explained that he has been doing the business for 40 years. He normally buys sand and pays workers for workmanship, and then sells them for D2500.

Research has shown that having a flower vase on display is known to stimulate the appetite of your eyes which has more of a purpose in our style.

“This has indeed been a great source of livelihood to me and my family. I pay rent from the income generated, provide clothing for my family, and even bought a house for my family in Senegal,” he explained.

The ancient Egyptians are thought to be the earliest civilization to have used vases for decorative purposes.

TRIBUTE: Omar Amadou Jallow: A Pillar, Patriotic Son, Remarkable Servant

Hadram Hydara
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TRIBUTE: Omar Amadou Jallow: A Pillar, Patriotic Son, Remarkable Servant

By Toney F Mendy

Our political scene is pregnant with iniquities, arrogance with its evils, where many souls constantly seduce political power and wealth for no creative use. Today, I am paying tribute to an uncle and a friend who is an illustrious participant in that scene, but I dare say without hesitation that even with the fallible characteristics of all humans, Omar Amadou Jallow was a different player in the political history of The Gambia.

Happily, today… tons of eulogies are in sight all over social media, as could be heard on radio and tv stations each competingly speaking of the distinguishing essences that characterize the person of Omar Amadou Jallow.

It speaks volumes of his person. In truth, there are certain dynamics of the human character, growth, and commitment to an agenda which can only occur within defined principles and conviction. Psychologists contend, and I believe the same to be true, that when a person commits to principles and conviction and sacrifices personal desires for the greater good of the members of his society, he attunes himself to the eternal soul of that society.

He becomes immortal in history. Today, Omar Amadou Jallow has attained such glory. Rest in heaven, Uncle Omar Amadou Jallow.

The great admirer of Kwame Nkrumah and Ahmed Sékou Touré, Omar Amadou Jallow, the son of Alagie Amadou Jallow (1902-1992) and Aji Rohey Jallow (1923-2015- from Makeni Sierra Leone) was a GOOD MAN.

The first Minister of Water Resources and Forestry of The Gambia, former Minister of Agriculture, former Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs, former Public Relations Officer of the former Gambia Commercial and Development Bank, former National Assembly Member for Serre-Kunda East, and former Cooperative Societies Inspector… I suppose only one fact stems from these and many more records and memories: Uncle Omar Amadou Jallow lived most if not all his life in the service of the people of The Gambia.

There you have a great case of a selfless, fearless, and patriotic man whose defiance against abuse of state authority meant Jihad. It meant rejecting countless seductive attempts to purchase his political loyalty against his former boss, President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara. It meant being prepared to be physically weakened by inhuman and degrading torture and treatments, with twenty-two recurring arrests and relentless abuse of his beloved family. Yet it also means: Never surrendering to the inhuman and barbaric ends of former Jammeh-led Government.

Regardless of the bitter experiences he faced and having had the opportunity to revenge, grace and forgiveness continued to fill his heart.  Omar Amadou Jallow was a GOOD MAN.  In faith, he would say, “I believe whatever that ordained to happen would happen”. I forgive him, [Jammeh]…” He meant it.

Momentarily, he would proceed to compare him (Jammeh) to the former military President of Ghana, Jerry John Rawlings’ terrible ascension to power and how through serious self-reflection and guidance became one of the best Presidents to ever emerge in West Africa. Regardless, Omar Amadou Jallow hated coups. As a professed student of Kwame Nkrumah- Omar Amadou Jallow has sworn in protest against the toppling of Nkrumah, never to serve in any military government in his life. He never did.

The former student of Saint Theresa’s School (1954- 1960), and Saint Augustine’s (1961-1966) was admired by many for his straightforwardness and the measured authority with which he expresses his opinions. He was solid yet a humble man.

He could not forget ‘Mother Madalen” and the great memories with Father Francis Farrell, Teacher Moses Sarr, Paul Baldeh, and Father Komma among others. He was grateful to his teachers. Many were later his friends… Every stubborn student is a friend of many teachers.

The passing of time has confirmed that indeed he is a man of the people. A humble man. A humble man.  Friendship meant a lot to him.

As I stood watching mourners at his residence just yesterday, a former classmate of his, looking old, popped in and announced himself and soon there were a few laughs from some family members who seem to know about their relationship. As if to say… “Ah, my friend has lived a worthy life, he is gone, I will soon go too…”, the old feeble friend greeted family members and smiled around. My heart was caressed. What is to life than humanity? Omar Amadou Jallow had it. He was hardly ever drunk with the power to forget anyone. He could recount with clarity for hours, fascinating fun memories of his former classmates, Ousainou Darboe (of the UDP) Lamin Sonko, Abdou Jah, Cherno Joof, Foday Jarjusey, Pa John Williams… list them on. He was a GOOD MAN

Three or so weeks later, I received a call following a public lecture where I invited him through a friend. It was a call of protest.  “Ah Mr. Mendy, my university boy…  I haven’t heard from you since the event ended…? It was strange but mostly, I was ashamed. How could I have not observed that this great citizen was already acquainted with me?  I apologized. He apologized in return and added that he would wish me to visit. ‘I have more to share with you’ he said with amusement.

This is partly because I was enthusiastically opposed to his staunch conviction that former President Jawara was the “best” and that he (President Jawara) has achieved tremendous developments for The Gambia of which young people like myself are unaware. He sought to persuade me further. “Come on Friday, I will show you a list of projects by Jawara…you young people need to know”; And he did. To further demonstrate to me where President Jawara had moved The Gambia from… He would offer me the book “Enter Gambia: The Birth of an Improbable Nation” by Berkeley Rice. It did little help. I could disagree with him even publicly; it meant nothing to him. “One of the best qualities I learned from Jawara…was that a leader must always listen. Jawara listens” He would advise.

Omar Jallow was never happy with the inglorious treatment of Sir Dawda by the Jammeh-led administration and the systematic campaign aimed at diminishing his achievements as head of State. He was a loyal servant, friend, and son to Sir Dawda. He was grateful to him as well.

“People mislead Jawara… If he had listened to me, the 1994 Coup would not have happened, but many made him believe that if he resigns, the party will collapse and because he listens to people… they managed to keep him in power for their interests. Most African leaders were committing mistakes because nobody was there to tell them the truth.” He said as we discussed the pitfalls of the PPP government and the cumulative events leading to the 1994 coup.

As ‘young’ as Omar Amadou Jallow was at the time, he was the only Progressive People’s Party member who frankly and openly agreed with President Jawara to resign as he then intended. In many years to come, everyone else would have seemingly abandoned President Jawara but for Omar Amadou Jallow.

In 2018, he would repeat a similar call for Mr. President Adama Barrow to honour the ‘Coalition Agreement’ and resign after serving three years. “For me… it was a matter of principles, we need to respect each other as [elderly statemen] and fear God”.

In a word, I can’t exhaustively recount the life, history, and invaluable contributions of Omar Amadou Jallow to our beloved country.

Do you know of his stubborn childhood days in Old Yundum, Serre-Kunda, and Bathurst? What of his matrilineage family in Sierra Leone and the delightful annual visits to Mama Salone? Are you aware of his time in Ghana, his love for Banku, Waakye, Kokonte, and plenty more delicious dishes of Ghana, or how he lived in Accra, Kumasi, or Ashanti? Have you heard him speak of his relationship with Ahmed Sékou Touré and what lifting the casket of the former leader of Guinea Conakry meant to him?  Of his trip to Fidel Castro in Cuba or his journey of truth-telling even before then feared Zimbabwe’s President Robert Gabriel Mugabe, and how he was deported from that country while on an official mission for allegedly “disrespecting the President”? What about how young Omar Amadou Jallow became the darling of former Prime Minister of Jamaica, Michael Manley, or how the former President of Ivory Coast, Mr. Félix Houphouët-Boigny was so impressed by his young status, courage, and vocality to the extent of even requesting him to prolong his official mission to Ivory Coast for the fun of his company? The blunder of Thomas Sankara before his eyes at the Conference of African Leaders? Are you fully aware of his relationship with Sir Jawara, Bishop Emeritus Michael Joseph Cleary, or his sports life with the Rockefellers Football Club later renamed Kwame Nkrumah Football Club…?

Admittedly, a book won’t be enough to recount the amazing life of a humble man with a unique passion for the service of his people. A fearless freedom fighter has rested. Uncle OJ is gone.

…that day I visited him…with a smile and in not so many words, what he meant was ‘I want this done before I die’. I smiled back, refusing to accept the irking thought of it. ‘God willing, we will complete it (a project) before the end of the year’ I assured and proceeded to joke that I would need him to guide and show me the survival tactics should beloved Gambia fall back to the dark days of Jammeh. “Oh no… that can NEVER AGAIN happen in this country.” He affirmed.

When we attain the dreamed Gambia, where humanity strives, where citizens are fearless and pride themselves in protest against the abuse of state authority and continuously demand for accountability, respect for human probity, peace, love, and unity… I will remind them that there was once an OMAR AMADOU JALLOW.

Bensouda details plans for affordable housing in KMC

Hadram Hydara
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Bensouda details plans for affordable housing in KMC

By: Dawda Baldeh

Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda, who is seeking re-election under the main opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) ticket, has given a detailed explanation of his proposed affordable housing plan within the municipality from 2023-2028 in an exclusive interview with The Fatu Network yesterday, May 15 at his KMC office in Westfield.

Bensouda outlined several development obstacles facing the municipality and said affordable housing is key among his agender if re-elected.

He described affordable housing as a key pillar of his plan from 2023-2028, saying housing is a big problem in the Kanifing Municipality.

“KMC is overpopulated due to rural-urban migration, high birth rate, and land constraints because it is one of the most urbanized regions,” he said, adding that most of the lands in KMC are already built.

The incumbent mayor added that lands in KMC are one of the most expensive lands in the country. This, he noted, continues to make housing and rental prices very high due to the continuously growing population with limited land leading to skyrocketing prices of rent and land.

“One Wiseman said, ‘God has stopped creating lands but has not stopped creating humans so every human wants a land and that’s a problem.’

“We cannot control rental prices because the rent tribunal is no longer under KMC and is now at the Kanifing Magistrate Court. We do not have the mandate to bring legislations to create things such as price ceilings on rent,” he clarified.

He mentioned that to achieve the vision, they can be part of the suppliers to make housing affordable as it is happening in many countries globally.

“In Senegal, they have a ministry of housing and in many countries, municipal councils create what they called affordable housing. For example, in the UK, they called it council flats,” he explained.

According to the incumbent mayor, the purpose is to cater to the most vulnerable people in society.

“In the case of our municipality, these are youths who are just graduating from school and looking for employment, youths in skills trade, new workers who are just beginning their lives and not earning a high income, vulnerable families such as women with small babies in many cases, divorcees, they are very vulnerable because they are the ones who are feeding the children, paying for their school fees, paying rent and there is a lot of pressure on their income,” he highlighted.

Bensouda told The Fatu Network that landlords are increasing rent monthly due to the higher cost of living.

Asked about how he intends to go with the plan with the limited lands within the municipality, Bensouda emphasized that they will partner with private, individual landowners and the central government to make housing affordable for the people.

“KMC as a council doesn’t have enough lands even the government doesn’t have enough lands in KMC. There are a lot of individuals who have empty plots, sometimes abundant houses and we intend to partner with those people to create affordable housing in those communities.

“The few lands we have in some cases are quarries and some are just empty lands like in Abuko, we intend to bring about a project. To get funding, we have set up a task force comprising Doudou Mbye as chairperson who is a longtime serving member of UN-Habitat and specialist on urban planning on affordable housing, Lamin Manneh, formerly part of the AFDB, an expert in sourcing for financing, Lamin Sanneh, who is working formally with Standard Chartered and now working across the globe in international finance and most people know him as the head of OIC before and he is one of the engineers of the OIC project and he is an expert in souring for finance,” he revealed.

Bensouda expressed optimism that the task force will look at private equity, how to attract investors, grant funding, and how to partner with the central government or Social Security and Housing Finance Cooperation to make affordable housing a reality.

Quizzed on the unforeseen circumstances in getting lands from the central government, Bensouda responded: “There will be a lot of obstacles and we know that is a possibility.

“We requested lands from the government for different projects and we didn’t get it, but we requested lands from the government for some projects and we got it. They can be political obstacles; they can be limited lands obstacles but that’s why we are looking at an array of solutions and one is looking at private owners.

Election race in the Gambia: Islamic views on electing leaders and the onus of leaders

Hadram Hydara
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Election race in the Gambia: Islamic views on electing leaders and the onus of leaders

On Saturday, May 20th, the Gambia will go to the polls to elect, and decide whether to maintain the incumbent mayors, in BCC (Banjul City Council) and KMC (Kanifing Municipality Council) and Chairpersons in BAC (Brikama Area Council), Mansakonko and Basse or elect new representatives altogether.

Although many candidates are contesting in this forthcoming local government election. However, some candidates appear to be enjoying unique darling popularity from citizens due to their reputations, whilst others are pigeonholed for lack of credibility and competency to serve as representatives.

The passage to this election has been interesting for all the political parties, to say the least. From heated and unruly debates, attacks on policies and even personal matters scrutinized with the lens of criticism just to scrutinize the competency of each political party and party flag bearer all amidst a global economic recession and political crisis; it is clear that citizens demand not more and not less from all the political parties and their flag bearers.

But the least of all those citizens expect from all the political parties or party of their choice is to have the most robust party manifesto and blueprint to address the following burning issues that all Gambians have been facing; employment for the youth and social services, innovation, recycling projects, health, security, above all the desperate voices of the electorates in their respective constituencies to be heard and addressed.

Yet, some citizens have decided to stay home on the D-day of the election based on their beliefs that their votes will not make any changes in the system or the politicians. As the proverb goes, “Empty barrels make the most noise.” Meaning that politicians make plenty and only empty promises, which they do not fulfil at the end of the day.

However, as far as an Islamic perspective is concerned, leadership is a sacred trust, which must be upheld with complete trustworthiness, integrity and honesty. In chapter 4 of the Holy Qur’an, God the Almighty says:

‘Verily, Allah commands you to make over the trusts to those entitled to them, and that, when you judge between men, you judge with justice. And surely excellent is that with which Allah admonishes you. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Seeing’. (Chapter 4, verse 59)

In another place in the Holy Qur’an God, the Almighty says:

‘O ye who believe! Be steadfast in the cause of Allah, bearing witness in equity; and let not a people’s enmity incite you to act otherwise than with justice. Be always just, that is nearer to righteousness. And fear Allah. Surely, Allah is Aware of what you do.’ (Chapter 5, verse 9)

From these verses of the Holy Qur’an, Allah the Almighty tells us that the responsibility of running the affairs of the state should be entrusted to such people who are entitled to it. It means that leadership belongs to those who take the development of the state to be their sole priority, and who rule with honesty and integrity.

In addition, the Holy Qur’an commands us to not put candidates into public offices based on our tribal, regional, or family affiliations, which is hegemonic in some third-world countries, and for too long, this has been the main reason for standstill development in these parts of the world. People should be entrusted public offices after thorough and fair scrutiny of their party blueprint, manifesto, profile and reputation of the candidate.

His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba), the fifth Caliph and Worldwide Head of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, further beautifully explains this point:

“Nowadays members of the public vote for the party they support. They do not look at the person representing the party, whether they are deserving of the role or not. Neither is the voter acting with justice, nor is the person being given authority as a result of the votes acting justly” (An enlightening audience: Jamia UK graduates in the blessed company of Huzoor, Asif M. Basit, www.alhakam.org, 2nd November 2020″)

No leader has ever gratified this trust better than the Holy Prophet (saw). Even his bitter enemies who were day-to-day thirsty for his blood were compelled to attest to his high morals and integrity as a leader. Right before his claim to prophethood, the Holy Prophet (saw) was known as sadiq, the truthful, and amin, the trustworthy. His leadership inspired unwavering trust and his followers never questioned his intentions.

The Holy Prophet (saw) mentioned his model of leadership in his own words when he said,

“Your high morals will manifest themselves when you consider yourselves to be the servants of the nation and when you serve the general public with all your capabilities.” (Kanzul ‘Ammal, Vol 6,p. 710, Hadith 17517, published Beirut, 1885)

In connection to this, His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) asks this humble question,

‘Where do we see such standards among leaders and those occupying official posts today? (Friday Sermon delivered by Hazrat Khalifatul Masih V (aba) on March 2, 2018)

The Holy Prophet (saw) declared leadership as a sacred trust and he says that,

“The leader of the nation is their servant.” (Kanzul ‘Ammal, Vol 6, p.304, Hadith 17513, published Beirut, 2004)

He (saw) never felt superiority nor did he ever feel preference over himself towards the people. It is recorded in a narration that, once when a companion noticed that one of the shoelaces of the Holy Prophet (saw) was broken, he took the shoe to mend it, however the Holy Prophet (saw) would take it back and he (saw) said,

‘This is preferential treatment, and I do not like any preference to be given to me.’ (Ibid)

Moreover, these high moral standards of leadership are opposed to what we see in most politicians today. They live a life of luxury whilst the people they claim to be serving wallow in poverty with their families and are not provided with even the most basic proper social amenities.

During all his life as a prophet of God and a head of state, his entire life was an epitome of service to the people that he ruled. It is through these services that he connected with the people and whenever any of his companions called him, he would reply.

‘I am at your service’ (Al-Wafa’bi Ahwalil Mustafa by Allama ibn Jauzi, p.421)

In the modern world, the most effective way of enacting or amending changes in governments is to participate in the democratic process of electing leaders in every election, at every level. Through this manner, true and meaningful change can be made. His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad (aba) drew the attention of every citizen to exercise this right. He stated,

‘The real way to affecting change requires a more astute way to pressure the authorities. For example, every member should be mobilized to use their civic and democratic rights, rather than staying at home on election day. They, in turn, should encourage other citizens that if they want to affect change then they should take part in the democratic process, at all levels, as this is the means to bring change and vote in people who will further their rights and causes.’ (Letter from Huzoor (aba) to Ameer USA, June 2020)

Citizens can only exercise the right to hold the elected official accountable when the masses actively vote and take part in a democracy. The fourth caliph of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, Hazrat Mirza Tahir Ahmad (rh) spoke about the need for every Ahmadi to participate in elections. He stated:

‘Again, a trust must be discharged in good faith. Therefore, every voter must participate fully in exercising his vote during the elections unless he is unable to do so. Otherwise, he will have failed in the discharge of his own trust.’

The responsibility to make a free and fair election is indispensable in order to main peace and order in the Gambia, which is part of a democratic requirement and Islam in fact supports this principle. Now, the power to make useful and wise change lies in the hands of every electorate.

Whatever decision every electorate is making, the effect of it will not be only visible on their lives but even on the lives of their future generations. Your vote is your power, in your hands, so make a choice wisely. Democracy means every citizenry to exercise his or her constitutional right to vote peacefully, without creating any violence. I hope and pray for a peaceful and meaningful election in Mother Gambia. Ameen!

More than 20,000 people benefit from Girls’ Pride training on menstrual hygiene

Hadram Hydara
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By: Fatou Kebbeh

Girls’ Pride Gambia, an organization striving to improve menstrual poverty in the country, has educated over twenty thousand (20,000) boys, girls, men, and women on sexual reproductive health rights in The Gambia and beyond.

Fatoumatta Kassama, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the organization who holds a bachelor’s degree in nursing and reproductive health, explained what her inspiration was to start such an initiative.

“I was born and raised in a low-income family in a community where no one talked about issues that affect women and girls.

“Twenty years ago [2002], while I was in junior school, period poverty affected my education. I used to miss 3-5 days out of school during my period due to a lack of sanitary pads,” she narrated.

She added that in those days, she had little or no knowledge of how to take care of herself while on her period.

“I was bullied for always staining my uniforms and clothes with menstrual blood. I always had urogenital infections after my period.

“Fifteen years later, that is in [2017], I realized that period poverty is still affecting women and girls’ education, health, and economic status in The Gambia,” Kassama told The Fatu Network.

Girls’ Pride is said to have distributed over fifteen thousand (15,000) eco-friendly and reusable sanitary pads among adolescent girls and young women in The Gambia.

Ms Kassama stressed that the help from her family and close friends has impacted the lives of a lot of people in the country especially those in rural Gambia.

She also participated in the Mandela Washington Fellowship program, and through networking, she learned about reusable sanitary pads and how they are effective in addressing period poverty and keeping girls in school during their periods.

“This was how Girls’ Pride Gambia started,” she added.

According to her, they are not only empowering women but also encouraging gender equality. This is why boys and men are included in most of their training.

They also look at issues of gender-based violence, female genital mutilation, capacity-building training, mental health and well-being, teenage pregnancy, early marriage, breast cancer etc.

Fatoumatta said training women on menstrual health is important because menstruation is a natural biological process that affects millions of girls and women worldwide.

She added that a lack of knowledge about menstruation can lead to fear, shame, and stigma.

According to her, proper education help girls understand their bodies, normalize menstruation and manage their periods with confidence and dignity.

Girls’ Pride Gambia recruits women and girls from low-income families, divorcees, and survivors of sexual and gender-based violence, child marriage, and female genital mutilation as community volunteers and empowers them with the right knowledge and skills they need to become advocates in their local communities.

“One of the main challenges we are currently facing is financial challenges. We are not able to scale up our solution, and community impact projects to very remote and underserved villages in rural Gambia because of limited resources.”

She highlighted that access to adequate and sustainable funding has been a challenge in the area of women’s empowerment and advancing women’s health.

Fatoumatta added that, with adequate financial support, they can sew pads and donate them to the less privileged or train women and girls on how to make their own pads, saying this can help address period poverty in The Gambia.

One of their objectives is to keep girls in schools during their periods through the provision of menstrual health and hygiene management education and the distribution of reusable, and biodegradable sanitary pads.

Girls’ Pride Gambia is a hybrid organization that started in 2017 as a result of period poverty affecting girls’ education in The Gambia.

It provides sustainable, eco-friendly, and reusable sanitary pads for women and girls from low-income families.

Gamstars Movie Production to train 50 Gambians in filmmaking  

Amara Thoronka
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Gamstars Movie Production to train 50 Gambians in filmmaking  

By: Dawda Baldeh

Gamstars Movie Production recently held orientation for over 50 young people who are set to undergo capacity-building training in filmmaking geared towards instilling Gambian values and principles in youths through life and skills development.

Gambia Stars (Gamstars) Movie Production is a Gambian entertainment and educational group aimed at promoting and encouraging cultural values and fostering community spirit through creativity and bringing young people together to showcase their talents.

Participants will be given free training in camera operation, videography, visual effects, non-verbal communication, scriptwriting, directing, sets and props, acting, and graphics design.

Pa Modou Cham alias Gambian Odumu, Director of Gamstars Movie Production – an award-winning journalist – stated that the participants are drawn from the Greater Banjul Area and they are between the ages of 15 and 35.

He added that his production is conducting the training for free despite not having any support from the government or donor organizations.

Cham said, at the end of the training, the participants are expected to produce five short films.

“Gamstars is doing this as our contribution towards nation building. Looking at the continental film industry, Gambia is far behind because our people are not exposed to the new features, thus lacking the capacity to contribute their quota or even showcase their talents,” he added.

The iconic film director noted that filmmaking contributes strongly to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and as well attracts tourism and foreign investors.

Cham noted that the Gambia has to play in nurturing young talents if we want to make waves and compete with the international world.

Gambian Odumu went on to say that his production’s vision is to build confidence and empower young talented and creative Gambians with constructive, critical competencies, innovative life skills, and knowledge for accelerated economic and sustainable development through filmmaking.

He said: “Our mission is to provide pathways that inspire and motivate Gambian youths to grow, transform and achieve their potentials in making films for the development of the productive sector of our economy.”

The country’s leading filmmaker, who is among the first, if not the first Gambians to obtain accreditation from the National Accreditation and Quality Assurance Authority, called on the Gambian government to build young people who see potential careers in filmmaking.

He reiterated that Gambians have talents but the environment to showcase it is lacking while adding that government, local councils, and the private sector should chip in to support home-grown talents.

“The young people of the country need the opportunity to unleash their potentials. The Gambia is now ripe for youths to contribute to the development of the nation especially in related film activities. Gambian youths yearn to be granted agency to allow them to do “their own thing” especially following years of disenfranchisement,” he stated.

Bakary Badjie – Providing water is doable and this will be my first task when I assume office

Amara Thoronka
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Bakary Badjie – Providing water is doable and this will be my first task when I assume office

By: Dawda Baldeh

The ruling National People’s Party (NPP) mayoral candidate for Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), Bakary Y. Badjie, has vowed to end water shortage in Bundung six-junction if he is elected mayor of the municipal council in the forthcoming 20th May 2023 mayoral/chairmanship elections.

Speaking to The Fatu Network, Badjie, said Bundung has been facing constant water shortage, recognizing the need for urgent intervention to end the perennial drought.

“Water is a very important resource in our lives, and for Bundung, this will be my priority when I am elected come May 20th. The dwellers here are suffering to access water and that has to end,” he said.

Asked about how he intends to handle the situation, Badjie said, “The Council has the resources to support the people. We will work with NAWEC to ensure they extend water supply to the community, so that people can have access to water anytime they wish.”

He added that if individuals can provide adequate water supply to communities, nothing can prevent the Council from doing the same.

“We have seen individuals digging boreholes for people and the council will do all it takes to make sure people access water. The residents here have to wake up every day at midnight to fetch water which is not acceptable,” he emphasized.

Bakary who is backed by the ruling party and their alliance groups expressed optimism that he will bring a meaningful change in the Council if elected.

“Providing water is doable and this will be my first task when I assume office,” he stressed.

He further outlined other areas of intervention he intends to take if elected which includes youth empowerment, construction of more markets, municipal garages, roads, among others.

For his part, Doudou Jah, spokesperson of the Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) said he is confident that Bakary will undoubtedly transform the council to a better level.

“We have seen what he has achieved in the Ministry of Youth and Sports in just two and half years. And Bakary has been in the council so he knows how the council operates. We need people like him to occupy the council so that the people will see the impact of paying their task,” he told The Fatu Network.

Mr. Jah, whose party has been backing the NPP since 2021, said they have no doubt that victory will be on their side.

“We have been engaging people within the municipality and the responses have been positive. We will continue selling our agenda to the people,” he added.

Ebrima Nyang: ‘GDC is more confident to support Bensouda’s re-election’

Hadram Hydara
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Ebrima Nyang: ‘GDC is more confident to support Bensouda’s re-election’

By: Dawda Baldeh

Ebrima Nyang, the Administrative Secretary (1) of the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) has stated that his party is more confident in supporting the re-election of the incumbent mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Talib Ahmed Bensouda following his recent revelations of internal management issues at the council with Kerr Fatou.

“GDC is more confident in supporting Bensouda’s re-election after hearing his revelations at Kerr Fatou. These are internal affairs that many people never knew but is good that Talib has revealed it. It’s an indication that Talib is not in the council to empower himself,” Nyang told The Fatu Network.

Nyang, whose party endorsed the UDP mayoral candidate for the KMC mayoral election, expressed optimism that Bensouda will bring more development to the people if given a second mandate.

“He came into office the mayor was allocated a fuel coupon of D12, 250.00 and he reduced it to D5000.00. This was too much to him because the council was struggling at the time,” Nyang added while commending Bensouda for the move.

In the recent interview with Kerr Fatou, Bensouda asserted that he rejected an offer of a utility car for his wife, a mobile phone that the procurement officers claimed was costing D90,000, and travel impress of $1000 among others to save the council’s money for development.

For Ebrima, the move by Bensouda is worth commending if people are truly interested in the development and ending corruption in public offices.

“He [Bensouda] could have taken all those offers but he turned them [down] for the interest of the council.

“We have a very content mayor, and he came to the council to work not to empower himself.

“He is very committed to fighting against corruption in the council. All concerned Gambians should now compare Mayor Bensouda and Bakary Y. Badjie to see who is best,” he added.

According to Nyang, Bakary Y. Badjie, the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) mayoral candidate, is not fit to run the affairs of the council saying, “We have all seen when he (Bakary Y. Badjie) travelled with his wife and paid her money without following due protocols.”

The GDC Admin Secretary 1 added that there is enough evidence for the people of the Kanifing Municipality to rally behind Bensouda.

“I am urging all GDC supporters to vote for Bensouda to save the KMC from the plot of NPP which is just to secure the council and empower themselves.

“We all know what is going on in this country. And we know the market price of everything but some of the officials don’t care about procurement because all they want is to empower themselves.

“We must join hands to save the country from the rampant corruption and Bensouda is taking the lead at the council level,” he emphasized.

“We need responsible leaders to help the country. Bensouda has a lot of offers that he could have taken if he was not interested in fighting against corruption and the Gambia needs leaders like him.

“The people of KMC should give Bensouda their votes if they want continuous development. They should know who is there for them by not allowing anyone to buy their votes,” he urged.

He noted that NPP deemed the election very important because they are interested in gaining the power to continue making people suffer with no medications in the hospitals, poor roads, lack of water, and continuous corruption.

“We should not watch the NPP continue to manipulate us as citizens. We should show NPP that we are not materials that customers will be bargaining to purchase.

“In the 2021 presidential election we have seen the number of people whose voter [cards] were bought but today they are all suffering and begging around for credit and feast money,” he reiterated.

The Palace Museum; no longer forbidden

Hadram Hydara
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image 45

By Talibeh Hydara

You probably already know about the Forbidden City. I mean, who doesn’t? That it is the world’s largest preserved wooden complex. When I say preserved, I mean really preserved; built within a period of 14 years and completed in 1420, which is over 600 years ago. Up until 1911, the Forbidden City became both the seat of power and a symbol of genius architectural craftsmanship, housing 24 emperors until the Qing Dynasty decided to choose two-year-old Puyi as emperor and the whole structure and system crashed. The Chinese empire, one of the most enduring in human history which saw the rise and fall of some 13 major dynasties, torn apart and confined into a museum. That is why kids should not lead; they should be led.

But since this article is about the Forbidden City, let’s talk about the man behind it: The Yongle Emperor, Zhu Di, who was the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty, and the fourth son of the Hongwu Emperor, the founder of the dynasty. The capital of China was in Nanjing, a strategic megacity in Eastern China. When he took over as emperor, the Yongle Emperor moved the capital to Beijing and started building the Forbidden City in 1406. That turned out to be a masterstroke. Over 500 emperors have reigned during the entire history of dynasties in China, but the Yongle is among a few who would be eternally remembered. Not just because of his excellent military system or opening up, but because of Beijing and the Forbidden City, two legacies that represent China in more ways than any.

It is difficult to establish why the Yongle emperor moved the capital and built the Forbidden City but knowing he seized power from his nephew, then it was meant to consolidate himself on the throne. Situated to the north of Tiananmen Square in the centre of Beijing, the Forbidden City was home to 24 imperial families; 14 emperors in the Ming and 10 emperors in the Qing dynasties. It was and still is a fortress, in the top 5 most famous palaces in the world.

Having been in Beijing for more than two months, crisscrossing the city and even beyond, it was at odds with logic that we didn’t visit the Forbidden City. In fact, you can make a strong argument that it’s closer to the DRC than any other historical place we visited in Beijing. I’ve heard about the city. I’ve read about it. I’ve watched documentaries about it. There was even a whole lecture on it that I attended. It’s like Shanghai, I’ve known so much about it that it felt familiar, like I’ve been there before. I was right about Shanghai; I was wrong about the Palace Museum.

In the company of Xiaoting Guo, our tour guide from the education department of the Palace Museum, we entered from the south entrance, the Meridian Gate, and covered towers and halls in between to the north exit along the central axis. The museum has a deceptive size; it is impossible to know how big it is from the outside. It is huge, the size of a 100 football fields.

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The first palace is divided into two parts; the Outer and the Inner courts, both holding symbolic meaning to the imperial family and the public.

The Outer Court served as the venue for grand ceremonies and rituals. Its main structures include the halls of Supreme Harmony, Central Harmony, and Preserving Harmony—the three majestic halls dominating the centre. There are also the halls of Literary Brilliance and Martial Valour flanking the central axis.

The Inner Curt served as a residence for the emperor and the imperial family. That is, if the concubines are in the same category.

The first palace in the Inner Court is two-floored Heavenly Purity. Originally built in 1420 in the early Ming Dynasty, the Palace of Heavenly Purity was destroyed by fire and rebuilt several times, with the final reconstruction finishing in the Qing Dynasty in 1798.
In the Ming Dynasty, the palace served as the Emperor’s residence. The first floor served as an office for the emperor to run the daily affairs of the empire while the second floor is his bedchamber. The Palace of Heavenly Purity was an important venue for emperors to meet courtiers, review memorials, handle daily government affairs, receive envoys, accept congratulations and hold banquets.

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The Hall of Union, originally named the Hall of Middle Perfection, has a square floor plan, featuring a gold-plated bronze finial on the roof, similar design to that of the Hall of Middle Harmony. A throne occupies the centre of the hall. In the Qing Dynasty, the empress received homage here on three occasions each year: her birthday, the first day of the lunar New Year, and the winter solstice. In 1748, the thirteenth year of the Qianlong Emperor’s reign, the emperor used this hall to store his 25 imperial seals.

The third in the Inner Court is the Palace of Earthly Tranquility, which served as the residence of the empress in the Ming Dynasty. The entrance is located on the east end of the building’s facade, rather than in the middle, giving the palace a pocket house style with distinctive Manchu features. During the Kangxi Emperor’s reign, the two bays on the east end were used as the emperor’s bridal chamber. Qing Dynasty Emperors Kangxi, Tongzhi, Guangu, and the last emperor Puyi, all of whom ascended the throne at a young age, completed their wedding in the Earthly Tranquillity. The five bays on the west side were used as a shrine for shamanistic sacrifices, housing a U-shaped kang bed-stove on which the idols and a throne were placed, and cauldrons for cooking sacrificial meat.

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There is also the Imperial Garden, which consists of beautiful flowers, stone carvings, pavilions, trees as old as 500 years, preserved and cherished for generations.

Converted into the Palace Museum in 1925, the Forbidden City is an artistic treasure trove, possessing an all-encompassing collection numbering over 1.86 million pieces (sets) in 25 major categories. It is a mirror of Chinese architecture; decorative arts, timepieces, paintings, calligraphy, ceramics, and sculptures, as well as special exhibitions.

The structure also revealed how women were considered in the imperial times; relegated to housewives and child bearers. This is shown in how women, as high profile as the empress, were not even allowed into the Outer Court or take part in any political decision-making. It showed power was with the emperor, who could only have one empress but could have as many concubines as possible. The concubines all lived in the same Inner Court as the empress, with the eunuchs shepherding them into the emperor’s bedchamber each time he needed carnal satisfaction different from that of the empress. The intelligence, craftiness, and loyalty of women was ignored in the imperial times, even if it meant placing a two-year-old on the throne. That is why the dynasties crumbled like chaff of a summer threshing-floor.

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Since 1961 when the State Council listed it as one of China’s most important protected cultural heritage sites, the Forbidden City has earned universal recognition, including being inscribed on the World Heritage List by UNESCO in 1987. It was also designated as a “national 5A tourist attraction in 2007.

Between the Ming and Qing dynasties, the Forbidden City was actually forbidden to the public, unless honourably invited to the audience. It is no longer forbidden, with at least 14 million visitors annually.

Adapting in China

Hadram Hydara
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image 102
By Talibeh Hydara

In 1998, when war broke out in Guinea Bissau, we were taken back to The Gambia. When I say WE, I mean myself and dozens of my siblings. We were a complete football team, numerically speaking. It wasn’t safe anymore for the kids as we could even hear gunshots from the capital. I was less than 10. My mum and dad stayed behind, braved the danger and tried to remain there. I was handed over to my grandma like a pot of tobacco to raise and my twin sister was with my elder sister. It was a strange place to grow up at first. There were lots of kids and some of them wasted no time in testing if I could fight. It was survival of the fittest. I had to learn to stand up for myself, developed love for football and, rather surprisingly, fishing. I loved swimming. I loved finishing. I loved chasing crabs. When I grew a bit older and braver, I used to occasionally spend the night at the river with my uncle. We would throw a cast net and cross to the other bank, start fire and camp around it. One terrifying night, my uncle was asleep and I heard a wolf howling. I woke him up about it but he insisted that it was far; that we were in no imminent danger. But the howling got nearer and louder. He then suggested we get on the canoe and paddle to the middle of the river, just to be on the safe side. We did. Not more than 15 minutes later, we saw the wild animal creep into our camp, sniffing around before retrieving into darkness. We decided it was best we forget about fish that night and return home.

I’ve lived alone before. It was challenging. But I loved it. I had privacy to walk around naked in my room and sit or lie wherever I deemed fit. There is nothing better than displaying your imperfections and appreciating them in your comfort zone without accusatory eyes from judgy people. Living alone gives you that! It was a small room and parlour three meters from the compound gate to a community cemetery. When the rains came, my house would flood. Water would force itself out of the drains, fill the bathroom, bedroom, parlour and eventually the veranda. If the rains found me in the house, I would helplessly watch as water formed a little river in my house, submerging items. Then I would pick a bucket and start scooping it off. I would do that for hours until it is finished and then I would start moping the floor. However, if the rains started while I was at the office, I would find some of my stuff floating in the house and the carpet would be sleeping under the water. Knowing a wet carpet, it would be heavier than Mangshan Mountain. Sometimes I would think the dead people in the cemetery didn’t want me there. It was tough to adapt but I did….until I didn’t. I evicted myself from the house (I didn’t even wait for the landlord to do it), which is a walking distance from my office and I now live at a place which is so far that I join three different commercial vehicles before I reach office. That required another adaptation but it’s a story for another time.

Like Sundays; a day I usually relish back home. Not because it’s a weekend; it’s because I actually work on Sundays, but it means less traffic, less stress to get to work, less movement of people and the commercial drivers are at their most generous. I would go to work very early on Sundays before anyone wakes up at home. There’s a local dish in my country called ‘mbahal’ which I almost certainly buy every Sunday from a Baddibunka woman at Westfield. I would drop my bag on the desk, fill my bottle from the tap, make a cup of tea, open my foil plate and start eating the ‘mbahal’. It’s one of my favourite local dishes. I can eat it all day, every day, for hundred years and I wouldn’t have enough. There’s this myth about the dish that when you eat it until you’re satisfied, you don’t have to eat again that day. You just have to keep drinking. Each time you drink, it feels like you just ate. It’s a starvation dish, if you know what I mean. Not just regularly drinking after eating, you gonna have to be drinking, at least sipping, while eating. Otherwise, it could just cramp in your throat and you might vomit and start all over again.

I would eat ‘mbahal’, wash it down with water and then sip my tea. I can drink one cup of tea for four hours and take at least 30 minutes between sips. By the time I finish, the tea would be colder than ice. And I’d still drink it. I was happy to find cold tea famous in China. Hallelujah! After eating, while sipping tea, I’d get online. First things first, I would check my mail. Twitter. Facebook. YouTube, which I cannot go without. I would also check the latest episodes of the TV series I am watching. I would download all of them for my weekend binge-watching. I’d be at the office sometimes more than 2 hours before the next person comes. It gives me time to eat, fool around the internet and stretch, before work-proper starts.

I have missed all that in Beijing. I’m usually confined in my room here (weekends and evening) either in bed or on the couch. There is television which I use to charge my power bank. The rest of the things in the house give me hotel vibes; white bed sheet, white pillow, white blanket. Pulling up the white blanket sometimes makes me feel like a corpse shrouded for burial. I think I should get a coloured bed sheet and blanket, just to feel alive.

China is different in so many ways. The lifestyle. The conversations. The interactions. I hated mathematics at school but I have been calculating my every word here, every action or inaction since I arrived. I have gradually shelved my usual free-spirit mind and become a little quieter and more reserved. I feel like I am losing my sense of humour. I am trying to adapt but I still cannot replace hot water with normal water. I just cannot. And like in The Gambia, I drink from the tap or well or rain, whichever is more accessible. A colleague of mine once told me to start drinking ‘natural water’. He meant bottled water. I refused to let that slide. He drinks from a processed bottled water. I drink from an unprocessed well water. He still has the temerity to describe his water as natural, not mine. Well or rain water and bottled water, which one is natural?

Last few weeks though, I picked up a rather refreshing routine. Since my room is on the 15th floor of a 16-storey, I am privileged to have a really good view on either side of the building. The futuristic GalaxySoho and a string of nice structures on one side overlooking the traffic while the CITIC Tower, the tallest in Beijing, and CCTV complex on the other side. Nothing beats sitting in front of the CITIC tower and marveling at the architecture, the glittering flashes like a plane in the sky and the greenery displayed on rooftops as Spring waved goodbye to Beijing.

I’ve been gallivanting around China for two months. I’m going to more places than Chinese themselves. It’s a privilege. I’ve been on the high speed train. I visited temples and tech giants. I visited mountains and lakes. I visited towers and nature reserves. I even saw a suspended monorail train in Wuhan on television. Just call a sky train. I feel like by the time I return home, it would feel like I came from 2040; that I time-travelled from the future and found myself stuck in the past. The past being The Gambia.

It is difficult to pick up routines straightaway in a new environment. It takes time. It takes patience. It takes efforts. Back home, I sleep very early. If I am awake by 10PM, it could only mean I close late from work. If not, I sleep earlier than chickens and wake up earlier than angels, if they actually sleep. I’ve become an owl in China! I am usually on top of things in The Gambia, regularly reporting breaking news and triggering online debates especially on Twitter. Now, I am eight hours ahead of The Gambia and that, ironically, makes me way behind everything. Moving from a country where people call and text to verify information with me to moving to a country where I am just, well, TALIB. I cannot follow events in The Gambia. I cannot even watch football because each time my beloved team Manchester United plays, it would be around 3AM here. It’s hard to keep up. I fear for my return. I would be a completely different person, struggling to reintegrate into a society I was born and raised in. But return, I must!

I have struggled, even though it might appear quite the opposite to some people here, to fit into a whole new system and way of life. I walk to the highway to haggle over fares for taxis in The Gambia. When I have little cash, I call a driver. The only driver whose number I have. He would over charge me but at least there is convenience. When I am broke, which happens all the time, I fall back on to the public transport system. Here, everything is done online. I always hire a cab, instead of using the cheaper alternative, which is the subway. I don’t like the subway for two reasons; it is enclosed, no windows, no views, just sit or stand in the belly of a big anaconda gliding underground. It is creepy. It is also crowded and despite Chinese and their unbreakable love affair with their smartphones, attentions are mostly directed to me (and my kind) whenever I hop on. The journey becomes awkward from there on. I would be waving and smiling at those who stare too long, and taking a selfie with the brave ones who ask. It is a daily struggle, which I am enjoying to the fullest because when I return home, no one would give a rat’s ass to my presence. So, each day, I wear a big smile and joke around. It is China, after all. There are millions of things to smile about. The only part I still haven’t really struggled in is the food. That is because I can happily live wherever there is halal meat, chicken and rice. Two months down, two months to go.

MOTIE Tells Drivers Association, Others to Comply With High Court Ruling on Queuing System

Hadram Hydara
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MOTIE Tells Drivers Association, Others to Comply With High Court Ruling on Queuing System

By: Dawda Baldeh


The Ministry of Trade, Industry, Regional Integration and Employment (MOTIE) has aligned itself with the High Court ruling that the transport drivers association and its members, agents or servants should comply with the Queuing System (QS) authorized by the Gambia Government in November 2021 as administered by the General Transport Union.

This decision by the trade ministry came after the matter was adjudicated (hear a case) by the High Court.

In a press release obtained by The Fatu Network, the ministry announced that on Thursday 4th May 2023, it held a consultative meeting with stakeholders of the transport sector and discussed issues raised by the Gambia Drivers’ Association (GDA) regarding the Queuing System (QS) being administered by the General Transport Union (GTU).

“MOTIE notifies the public and transport sector operators that the General Transport Union (GTU) is the only authorized institution in The Gambia mandated to administer the Queuing System for the transportation of goods within and outside of the country.

“The issuance of manifests is part of the administration of the Queuing System (QS) to ensure transparency and effective data collection,” the statement said.

The trade ministry urged the Union to ensure that operators, businesses, or garages that request vehicles from the QS are provided with the necessary service without delay.

“The Queuing System (QS) is established to ensure that all drivers that operate commercial trucks have an opportunity to transport goods across and beyond the country in a harmonized and transparent manner.

“The trade ministry has noted that operators of re-export trade are not providing manifests on their consignments, which results in trade data gaps.

“All re-export operators are requested to work closely with the General Transport Union in obtaining manifests for re-export goods,” the ministry added.

According to the ministry statement, the Union should ensure that copies of all manifests are shared with the Gambia Government for the effective collection of both domestic and external trade data.

To ensure greater security and better harmonization, MOTIE inform all other bodies to desist from issuing alternative manifests or engaging in activities that could potentially compromise the integrity of the Queuing System (QS) and collected trade data.

“MOTIE enjoins the full cooperation of the public in complying with the High Court ruling on the Queuing System and the ministerial directive on data collection and the issuing of manifests.”

Hon. Darboe presents Gambia’s situational report to Ecowas Parliament

Hadram Hydara
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0
Hon. Darboe presents Gambia’s situational report to Ecowas Parliament

Hon. Alhagie S. Darboe, Minority Leader and a member of the Gambia’s 5-member delegation today, May 11, presented the country’s situational report to the ECOWAS Parliament’s ongoing 2023 First Ordinary Session in Abuja, Nigeria.

Delivering the report, on behalf of the delegation, the Brikama North NAM said the Gambia’s Human Rights situation has greatly improved.
The Gambia’s report to the Ecowas Parliament covers a range of issues, including the political, economic, security and human rights situation of the country, legal reforms and ratifications as well as the implementation of protocols among others.

The Gambia’s delegation comprised Honourable Billay G Tunkara, Hon Alhagie S Darboe, Hon Kebba K Barrow, Hon Samba Jallow and Hon Fatoumata Njai.

Hon. Alhagie S. Darboe, Minority Leader and a member of the Delegation, presented the report, on behalf of the delegation, which highlighted the current state of affairs of The Gambia.

According to the Report: “In its 2022 report of the human rights situation of the country, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has pointed to a zero-incident of arbitrary deprivation of life and other unlawful or politically motivated killings and disappearances as was rampant under President Barrow’s predecessor.”

Notwithstanding this achievement, the report highlighted some human rights issues such as harsh and life-threatening prison conditions caused by food shortages, overcrowding in some prison facilities, physical abuse, lack of adequate medical care, and poor sanitary conditions.

According to the delegation, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights and Constitutional Matters has already started engaging the government and relevant stakeholders on some of these claims made in the report of the National Human Rights Commission, and this process is ongoing.

On political rights and civil liberties, the report stated that the government of President Adama Barrow continues to maintain and recognise The Gambia as a secular society in which adherents of all faiths worship freely without any interference. “The government also continues to build on our gains as a multi-party democracy to give all individuals and parties the platform to exercise their rights and freedoms as law provides.”

“As to this day, it is worth stating that there is no political prisoner in The Gambia. There is complete separation of powers, with each arm of the state operating independently but harmoniously with each other for the collective common good,” the report added.

According to the delegation’s report, there is an Interparty Committee composed of all Political Parties and its role is to determine the conduct of politicians during campaign as well as mediate and dialogue between political parties when there is a problem.

On the security situation, the report informs the Ecowas parliamentarians that the Government of the Gambia has promoted the safe and dignified resettling of displaced persons, following tensions on the Gambia-Senegal border, during which an estimated 6,000 Senegalese and Gambian citizens that reside in villages along the border of the two countries were been forced to flee their homes and took refuge in other parts of the Gambia due to intensified fighting between the Senegalese army and MFDC rebels in the Casamance region of Senegal, in an area less than two miles from the border.

On the Security Sector Reform (SSR) initiative, the report said the reform is ongoing.

“Regarding Human Rights Situation, in March 2023, the National Assembly passed two Acts that are fundamental to promoting human rights and upholding the rule of law in the country. The first is the Prevention of Torture Act 2023, which provides the legal framework for the prohibition, prevention and punishment of any form of torture and other forms of cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment in The Gambia and provides penalties aimed at ensuring accountability for acts of torture.

“The second is the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act of 2023 which is equally a significant milestone in the transitional justice process of the Gambia, particularly with regards to accountability for human rights violations committed during the Jammeh regime.”

On Press Freedom, this year, the Gambia is ranked 5th in Africa and 46th in the world among 180 member countries by the international watchdog Reporters Without Borders as a country where press freedom is highly valued.

On the TRRC outcomes, the government is currently working and collaborating with partners to draft legislation for the establishment of reparation or victim’s fund and a peace commission, which will be a successor body to the Reparations Committee of the TRRC, independent and vested with the power to manage and make payments out of the reparations fund.

On health, the National Assembly Select Committee on Health has concluded investigations into the outbreak of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI) and tabled its findings before the National Assembly in December 2022.

“The report of the Health Committee noted that an Indian medical company, Maiden Pharmaceuticals Ltd., is culpable and should be held accountable for exporting the contaminated medicines that were linked to the death of at least 70 children in the Gambia in 2022.”

On the economy, in February 2023, the Central Bank reported that the Gambian economy has exhibited resilience with signs of a stronger recovery in 2023, with a growth rate forecast at 6.0 per cent.

“Staff forecast real GDP growth of 6.0 per cent in 2023 is expected to grow by 4.5 per cent in 2022 and 6.0 per cent in 2023. The repercussions of the war in Ukraine threaten economic and social stability.”

Ecowas parliamentarians meet to discuss security situation, others in the sub-region

Hadram Hydara
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0

115 Ecowas Parliamentarians are meeting in Abuja, Nigeria, for the parliament’s 2023 first ordinary session to deliberate issues of concern to the sub-region, such as the security, political and economic situations in the Ecowas region.

Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Ecowas Commission, said the sub-region situation remains worrisome as he addressed the opening of the 2023 First Ordinary Session of the Ecowas Parliament underway in Abuja, Nigeria.

Speaking at the start of the session on Monday, Dr Omar Alieu Touray, President of the Ecowas Commission, said his office is providing the needed resources to ensure stability, security and resilience in Member States.

He commends the commitment and leadership of Speaker Tunis in supporting democracy and good governance in the region. He praises Nigeria and Guinea-Bissau’s President Embalo, current Chairman of the Ecowas Conference of Heads of State, for their contribution to the work of the Ecowas Commission.

Sidie Mohamed Tunis, Speaker of the Ecowas Parliament said it is common knowledge that the mandate of the Ecowas Parliament has been limiting its endeavour to deliver concrete and tangible results in certain areas.

Since the inauguration of the First legislature of the Parliament, 20 years ago, Speaker Tunis said the Parliament is yet to achieve its goal of being a full-fledged legislative body.

On the regional scene, Speaker Tunis is concerned about the slow pace at which the transitional processes are unfolding in Mali, Guinea and Burkina Faso. He said the Parliament is also monitoring developments in Sierra Leone and Liberia, where elections are due in June and October this year, respectively.

The Ordinary Session was preceded by a two-day town hall meeting in Abuja, organized by the Ecowas Female Parliamentarians Association (ECOFEPA), to mentor the next generation of leaders under the theme “stimulating regional dynamics for mentoring the next generation of decision-makers.”

The event was attended by over a hundred women from across the 15 ECOWAS member states.

Gitteh promises to offer scholarship help to needy if elected chair of BAC

Hadram Hydara
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0
Gitteh promises to offer scholarship help to needy if elected chair of BAC

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh


Ahmad Gitteh, an independent candidate vying for the top seat at the Brkama Area Council, has vowed to the people of Bajana village that he will offer scholarship help to underprivileged students, fence women’s garden, and construct a borehole if voted for as the chairman of the Brikama Area Council.

The exuberant Gitteh remarked that if elected as the chairman of the biggest local government council in the country, under his leadership, he will develop scholarship prospects for needy students who are smart and willing to be schooled but are financially challenged.

“We want to give scholarships to underprivileged children whose mothers do not have the financial muscles to send them to school, so they can be educated,” he told the women.

Gitteh further told the women that part of his wish, in the face of a potential victory in the upcoming BAC election, is to help fence women’s gardens so that they will not grieve over losses caused by animal infiltrations.

He added that aside from fencing, he will build in them boreholes to make watering effortless for them, compared to fetching water from a well which is a burden on many women considering the force it requires.

In his campaign pledges, Gitteh has emphasised helping women gardeners and young people in the region. He said that yearly, he will be putting 30 million aside purposely for young people to assist them in their business startups and entrepreneurship.

Ahmad Gitteh and eight others are jostling for the chairmanship election of the Brikama Area Council.

The 20th of May elected is poised to be a well-competed election among independent candidates and party-backed candidates from UPD, NPP, and PPP.

‘We have learned our lesson’: NPP’s Sillah says Seedy Ceesay will win BAC election

Hadram Hydara
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0
‘We have learned our lesson’: NPP’s Sillah says Seedy Ceesay will win BAC election

By: Muhammed Lamin Drammeh

Amidst what most political commentators described as a woeful performance in the councillorship election in the West Coast Region, a senior member of the National People’s Party (NPP), Ebrima Sillah, has said the party has learned its lesson from last month’s councillorship election, saying the party will get back its members who failed to vote in the recently concluded councillorship election to enable Seedy Sheriff Ceesay to win the chairmanship election.

Speaking to The Fatu Network on Seedy Sheriff Ceesay’s chances of winning amidst UDP’s dominance in the councilorship election, Sillah said that only 17 per cent of their 53% per cent winning rate in the West Coast Region went out to vote. He said that their focus will now be on the people that are NPP members and failed to vote.

“We know very well that our people did not come out to vote. So, this is why this time, we are targeting and focusing more on those people who did not come out to vote and they are NPP supporters. I can tell you that we have learned our lessons in that,” he told TFN.

The National People’s Party, despite winning convincingly in the December 2021 presidential election in the West Coast Region, was able to secure only two wards in the council election last month.

Sillah, who is one of NPP’s most influential figures in the West Coast Region, outlined that the party has learned its lessons and discovered what went wrong.

He explained to TFN that 20 per cent of UDP members, out of their 28 per cent win rate in December 2021, went out to vote, unlike NPP.

“UDP has not more than 28% of voters in the West Coast Region in the 2021 presidential election. Out of that 28%, in the local government election, 20% of those people went out to vote. NPP, with 53% of what we got in the presidential election, only 17% of those people went out to vote”, he explained.

NPP’s candidate Seedy Sheriff Ceesay will be battling with nine other candidates including UDP’s Yankuba Darboe for the top seat in the Brikama Area Council.

Statement by the president of the Gambia Athletics Association (GAA) on World Kids Athletics Day on 7th May 2023

Hadram Hydara
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0

Today, on the occasion of World Kids Athletics Day, I am honoured to address you as the President of the Gambia Athletics Association. World Kids Athletics Day is an annual celebration introduced last year day by World Athletics and is observed by all its Member Federations across the world, including The Gambia. This day is an opportunity for us to come together as a community to promote and celebrate the importance of youth sports and physical activity.

Kids Athletics is a sport for children and young people that aims to develop fundamental movement skills and a love for physical activity. It typically involves a variety of track and field events, such as sprints, relays, jumps and throws, adapted to the abilities and interests of young athletes. It encourages kids of all ages and abilities to participate in fun and engaging athletics activities in their communities. The event seeks to promote physical activity, healthy living, and the values of sports, such as Fair play, teamwork and respect.

Sports play an important role in the physical and mental development of young people. They teach essential life skills such as teamwork, leadership, and perseverance, and promote healthy habits that can last a lifetime. As a nation, we must encourage and support our youth in their pursuit of a healthy and active lifestyle.

The Gambia Athletics Association recognizes the importance of providing opportunities for young people to participate in sports. That is why we are committed to promoting athletics among young people in The Gambia. We believe that athletics is a great way to develop fundamental movement skills and instil a love for physical activity.

On this special day, I want to encourage all parents, teachers, coaches, and community leaders to support and encourage our children to participate in athletics. Let us create a culture where our children are inspired to lead healthy and active lives.

I also want to thank all the volunteers, coaches, veterans, and sponsors who have contributed to the success of youth athletics in The Gambia. Your support is invaluable and greatly appreciated.

As the President of the Gambia Athletics Association, I am proud to say that we are collaborating with partners have partners such as the SOS Children’s Village and the Olympic Africa Centre to celebrate World Kids Athletics Day this year. These partners together with the government of The Gambia through the National Sports Council, the Gambia National Olympic Committee, and the Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education continue to promote and develop athletics and sports in The Gambia.

These partnerships provide opportunities for young people to develop their skills and talents. The government of The Gambia, through the National Sports Council, has been instrumental in supporting athletics programs throughout the country. The Gambia National Olympic Committee has also been a valuable partner in promoting sports and supporting our athletes with scholarships and High-Performance training. The Ministry for Basic and Secondary Education has been vital in integrating sports into the curriculum of schools and promoting sports in the education system.

Our partnership with the SOS Children’s Village in The Gambia is particularly important. The SOS Children’s Village is a non-profit organization that provides care and support for vulnerable children in The Gambia. By partnering with the SOS Children’s Village, we are providing an opportunity for these children to participate in athletics and develop their physical and mental capabilities. We believe that every child deserves a chance to participate in sports and develop their full potential.

In conclusion, as we celebrate World Kids Athletics Day, I would like to express my appreciation to our partners for their support and collaboration. Together, we can create a culture of sports and physical activity in The Gambia and inspire our young people to lead healthy and active lives. Let us all come together and celebrate the importance of youth athletics. Let us support our young people and provide them with opportunities to develop their physical and mental capabilities. I wish you all a happy World Kids Athletics Day!

Thank you.

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