Ayatollah Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly has issued a statement announcing the sacking of the administrative secretary of Gambia Action Party Muhammed Yaffa.

Yaffa had issued a statement announcing the suspension of Mr Batchilly from GAP after the GAP leader’s public endorsement of President Barrow earlier this month.

But Mr Batchilly has now issued a statement of his own on Monday.

It reads: “Further to my pronouncement of unflinching support and Political affiliation with The NPP and H.E Adama Barrow, I write to inform all my concerned including my Family, followers, Party Members, Affiliates, Colleagues, Development Partners and the Gambian People of my resolve to support the full initiatives of the President in his drive to achieve the National Development Agenda of this Country.

“This decision was taken in my capacity as Founder of GAP, Secretary General and a Political Leader commanding followers in The Gambia, the subregion and in the Diaspora.

“In light of the difficult circumstances surrounding disgruntled members of GAP Party, and the seemingly pretentious attempt to instigate a leadership feud in the name of the Executive, I hereby dissolve the entire Executive of GAP and urge all my Party Followers to follow me to form a Coalition Government with NPP and H.E Adama Barrow.

“This decision is also in response of the disqualification of Hon. ALIEU SOWE and his Executive including the currently Deposed Administrative Secretary.

“In the meantime, I hereby inform the Honorable Members of the Public including the NPP Executive,  IEC Chairman and Officials, Gambia Government, Security Agencies, Opposition Parties, The Judiciary, The Inspector General of Police, The Heads of Zero Crime and Anti Crime, The Concerned Citizens Organization, Civil Society Organizations, the National Commission for Human Rights and International Organizations, Election Observer Missions, The European Union Representative, The United Nations, American Embassy and members of the Diplomatic Corps, that an interim Executive has been formed and will be announced shortly.

“In light of this, Badara Faal is hereby appointment as Acting Administrative Secretary of the party and has been entrusted with the Administrative work of the Party  as Acting Administrative Secretary in line with the Party Rules and Norms.

“We urge all former Executive members to settle all their liabilities with the Party and surrender all Party Assets to the office under my Supervision including handing over notes with immediate effect to avoid legal action. The Party and its Founding Secretary General requests that all  liabilities owed to anybody within the Party be brought in writing to our Acting Administrative Secretary for immediate settlement to protect the name and integrity of the Party.

“We urgently urge members of the Public who are owed by the Executive to come forward for immediate settlement of all liabilities under the new Executive that can be reached via my Office at the address below.

“We urge the general Public and our Party members Worldwide to desist from dealing with all former Executive  members in the name of the Party until further notice.

“It has also come to our attention that The Administrative Secretary has issued a writren statement on Fatou Network and other media outlets purporting to suspend or impeach The Party Leader, SECRETARY General and Founder without due Legal rights to do so and seemingly implicating some Executive members. The Party members are urged to block the sacked Administrative Secretary from all Party Social media sites and activities. We will take this to the highest level to restore sanity, dignity and responsible Politics and Patritiotism in our support for Gambia’s development.

“The Security Forces will be used to quell any attempt to instigate violence or use of force against the Party and its officials in barbaric and deceitful acts of the former Executive against its Party Founder and Secretary General.”

The Leader of the Gambia Moral Congress Mai Ahmed Fatty has rhetorically asked whether the country’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Is Above the Law.

He was speaking over the weekend whilst announcing that he will contest the December polls. This he says is in line with his democratic rights. It comes after the Banjul High Court ruled that the electoral commission erred in law and in practice in rejecting his nomination.

“We were rejected. We challenged the rejection in court, and it was reversed for fatal non-compliance with the Elections Act. Was it our fault that the IEC violated its own Act and guidelines it claimed was given to candidates? Is it wrong for a citizen whose entrenched rights are violated by an institution created by law, and whose staff are paid from the consolidated fund, to seek redress for protection? Is the IEC above the law?” Fatty asks.

Fatty was one of 15 aspirants whose nominations were rejected, but the decision against the GMCs leader was declared null and void by the High Court.

He further stated that if his right and those of thousands of his supporters are trampled on by their exclusion from the electoral process through self-induced actions of the IEC, then a dangerous precedent would be set.

“The consequences are far-reaching beyond my generation; in that, it would settle the futility of courts and establish impunity. This is not conceivable in a democratic society,” Fatty said.

He used the opportunity to deny rumours which suggest he is being used by President Adama Barrow to derail the December 4th Presidential Election.

When asked about his campaign process, he responded by saying,

“We have secured an order of the court mandating the IEC to grant us equal opportunities granted to others on all the electoral and electioneering processes leading to the election. If this is vitiated in any manner before elections, it would cause irreparable harm and injustice to our rights under Section 26 of the Constitution. No amount of damages or compensation can cure that irreparable injury,” he stressed.

He further maintained that the IEC is not above the law.

“If there exist any complexities, it is for the IEC to resolve that. If the IEC treats the courts with disdain, that is a matter for the courts to resolve. I know even the presidency and legislature complied with the courts in the Ya-Kumba Jaiteh case. The IEC is not above the law,” he stressed.

He established that fair elections cannot be conducted if people intentionally employ all manner of tactics to exclude and frustrate a sizeable segment of the population from enjoying the right to elect their chosen candidate.

Imams under the banner of Majmouatou Rawdatul have announced their endorsement of UDP leader Ousainou Darboe.

Their statement reads: “Majmouatou Rawdatul was established in 2017 for the sole purpose of defending and promoting the mainstream Islamic values and precepts that our fathers and forefathers bequeathed to us through an impeccable chain of transmission that dates back to the epoch of Prophet Muhammad and his companions.

“The organisation arrived at the conclusion, after sober reflection, that our majliskunda/daara are the receptacles and citadels of the above-mentioned orthodox Islamic legacy of our ancestors. That was how Rawdat decided to join hands with all the majliskunda/daara of the country to fend off the onslaught of Arabic/Islamic graduates imbued and fed with Salafist/Wahhabi ideology, which is hell-bent on getting rid of mainstream Islam.

“The Salafist/Wahhabi surrogates managed to have a firm grip on the erstwhile regime of Yahya Jammeh because of his gullibility when it comes to matters pertaining to Islam. The then imam of the State House mosque was one of them as well as the former president of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council and his cohort of aides of Salafist/Wahhabi proclivity.

“It was these Salafists/Wahhabis that instigated Yahya Jammeh against people like Imam Bakawsu Fofana, some other notable imams, Sheriff Muheedin Hydara of Sangajorr and many other clerics and Imams, who preached and advocated for everything antithetic to Salafism/Wahhabism.

“With the advent of the Coalition government under the stewardship of President Adama Barrow, Muslims, imbued with a sense of justice and moderation, converged to set up an organisation that upholds the basic tenets and principles of the traditional Islam that Gambians and all Muslims of the globe are au fait with. The organisation drafted a constitution and called itself Majmouatou Rawdatul Majalis (Nursery of Traditional Islamic Schools).

“The organisation made it an unshakable principle that it shall be a mere religious and apolitical entity but would seek the government of the day’s blessing. That was how it approached the head of state and introduced itself to him. He welcomed the initiative and professed his adherence to the organisation’s objectives.

“However, the head of state drifted overtime towards the Salafist/Wahhabi leaning Supreme Islamic Council and became openly hostile to Rawdat. He sidelined Rawdat and heads of majliskunda/daara to an extent that none is invited to any government-led religious event. The latest case in point was the inauguration ceremony of the president’s mosque in Mankamang Kunda. No traditional religious leader or imam was honoured with an invitation to grace the occasion. It was rather Salafists/Wahhabis of the ilk of Chebou Oggou Cham and Mohamed Lamin Touray, who officiated the entire event.

“Rawdat has, on the contrary, noticed that the UDP leader, Ousainu Darboe, has always shown empathy towards the majliskunda/daara throughout his political career. A recent example is the series of visits he conducted to all notable majliskunda/daara in the West Coast Region prior to his October political tour and the current campaign trail he has embarked upon. Such a gesture is a clear testimony to his unflinching support for the majliskunda/daara coupled with his solemn declaration during his campaign trail that, if elected, his government would provide assistance to the majliskunda/daara because they are also institutions that disseminate knowledge like all other academic institutions.

“In light of the foregoing and in a spirit of self-preservation and survival, Majmouatou Rawdatul Majaalis as well as all majliskunda/daara hereby endorse Ousainu Darboe for president and call on all the majliskunda/daara in The Gambia to do likewise.”

Citizens’ Alliance has issued a statement saying the Independent Electoral Commission has refused to receive additional signatures the party submitted to Election House – and announced it has instructed its layers to commence contempt of court proceedings against the officials of Election House.

“In compliance with the court order, CA submitted fresh nomination forms with 331 signatures from the Banjul Administrative Area to the IEC on the 25th November 2021. On the 26 November, CA received a response from the IEC rejecting the additional signatures thereby failing to comply with the High Court order. This constitutes contempt of court,” CA said in a statement on Monday.

It said elsewhere: “Citizens’ Alliance has instructed its lawyers to commence contempt of court proceedings against the chairman of the IEC for willful disobedience of the court of the court.”

CA had last week won its case against Independent Electoral Commission where the high court ruled Election House rejected the nomination of the leader of the party Dr Ismaila Ceesay.

The court also ordered the IEC to collect additional signatures from Dr Ceesay to enable him contest Saturday’s presidential election.

The 8th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) opened in Dakar, Senegal on Monday

During the two-day conference, foreign ministers and representatives of the 54 member states will jointly evaluate the implementation of the summit outcomes, so as to deepen China-Africa mutual trust and elevate the practical cooperation.

This will be yet another occasion for the Chinese leader and African leaders to jointly chart the course for China-Africa relations, following the Johannesburg Summit in 2015, the Beijing Summit in 2018 and the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19 in 2020.

Ahead of Dakar forum, China on Friday released its first white paper on China-Africa cooperation, documenting the successes of China-Africa cooperation in the new era and offering a perspective on future cooperation between the two sides.

By: WHO Media

Preliminary analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) shows that only 27% of health workers in Africa have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, leaving the bulk of the workforce on the frontlines against the pandemic unprotected.

Analysis of data reported from 25 countries finds that since March 2021, 1.3 million health workers were fully vaccinated, with just six countries reaching more than 90%, while nine countries have fully vaccinated less than 40%. In sharp contrast, a recent WHO global study of 22 mostly high-income countries reported that above 80% of their health and care workers are fully vaccinated.

“The majority of Africa’s health workers are still missing out on vaccines and remain dangerously exposed to severe COVID-19 infection. Unless our doctors, nurses and other frontline workers get full protection we risk a blowback in the efforts to curb this disease. We must ensure our health facilities are safe working environments,” said Dr Matshidiso Moeti, WHO Regional Director for Africa.

It is important to have high vaccine coverage among health workers not only for their own protection but also for their patients and to ensure health care systems keep operating during a time of extreme need.

Africa’s shortage of health workers is acute and profound, with only one country in the region having the required health workers (10.9 per 1000 population) to deliver essential health services. Sixteen countries in the region have less than one health worker per 1000 population. Any loss of these essential workers to COVID-19 due to illness or death therefore heavily impacts on service provision capacity.

Based on data reported to WHO by countries in the African Region, since March 2020, there have been more than 150 400 COVID-19 infections in health workers, accounting for 2.5% of all confirmed cases and 2.6% of the total health work force in the region. Five countries account for about 70% of all the COVID-19 infections reported in health workers: Algeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and Zimbabwe.

After almost four months of a sustained decline, COVID-19 cases in the general population in Africa have plateaued. For the first time since the third wave peak in August, cases in Southern Africa have increased, jumping 48% in the week ending on 21 November compared with the previous week.

The risk of health worker infection rises whenever cases surge. This is a pattern that has been observed during the previous three waves of the pandemic. With a fourth wave likely to hit after the end-of-year travel season, health workers will again face risks amid low vaccination coverage.

To date, more than 227 million vaccine doses have been administered in Africa. In 39 countries which provided data, 3.9 million doses have been given to health workers.

“With a new surge in cases looming over Africa following the end-of-year festive season, countries must urgently speed up the rollout of vaccines to health care workers,” said Dr Moeti.

Campaign for Saturday’s presidential election has entered the final stretch with candidates making last-minutes pushes for votes.

President Adama Barrow and his National People’s Party will be in Bakau for a big rally followed by another rally in Serrekunda.

Opposition United Democratic Party also has two rallies on Monday beginning with Nema Nasir. The party will later in the day be in New Yundum.

Gambia Democratic Congress will be in Nyofelleh, Babylon and Bijilo while PDOIS will hold rallies in Kololi, Sanchaba Sulay Jobe and Brusubi.

The National Unity Party will hold a rally in Siffoe while the independent Essa Faal will be in Kanifing South, Tallinding and Ebo Town.

By Reuters

The heavily mutated Omicron coronavirus variant is likely to spread internationally and poses a very high risk of infection surges that could have “severe consequences” in some places, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Monday.

No Omicron-linked deaths had yet been reported, though further research was needed to assess its potential to resist vaccines and immunity induced by previous infections, it added.

Anticipating increased case numbers as the variant, first reported last week, spreads, the U.N. agency urged its 194 member states to accelerate vaccination of high-priority groups.

“Omicron has an unprecedented number of spike mutations, some of which are concerning for their potential impact on the trajectory of the pandemic,” the WHO said.

“The overall global risk …is assessed as very high.”

Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said Omicron’s emergence showed how “perilous and precarious” the situation was.

“Omicron demonstrates just why the world needs a new accord on pandemics,” he told the start of an assembly of health ministers expected to launch negotiations on such an agreement.

“Our current system disincentivizes countries from alerting others to threats that will inevitably land on their shores.”

The new global deal, expected by May 2024, would cover issues such as sharing of data and genome sequences of emerging viruses, and of any potential vaccines derived from research.

Scientist Richard Hatchett, CEO of the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), a foundation that funds vaccine development, said Omicron’s emergence had fulfilled predictions that transmission of the virus in areas with low vaccination rates would speed its evolution.

The WHO reiterated that, pending further advice, countries should use a “risk-based approach to adjust international travel measures”, while acknowledging that a rise in coronavirus cases might lead to higher morbidity and mortality rates.

“The impact on vulnerable populations would be substantial, particularly in countries with low vaccination coverage,” it added.

In vaccinated persons, meanwhile, “COVID-19 cases and infections are expected, albeit in a small and predictable proportion”.

Overall, there were “considerable uncertainties in the magnitude of immune escape potential of Omicron”, and more data was expected in the coming weeks.

By Amara Thoronka

In 2016 many Gambian politicians, with divergent political ideologies though, came together to fight a common cause, using the ballots to unseat and end the 22-year rule of ex-President Yahya Jammeh. Prior to the said election, one predominant undecided factor was the chosen person to hold the coalition flag and face Yahya Jammeh in the polls. The coalition – National Peoples Party – unanimously decided to choose businessman Adama Barrow to lead the democratic fight. With the resolved eagerness for change, thousands of Gambians voted in Barrow as the new President of the small West African nation.

The 2016 election was contested by three candidates: Adama Barrow of National Peoples Party (NPP); Yahya Jammeh of Alliance for Patriotic Reorientation and Construction (APRC) party and Mama Kandeh of Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) party. Barrow won with 227,708 votes (43.28%) followed by Jammeh with 208,487 votes (39.63%) and Kandah with 89,768 votes (17.06%).

Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) reported that 886,578 Gambians registered to vote in the said election. Due to probable non-voting circumstances such as death, traveling, sickness and more, a total of 526,135 people voted with 172 invalid votes and 525,963 valid votes.

President Barrow’s five-year mandate is elapsing and thus seeks re-election. The 4th December 2021 presidential election (just a few days to go) is deemed as a decision to either re-elect Barrow or replace him.

However, a recent opinion poll survey titled: “The Gambia Pre-election Opinion Poll Survey 2021,” done by the Center for Policy, Research and Strategic Studies (CepRass) shows that incumbent President Adama Barrow will win the December 4 polls in all regions.

According to the survey, the proportion of respondents is high in Banjul, followed by West Coast Region (WCR) and Central River Region (CRR) and low in Upper River Region (URR). In all regions, it indicates that President Barrow’s National Peoples Party (NPP) wins the voting intentions of Gambians with the greatest performance in URR and CRR.

While there are undecided voters in all regions, the proportion of respondents in the regions that are undecided is not as substantial as it was in the first opinion poll survey conducted mid this year. This shows that across all the regions, most respondents have now decided on which candidate to elect. The survey says Banjul and Brikama have the most undecided voters among the respondents.

Statistically, 44% of respondents revealed that NPP will win the presidential election, while 24% submitted that Ousainou Darboe’s (UDP) will win. 5% of the respondents favoured Mama Kandeh’s Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) while 2% goes to Halifa Sallah’s Peoples Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS). 1% each preferred Abdoulei Jammeh’s National Unity Party (NUP) and independent candidate Essa Faal respectively. 24% of the respondents reported that they could not decide the winner of the said election.

In summary, the poll puts President Barrow in first position; Ousainou Darboe, second; Mama Kandeh, third; Halifa Sallah, fourth; while Abdoulei Jammeh and Essa Faal battle for fifth position.

President Barrow won the 2016 presidential election with 43.28 percent. The recent opinion poll on the forthcoming presidential election indicates that he would win with 44%. Put simple, it infers that 2016 election statistics would either repeat itself or slightly increase in favour of President Barrow.

APRC deputy spokesman Dodou Jah has responded to critics who have been sharing his old videos where he is seen attacking President Adama Barrow.

Mr Jah and his APRC as nowadays backing President Barrow after opposing him for more than three years.

Some of his critics have dug for his old videos and have been sharing it in an attempt to lay bare his inconsistency.

But a not-bothered Jah said: “For those of you sharing my old videos and audios get this, I don’t walk backward but forward, #WeMove we have a president to re-elect Dec. 2021, nobody can define me but patriotic people can help redefine me.

“I love being me and I am not answerable to critics and haters. HATE has no place in my heart and life, APRC I rep. GAMBIA OUR HOMELAND. Barrow’s Political General.”

United Democratic Party leader Ousainou Darboe has called on his supporters to continue canvassing for votes insisting the UDP will build a better nation.

Mr Darboe spoke over the weekend as UDP held a rally in Brikama which he missed but addressed through video.

He however wrote on his official Facebook page: “Sitting at home and watching the Rally in Brikama gives me inestimable pleasure knowing that the foundations upon which the party was built is rock solid.  You have shown resilience despite the obstacles thrown at you. You have demonstrated such a deep sense of patriotism throughout the life of this party and most especially this final leg of the 2021 campaign.

“I admire the camaraderie, smiles on your faces and good humour. I can continue to hold my head high as you demonstrate leadership in the examples you set.  You continue to demonstrate for all to see your desire for a better nation.

“Tonight once again, as in other regions of the country you have sent a clear message that The Gambia is ready for meaningful change that will usher in sustainable development.

“I urge you all to continue to canvas for votes, continue to sell our 5-Point Agenda and together we will build a better nation.”

The Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations has called on the Adama Barrow led government to fully implement the recommendations of the Truth Reconciliation and Reparation Commission (TRRC).

This call comes a few days after the commission officially presented its report to President Barrow at State House in Banjul.

Sheriff Kijera is the director of the centre, he said the Truth Commission has done a perfect and wonderful job as demanded by the government. Noting that now they expect that the government honour its responsibility to implement the entire report.

Commending the TRRC for what he described as a fantastic job Mr Kijera revealed that the expectations of the victims are quite high.

“Unlike the Janneh Commission report which was treated with “selective justice”, the Truth Commission report should be treated with utmost significance to heal the wounds. and chart a new path for the country. We will not remain complacent to hold our government accountable to live up to expectation and implement the TRRC report,” Mr Kijera said.

The Gambia Centre for Victims of Human Rights Violations was formed to provide a safe environment that will help victims of human rights violations and their families get the truth, justice, and where applicable reparation.

The organisation collaborates with government, national, and international agencies in providing other needed services for victims of human rights violations.

Meanwhile, President Adama Barrow has expressed his desire and his government’s willingness to implement the recommendations of the report.

National People’s Party strongwoman Nyima Kinteh has said United Democratic Party’s plan to spend the night in Basori while returning to Banjul from upcountry campaign didn’t go as planned as leader Darboe missed out.

UDP had planned to make a night stop in the holy village of Basori last week before heading back to Banjul but leader Darboe missed out as he sustained an injury and was evacuated to Afrimed.

Speaking at President Barrow’s rally in Busumbala, Nyima Kinteh of the National People’s Party said: “Be wary of leaders who do not accept what God has destined. We have seen people trying to imitate him (President Barrow). In 2016 if you remember President Barrow spent the night in Basori. There is a lot of prayers in Basori, we have our men of God in Basori. They think if they sleep in Basori, God will give them what he gave President Barrow (presidency). But they ended up sleeping at Makasama’s place.

“We pray for his speedy recovery because NPP is not a party that wishes bad luck to our opponents. If you remember days to the nomination, they said our president was sick and went for treatment in France but Allah is One. What you wished for mine is what befell yours.”

President Adama Barrow has said he doesn’t have anything against former President Yahya Jammeh which is why he doesn’t get angry over the former dictator’s statements.

“All these things that he is doing… I have nothing against Yahya Jammeh. This is why I don’t get angry over whatever he says. But The Gambia is our country and we have to promote peace,” President Barrow told his Faji Kunda rally over the weekend.

Former President Jammeh who is living in exile in Equatorial Guinea has been engaged in attempts to turn Gambians against President Barrow. He supports opposition Mamma Kandeh and usually calls at Mr Kandeh’s rallies to tell Gambians not to vote for President Barrow but Kandeh.

In one of the meetings, he called President Barrow a donkey and Saitan person – and has also accused his successor of destroying his 22 years work as president.

Jammeh has remained a bitter man following his electoral defeat in the hands of President Barrow in the 2016 presidential election. He refused to hand over power which led to ECOWAS sending troops to The Gambia and Jammeh later fleeing to Equatorial Guinea.

Essa Faal addressed voters in Bakau on Sunday urging them to vote for him as he is the most competent among all candidates seeking State House.

The Turnaround leader insisted he is the only candidate who proved his mettle when he worked for the TRRC as lead prosecutor.

Mr Faal said: “All these six people contesting, each beating his chest that he is the competent. Ask them to show you what they have done here. With all the people they are with and we have seen their results and know they are incompetent. And those people talking when their education is not much, we know they are incompetent. And the others who are talking, no know has seen their results and they have not done anything here.

“They are deceiving you. We have worked here for three years, every day you were watching us. You know if we have done something or not, you also know if we spoke the truth or not and you also know if we are competent or not.

“You know how it is between us and them. They organized a debate here, they all ran away and the one who came was defeated. So the people know.”

Members states of the World Health Organisation (WHO) are gatherd for a special session of the World Health Assembly (WHA) which will start today 29th November to 1st December 2021.

The essence of the session is to consider the need for developing an international instrument to better prepare for and prevent future pandemic threats.

“Member States will consider one agenda item during the special session – the second such meeting in its history – namely the need for a WHO convention, agreement or other international agreement on pandemic preparedness and response with a view towards the establishment of an international process to draft and negotiate such a convention taking into account the report of the Working Group on Strengthening WHO Preparedness and Response to Health Emergencies,” a press release from WHO read.

The goals of such an instrument would be to enable the world to act collectively for prevention, preparedness and response to the next pandemic, ensure equitable access to pandemic countermeasures and support global coordination through a global public health governance and reinforce the role of WHO.

South Africa’s president has called on countries to reverse the “unjustified” travel bans that were put in place to combat the spread of the new Omicron Variant of the coronavirus, contending that such restrictions are not backed by science.

“We call upon all those countries that have imposed travel bans on our country and our southern African sister countries to immediately and urgently reverse their decisions,” South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said on Sunday, according to Al Jazeera.

“These restrictions are unjustified and unfairly discriminate against our country and our southern African sister countries,” he added.

Ramaphosa’s comments come after a number of countries, including the United States, issued new travel restrictions for passengers coming from South Africa and other nearby countries after the World Health Organization labelled omicron a “variant of concern.”

The strain, which was first detected in South Africa, has since appeared in neighboring African countries as well as in Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, Belgium, Hong Kong and Israel.

Starting on Monday, the U.S. will restrict travel from South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique and Malawi.

While there is still much to learn about the new omicron variant, it is clear that the strain has a high number of mutations and is already spreading around the world.

Anthony Fauci on Sunday said the new variant will “inevitably” be found in the U.S., though no cases have been detected thus far.

Ramaphosa on Sunday said the new travel restrictions will just further damage the economies of the affected countries and undermine their ability to respond to, and recover from, the pandemic, adding that they are “not informed by science.”

Fauci defended the travel restrictions, contending that they will “slow things down.”

He noted that travel bans for highly transmissible viruses do not “completely” prevent the infections from entering the country but said that “what you can do is you can delay it enough to get us better prepared.”

Former Gambia Moral Congress strongwoman Tida Kijera met with officials of the United Democratic Party on Sunday to officially join the party and endorse UDP leader Ousainou Darboe.

Mrs Kijera was this week sacked from Gambia Moral Congress only for her to quickly announce she is joining UDP.

She was supposed to meet Mr Darboe personally but the UDP leader is recovering from a minor fracture to the leg he sustained in Jarra.

Mrs Kijera instead met with top chieftains of UDP such as Amadou Sanneh, Aja Yamoundow Yabo, Oley Dibba and Momodou Sanneh at Darboe’s office in Pipeline.