Gambia’s Ministry of Health has informed the public that it has taken note of the new  Coronavirus variant ‘Omicron’ which is reported to be highly infectious.

The new variant was first reported in South Africa last week prompting a travel ban on the country along with its neighbours in southern Africa. WHO has revealed that further research is required to assess the potential of the new variant’s resistance to Covid-19 vaccines.

The UN agency says in a presser that this new development could pose substantial impacts on countries with low national vaccination (like The Gambia) and urges countries to put in place a risk-based approach to adjust international travel measures.

This comes at a time when the country is preparing for its 4^th December 2021 Presidential Election with campaign periods attracting huge crowds and disregarding coronavirus protocols.

Dr Mustapha Bittaye is Director of Health Services at the Ministry of Health, he revealed that plans to prevent, detect and respond to diseases like the new COVID-19 variant are all in swing.

“We maintained our surveillance and reviewed our guidance based on the available evidence,” Dr Bittaye said.

“The Ministry of Health is fully aware of the developments surrounding the new variant. All our thematic areas remain effective and we are ready to fight against its incursion,” Director of Health Promotion and Education Modou Njie said.

Former leader of People’s Progressive Party Omar Amadou Jallow has asked former President Yahya Jammeh to stop stoking chaos in The Gambia.

Mr Jallow alias OJ who was speaking on Monday in Serrekunda said the former dictator would have himself to blame for anything that befalls him.

He said: “I want my child who is in Equatorial Guinea who is Yahya Jammeh. I want him to hear me say he is my child and that he should keep quiet. I was friends with his dad when I was in Bwiam in 1968. This is why when he father passed, it was me he came to and I was the one who gave him a car to take the corpse from Banjul to Mayork. They are from Mayork. His father was buried in Mayork.

“I have heard him speak in the language of religion but has he ever heard Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara speak at a meeting of PPP when I was leader of PPP and when he was in England? When Sir Dawda returned to The Gambia, have we ever seen him make political statements? He wrote to say his has given his role in the party to me.

“Yahya Jammeh has the likes of Fabakary Tombong Jatta, Rambo Jatta, Yankuba Colley and others. They stood by him when he was here and away still he is saying things that can bring chaos in The Gambia.

“I want to say if he wants his end to be in peace, let him keep quiet and sit in peace. Otherwise he will go to where he doesn’t want to go to and I am not wishing that for him. I am his dad and this is why I forgave him. If he doesn’t keep quiet, he has himself to blame for anything that befalls him.”

The executive of the Gambia Action Party that suspended leader Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly says he is dissolving has expelled him from GAP.

In a letter on November 29 and shared with The Fatu Network, the officials said the party’s constitution obligates members to be loyal only to GAP and not any other political party or candidate.

The letter signed by senior administrative secretary Muhammed Yaffa reads: “On the above subject matter, unanimous decision has been made to expel you from the position of secretary general and party leader of the party as an institution. You no longer serve at the mantle of leadership of the party. After going through a rigorous and wide consultation amongst the party’s membership and the leadership across all the levels, acting on article 10(10)2 of the Gambia Action Party’s constitution warrants the constitutional powers and legal authority to the National Executive Committee to take disciplinary measures either to suspend, fine or dismiss any member of the party who acts based on improper misconduct that jeopardises the image of the party.

“The membership framework of GAP states in article 5(5) of the Gambia Action Party’s constitution warrants members to be loyal only to GAP and not any other political party or candidate. Your action to endorse another political party or agenda revokes your rights as a member of the party.

“Article 15(2) of GAP constitution holistically defines the code of conduct as enshrined in the operational framework of the party embedded in our terms of reference for party leader and secretary general. Thus you violated these ethics and modus operandi grossly to the maximum extent possible.”

Veteran politician Omar Amadou Jallow otherwise called OJ has slammed UDP leader Ousainou Darboe for fighting over the presidency with his son President Adama Barrow opining: ‘that’s where lack of faith stops’.

OJ insisted President Barrow is a good man who did everything for the UDP leader when he freed him from incarceration.

OJ speaking at President Barrow’s rally in Serrekunda on Monday said: “I ask those supporting UDP to think again. Adama Barrow is a good person, he is righteous, he respects elders. When Ousainou was arrested and imprisoned, we had our meetings and selected Adama Barrow within three months. We made him our candidate and he won and became president.

“Ousainou Darboe has sought that position for 20 years and couldn’t get it. He is a good person and a good citizen. Assan Musa Camara looked for it and couldn’t get it. Sheriff Dibba looked for it and couldn’t get it and others and they were all citizens. Adama Barrow looked for it in three months and got it.

“When he got it, he took you out from prison, he called you his father and you said he is the Prophet Musa. That anyone who attacks him you will break the person’s eye. He made you foreign minister, he made you vice president. He goes with whatever you say or do to him. So what more did Ousainou Darboe want in this world? Your son comes and gets a position that you could not get for 20 years. So now why would you fight with your son? This is where lack of faith in God stops.”

President Adama Barrow’s political companion Hamat Bah has warned that the president will deal with anyone who threatens the country’s peace ahead of Saturday’s poll.

Gambians will head to the polls on Saturday to vote for a new president, a plebiscite analysts say will determine the next phase of Gambia’s newfound democracy.

But speaking in Serrekunda on Monday during President Barrow’s rally, Mr Bah appeared familiar with a plot by certain people to disturb the nation’s peace.

He said: “Those who intend to do otherwise… I repeat again: President Barrow will not waver for an inch of a moment to deal with any situation, anybody who threatens the stability, the interest and the security of this country.

“In 2019, I told Gambians in Brikama the same thing when they were talking about Three Years Jotna. And he dealt with Three Year Jotna decisively. He is quiet, he is nice but when you threaten the interest of Gambia, you will see the true face of the man.

“We are telling them… Whatever they are planning, whatever they want to do, Adama will use all the laws and all the powers vested upon him to maintain stability and security in The Gambia and there will be no sacred cow.”

President Adama Barrow has vowed to knock out his ‘father’ UDP leader Ousainou Darboe when the pair finally meet at the ballot on Saturday, a huge election showdown that will also feature four other candidates.

“I have told you December 4th is a massive bout. But the bout is between my father and I. But already I have taken him to ardo (moment doctors treat a fighter for a cut). He has gone to ardo and I don’t if he will return or not. He has gone to Ardo but on the 4th of December, I am going to knock him out,” President Barrow told supporters in Serrekunda during a rally there on Monday.

President Barrow has throughout the campaign period slammed Darboe as old and has vowed to retire him in Saturday poll.

President Barrow came to power in 2016 when he defeated longtime leader Yahya Jammeh. He is now seeking a fresh mandate from Gambians.

President Barrow has always viewed the leader of the main opposition United Democratic Party Darboe as his father – as he was a member of the party for between 2007 and 2016.

The pair however fell out in 2019 with President Barrow proceeding to form his own political party.

Ayatollah Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly has issued another statement giving Gambia Democratic Congress leader Mamma Kandeh just 24 hours to forsake the deal he signed with Gambia Action Party officials or face legal action.

Mr Batchilly had on Monday issued a statement announcing the sackings of officials who suspended him from GAP and went ahead to enter into an alliance with GDC.

In a fresh statement, Mr Batchilly said: “In light of the recent developments at Gambia Action Party, regarding the Dissolving of the entire Executive,  and appointment of a new Administrative Secretary and interim Executive to handle all affairs of the Party which I formed for the interest of Gambia’s National development.

“On my behalf and on behalf of the new interim Executive, I urge Mama Kandeh, The Party Leader of Gambia Democratic Congress to desist and recuse himself from all agreements signed with officials and Unauthorised Members of Gambia Action Party.

“As Party Leader, founder and Secretary General, I will do everything necessary to save the name, honour, integrity and status of Gambia Action Party.

“GAP as a Party is here to stay  and to play a Democratic role in supporting National interest as Patritiotic citizens that are selflessly striving to support The Government of H.E Adama Barrow and Partners.

“I would like to also use this medium to inform the Independent Electoral Commission and all Local and international Partners and Election Observers of this Malpractice by Mama Kandeh and his Executive for signing a memorandum of understanding outside the legal mandate required.

“Legal action will soon follow all these processes and unless GDC revokes its MOU with my Party within 24 hours, I shall resort to legal means immediately and due process. A separate letter will be sent to all Election Authorities in this regard.

“All Former Executive Memers of GAP who wish to become part of the interim Executive are urged send their interest in writing to the email: [email protected] for every consideration to be afforded in the rebuilding of a new and Democratic Party structures and Executive that represents our Diverse National and Diaspora membership under my mandate as Founder and Party Leader in light of sober Democratic norms, values and the Rule of law and not Rule by hands of pretentious encroachers upon the very fabric of our Party’s solid spirits of Goodwill, Diversity, Human Rights, Equality and Democracy as a new society with civilised Ethos and standing for sobriety in Politics, Leadership and Governance.”

As he edges out of the presidential race, Dr Ismaila Ceesay has announced he will neither endorse any political party or candidate nor enter an  alliance with any party or candidate in the upcoming December 4^th election.

“Citizens’ Alliance will neither endorse any political party or candidate nor enter into an alliance with any party or candidate in the upcoming December 4 presidential elections,” a statement from the party read.

This comes after the High Court, delivered a landmark judgment declaring that the IEC failed to comply with the provisions and spirit of the Election Act in rejecting the nomination of CA’s presidential candidate and ordering, among others, that

“The applicants are entitled to submit an additional list of names and signatures of Registered voters for the Banjul Administrative Area, having regard to the fact that the 1^st Applicant only had notice of the rejection of his nomination contrary to the spirit of section 47(3) of the Election Act Cap 3:01; which invariably amounts to a denial of his rights to deliver a fresh nomination paper and/or cure any defect in his nomination form which is in consonance with all known rules of fairness, equity and natural justice.”

The statement notes that it continues to reaffirm its trust and confidence in the judiciary and will continue to seek legal redress in the courts.  Whilst thanking all their supporters, members, sympathizers and the entire Gambian population for their support and for standing by the party during this very difficult period.

“We strongly urge the IEC to stop threading on this self-destructive path and follow the path of the rule of law. The IEC is expected to operate within the framework, spirit and substance of the law and should always be guided by the principle of fairness, equity and transparency. However, for all intents and purposes, CA finds the actions of the IEC to be in blatant disregard of the court order and is of the belief that the Commission is bent on frustrating the party’s bid to contest the 2021 election.”

Meanwhile “Citizens’ Alliance has instructed its lawyers to commence Contempt of Court proceedings against the Chairman of the IEC for willful disobedience of the order of the court.”

It urges all members, supporters, and militants to stay calm, be law-abiding and peaceful at all times. It extends best wishes to all the presidential candidates and wish them good luck and urge every citizen to vote wisely and peacefully.

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.