Gambia’s only Female Presidential Nominee, Marie Sock Jobarteh has told Gambians that she is running for president to be a voice for every Gambian. She was speaking to the Fatu Network immediately after completing her nomination process at Election House.

“I want to be a voice for every Gambian, it is only us that can make a change for us and our children,” Marie Sock said.

When asked about what inspired her Marie noted that she was inspired by the struggle of her people.

“I was inspired by the struggle of my people. I am a mother, and if this is what I must do to help so be it,” she said.

Ahead of the December 2021 polls the Independent Electoral Commission of The Gambia has today 30th October 2021 started the nomination process for Presidential Candidates.

The requirements for Nomination include: The person must be a Gambian Citizen of at least 30 years old with a minimum educational qualification of Senior Secondary School.

The candidate must have also been resident in the Gambia five years preceding 4th December 2021 and should be nominated by 5000 voters; at least 200 from each region.

The Presidential Candidate must also have sworn asset declaration with a tax clearance certificate and a deposit sum of D10,000. Other requirements include, a symbol, colour and photograph and strict adherence to IEC Code of Campaign Ethics

Today’s nomination schedule features Joseph H. Joof (Independent Candidate), Marie Sock Jobarteh (Independent Candidate), Alhaji Mamadi Kurang (Independent Candidate) and Mathew Gomez (Independent Candidate)

Gambia Democratic Congress leader Mamma Kandeh has been unanimously selected as the standard-bearer of an alliance featuring his GDC, GANU and former President Jammeh’s No Alliance Movement.

This story is developing…

United Democratic Party has reached out to Gambia For All for an alliance as Gambians get set to vote for a new president in five weeks time.

According to people familiar with the issue, UDP approached GFA for an alliance that will be led by UDP.

GFA chiefs are said to have taken the invitation under advisement.

The development comes as GFA appeared to have pulled out from a five-party opposition alliance dubbed Alliance for Change 2021.

Party leaders including that of GFA were supposed to put pen to paper regarding an MoU but BB Darbo did not turn up sparking speculation the alliance is on the brink of collapse. Only CA’s Dr Ismaila Ceesay, APP Dr Ibrahim Jagne and GMC’s Mai Fatty signed the agreement.

One of the last remaining victims of the Bilal Boarding School has succumbed to injuries he sustained from the fire.

Five boys died while seven got hospitalized after they got trapped in their room as fire tore through it earlier this month. At least four of the seven injured have died.

On Friday, 11-year-old Seedy Lamin Ceesay also succumbed to his injuries. He had been receiving treatment in Senegal.

Gambia Press Union has gotten a new president.

Foroyaa journalist Muhammed S Bah has become the new president of the GPU after winning a vote that featured three candidates.

Thirty-six journalists gave Mr Bah the nod with his close challenger Omar Wally garnering 28 votes. A third candidate, Kerr Fatou Editor Mustapha Ceesay got nine votes.

Mr Bah replaces Sheriff Bojang Jnr who has elected not to seek re-election after the end of a three-year term.

Gambia Democratic Congress has agreed to a coalition with Gambia Alliance for National Unity and former President Yahya Jammeh’s supporters under the banner of No Alliance Movement.

A source said the opposition GDC has agreed to the coalition and officials are now scrambling to put pen to paper on Friday before the nomination of candidates for election begins on Saturday.

A flagbearer will also be announced, according to the source.

A tragic car accident that happened on Thursday morning at Nyakoi Taibatu is reported to have claimed three (3) lives, leaving many others in critical condition.

According to Basse Multimedia, of the 17 people involved in the accident three (3) people were confirmed dead on the spot while six (6) others who remain in critical condition were referred to Bansang Hospital.

Among them were 9 Mauritanians, including 2 minors less than 5 years old.  2 Gambians, and 1 Senegalese. The nationality of the 3 others was not confirmed at the time of publication.

The two minors according to the nurses at the Basse District Hospital. are all well and stable.

According to sources, the vehicle was hired by the Mauritanians who were en route to their country, unfortunately, it crashed into a tractor along the way, a few kilometres from Basse, due to alleged overseeding.

By: Dawda Baldeh

The Gambia Port Authority (GPA) has on Thursday, 28^th October 2021 organized a security exercise in the form of a ‘fire breakout simulation’ in case of any security risk at the seaport.

During the security exercise, it was considered that there was a fire breakout at the port, in response the National Navy Forces rushed to the port to evacuate officials and keep them away from the risk zone. The Gambia Fire and Rescue Service also arrived at the scene at high speed to put out the fire.

Almost immediately ambulances from the Ministry of Health were deployed to evacuate casualties to health facilities. The Navy also conducted a search and discovered a bomb at the port.

According to Lieutenant Abba Nyassi everyone must go about their normal activity and not be afraid as the bomb discovered was harmless and part of the simulation exercise.

The activity conducted on Thursday morning at the ports brought together different security personnel and staff of the port. It was meant to help strengthen the security and safety of the ports as it serves as the first entry point for goods, services and people.

Recently, in line with security protocol, the Office of the National Security conducted A Critical National Infrastructural (CNI) Mapping Assessment and the port was identified as one of the key critical infrastructures in the country.

Superintendent Touray expressed hope that the knowledge and skills obtained from the exercise will be put into practice. As part of the training, The Gambia Navy conducted a bomb detective exercise at the ports to strengthen their efforts in exposing harmful weapons that may be discovered at the port.

The training is a requirement from all states that are signatory to the ISPS code, a code that provides a framework through which ships and port facilities can co-operate to detect and deter acts that pose a threat to maritime security. The conduct of training for stakeholders is expected to happen every 12 months and not more than a period of 18 months.

The Commander of the Gambia Navy, Fara Jobe said this year’s security exercise shows that their performance has been improved compared to last year. He said the role of the navy is combating threats at the port. He also called for the improvement of the equipment that is needed to make their work effective.

He used the opportunity to call for collaboration in responding to emergency drills and exercises noting that the government alone cannot eradicate threats and criminal activities.

APRC deputy spokesman Dodou Jah has said the APRC Fabakary Tombong Jatta executive feel disappointed over the way former President Yahya Jammeh treated them.

“We feel disappointed, all of us. We were taken aback. Not only saying we’re removed but he called us traitors. That really shocked people.

“People who stood for you, defended you at every corner. When we pass and people insult us, it’s because of Babili Mansa. When we go to places they throw stones at us, it’s because of Babili Mansa,” Mr Jah told The Fatu Network in an exclusive interview.

Former President Jammeh earlier this month shocked the nation when he called from his base in Equatorial Guinea and fired Fabakary Tombong Jatta and his team as leaders of APRC. Jammeh complained that the leaders are traitors who entered into an alliance with NPP with his approval.

However, on whether the love he has for Jammeh is still intact, Mr Jah said: “Yes, love and respect. It’s definitely in tact. But when it comes to trusting him, I have some question marks.”

By: Christian Alpha Conteh

“I felt like I had been killed on that day,” says Isha as she sobbed incessantly. A little over a year ago, her 16-year-old son was gunned down by the Sierra Leone police as he came home from school.

Isha ran to the township after receiving several distress calls. On arrival, she found her son’s lifeless body on the sidewalk and a large crowd of onlookers standing around it.

The boy was one of six people shot dead during a demonstration over the relocation of a standby 1.65 megawatts generator plant from the Electricity Distribution and Supply Agency’s (EDSA) Makeni outlet to the Lungi International Airport in Port Loko District, in the country’s North West Region.

Khadijatu’s son was also shot dead that day by the police.

“My son was 17 years old,” she says, her voice breaking. “He loved football and music. He was attending the Saint Francis Secondary School here in Makeni. This year, he should have taken his senior secondary school exam.

On the day he was killed, I told him to go and buy me something. Later there was panic, and tear gas followed, people running everywhere. Someone told me they [the police] had shot him. I fainted,” Kadijatu explained.

She appealed to the Julius Maada Bio government to give them (herself and other families who lost loved ones) the much-needed justice which they seek.

A similar shooting happened in Kabala, a small hilly town in northern Sierra Leone several years ago.

Reports reveal that young people from the town decided to hold a peaceful protest over government plans to move the construction of a planned “youth village” from their district to another district. The proposed youth village would have offered training and trade opportunities for young people in the area.

Youth leaders requested permission from the police to hold the demonstration but were told they had to request this 21 days in advance.

Youth groups decided to meet the next day to discuss what to do. Eyewitnesses revealed that the police fired tear gas outside the meeting venue to disrupt the meeting and stop the youth from protesting. People started to run, scared by the loud noise and smell of tear gas. Some people started to throw stones at police officers.

The police fired bullets back at them, in violation of international standards which state that firearms must never be used to disperse a crowd and should only be used when there is a real and imminent threat to life.

The shootout left four men injured. Samuel was shot in the back. He now permanently uses a wheelchair. “I used to do construction work. Now I cannot do anything.” He said looking sad. “I long to see the day when the person who has put me in this condition pays for his action,” Samuel noted.

The people of Makeni and Kabala are not alone. Across Sierra Leone, there are survivors of police brutality who are still waiting for justice or compensation.

Abdul a university student was shot during a student protest in the southern city of Bo last year. He lives with a bullet in his heart and needs medical treatment abroad but cannot afford it.

He has not received any compensation and no police officer has been disciplined or investigated, let alone brought to justice in connection with his shooting despite recommendations made by the Independent Police Complaints Board (IPCB).

“Maybe the government will do something if there is enough pressure,” a family member of one of those shot dead in Makeni said.

In response to these killings over the years the country’s Human Rights Commission has urged the country’s police to stop taking firearms containing live rounds at scenes of protests and demonstrations except where it is extremely necessary; thus, recommending they should instead use rubber bullets and other lawful devices and means to dispersing protesters or quelling down protests.

Marcus Bangura the Secretary-General for the Consortium for Good Governance, Human Rights and Democracy (CGHRD) said over the years the country’s security forces have used excessive force and meted out unwarranted human rights violations against citizens. Describing the recurring incidents of police brutality as unacceptable.

He reiterated the Consortiums earlier call on the government which include the establishment of an independent judge-led investigation into the various incidents; all suspected perpetrators of police shootings be suspended pending the outcome of the investigation and all those found guilty of killing be made to face the full penalty of the law.

Amnesty International has also persistently urged the Sierra Leone government past and present to allow peaceful protest and law enforcement attitude towards citizens with the group in recent times urging the Bio led administration to prioritize ending police crackdowns on peaceful protesters.

“For 10 years, police in Sierra Leone have been getting away with murder as peaceful protesters and bystanders have lost their lives, or been seriously injured, with no one held to account. If the authorities are as serious as they say about upholding human rights, they should start by repealing repressive laws restricting peaceful assembly and addressing entrenched impunity for police abuses,” Amnesty International said in its 2018 report.

All survivors of police brutality can do now is continue to be hopeful that they will receive justice and compensation someday.

Former secretary general and head of the civil service Dr Njogu Bah has organised a big rally in Medina Serign Mass to ramp up support for President Adama Barrow ahead of the December election.

Dr Bah made his first public appearance for years in Sukuta earlier this month when President Barrow held a meeting there. He vowed to repay President Barrow’s development efforts North Bank region.

The Madina Serign Mass rally held on Thursday was attended by hundreds of citizens who all vowed to vote for President Barrow in December.

CA leader Dr Ismaila Ceesay has called on Halifa Sallah and his PDOIS party to change their system before seeking system change, going after the party in extraordinary fashion.

The respected political mind fired back that Mr Sallah said his party will not give credence to press releases that emanate from certain parties and personalities. CA had issued a statement saying PDOIS were invited for coalition talks but they never responded.

At a news conference on Thursday, Mr Sallah said: “We have seen certain statements issued. We believe that those issuing the statement may not be doing so in an official capacity. What we anticipate is that the people meet to form a coalition, then they will have a secretariat which will issue press releases on their behalf.

“We do not expect separate people to be issuing press releases. That’s why we cannot give importance to press releases issued by certain parties and personalities. What we will give credence to is what is issued by a group of people who officially declared themselves to be working to build a coalition.

“But it is important for the sake transparency and accountability to explain to all of you that prior to my ailment, I have been approached by people who felt that CA and PDOIS should form a coalition. Whether those people were sent by their leaders or not but what we were told is that CA is a young party and would want to support PDOIS in this presidential election, so that through this association it would build itself.

“But that CA was also talking with other parties and they wanted PDOIS to engage in that. We told them that coalition building is very sensitive. You need to talk to each party to know their interest. Because we do not want to sit and each party will say select my presidential candidate otherwise I will not be part of the coalition.”

Dr Ismaila Ceesay reacted by saying PDOIS always wanted to be answered when they call but do not answer when they are called.

He wrote: “Change your System before you call for System Change. You want to be answered when you call; but you don’t want to answer when called. Things don’t work like that.

“If, for 35 years, you are not able to transform your party into a modern political organization, how can you transform The Gambia into a modern state in 5 years? We are on a mission to save the next generation from the failures of the past and we can’t afford to be distracted.”

Police have arrested two men who go about robbing citizens using motorbikes.

The two Nigerian men, Solomon Obilo and Mentus Tunde, were paraded on Thursday.

Police spokesman Lamin Njie explained: “They follow their victims to their banks and observe them. In fact they lay a kind of surveillance for the individual while he or she goes on withdrawing cash from the bank. They also mark out people who withdraw bulk cash from their banks. One of them will be in the bank while the other one will sit on a motorbike outside waiting for him to withdraw.

“The moment you withdraw your cash and out, he will signal or call this other individual and tell him he is coming out and the motorbike owner will mark you. As soon as the other person comes out, they will follow you on their bike. Wherever you go they will be following you without your knowledge until you park your car at any point. They will come over, break the car glasses and steal the money.

“These people are sort of like migrant criminals. What they do is they come to the Gambia seasonally. From the passports that we are having, they entered The Gambia just this past Saturday. Meaning that it was just on Saturday that they come into The Gambia and Sunday, they bought this motorbike, brand new, not registered and they are using it running around in town. They do this once, twice and they gather the money and they flee out of the country.”

India’s foreign minister Shri Muraleedharan will arrive in The Gambia on Sunday for a two-day official visit, according to a dispatch by the foreign ministry.

Mr Muraleedharan’s visit will see him meet foreign minister Dr Mamadou Tangara on Monday. He will also meet the president

The top Indian official will also on Monday take part in the signing of a cooperation agreement between India and The Gambia.

Dr Babanding Daffeh has completed giving testimony in the rape trial of businessman Bubacarr Keita, telling the high court in Bundung his medical reports did not indicate who the alleged perpetrator is.

Mr Keita, 29, finally returned to court on Wednesday after a three-month break, with Dr Daffeh responding to questions from the businessman’s lawyer.

Returning to the witness box, Dr Daffeh explained his medical reports could help know who the alleged perpetrator is, but Keita’s lawyer Lamin Camara insisted the reason alleged perpetrators do not appear on medical examination reports is that they could not tell one who the alleged perpetrator is.

Dr Daffeh said: “Certainly no because any findings in the medical reports for the victims are in relation to what happened to the victims and not who was the alleged perpetrator.”

“And therefore Doctor, your examinations of the complainant in both Exhibit E and F did not point to who did what but what happened to the complainant right?” Keita’s lawyer asked.

Dr Daffeh said: “Obviously the report does not point directly to who the alleged perpetrator is but if you look at the report and you look at the two fundamental issues I addressed two months ago, that those issues are in record, if you compare with the findings of my investigations as a doctor… The two scannings, the first being Exhibit E and the second being Exhibit F and there is another report which was tendered here before.

“So if you look at the medical reports, the age of the pregnancy [which was] four months-four-weeks and then the scanning that was done initially at family planning on the 6th of November 2019 and the one done at our hospital, which was at four months, five weeks, will definitely address those two fundamental issues and who might be the alleged perpetrator.”

Keita’s lawyer who was clearly not impressed asked again: “Dr Daffeh, my question is simple: did you find who the alleged perpetrator is medically in your reports?” Dr Daffeh replied: ‘No’.

The judge had intervened after the prosecuting attorney Alasan Jobe complained that the defence lawyer should not try to force the witness to a no-or-yes answer.

“We take objection to counsel trying to force the witness to a ‘yes-or-no’ answer.”

“It’s overruled,” the judge quickly interjected, adding “It’s a straightforward answer.”

Elsewhere, Dr Daffeh insisted his investigation as a medical doctor goes beyond medical examination.

“It goes beyond medical examination,” Dr Daffeh said.

“Like what?” Lawyer Camara asked.

“Treatment, counselling, obviously the report that we write, all part of the medical examination,” the witness answered.

Lamin Camara followed up: “Are these three not medically related?”

“They are medically related,” Dr Daffeh responded.

Alagie Conteh’s trouble with authorities has taken a dramatic twist after government turned to the high court for an order freezing his embattled Bloom Bank account.

A temporary blockage of the account was lifted by police on Tuesday as the businessman threatened to go to court.

The Standard reported on Thursday the High Court in Banjul presided over by Justice BA Bakre issued an order for the freezing of the Dabanani Electrical Company accounts at Bloom Bank pending investigations. The investigations are over a financial transaction involving the account.

His UDP comrade Momodou Sabally wrote on Wednesday saying they will be alongside Mr Conteh in the battle.

He said: “The police have obtained a court order to freeze Alhagie Conteh’s account and his bank has no other option but to comply.

“Barrow and his mafia gang that are doing everything to empower and support dubious foreign businesses like the Senegalese dude who gifted him a car are now ready to destroy our Gambian brothers businesses. We will fight this battle together.”

The government has issued a statement discrediting claims by UDP leader Ousainou Darboe it secretly received crude oil from Nigeria.

Mr Darboe while on his tour of the nation said Nigeria gave crude oil to The Gambia but the government was keeping it secret.

In a statement signed by spokesperson Ebrima Sankareh on Thursday, the government said the claims are ‘fatally’ false.

The statement said: “Following widespread allegations orchestrated and bandied about by the leader of the United Democratic Party (UDP), Mr. Ousainou Darboe, President Adama Barrow wishes to make it abundantly clear to all citizens, members of the Diplomatic and Consular Corps, that his Government has never, ever, lifted a single barrel of crude oil from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“The allegation that has since been amplified by opposition elements and a section of the news media with reporting styles anathema to all ethical standards of journalism, is fatally false, malicious and without a scintilla of truth. In actuality, negotiations for The Gambia Government to resume benefitting from Nigerian crude oil began in June 2018 while Mr. Ousainou Darboe was Foreign Minister and later, Vice President. The Nigerian Government granted approval in June, 2019 barely two months after Mr. Darboe’s exit from the corridors of power.

“Between August and September 2021, The Gambia Government embarked on a thorough examination of the offer based on international standards of due diligence and serious expert evaluations of its costs, benefits and ramifications.

“When Cabinet convened on the 6th October, 2021, this matter was discussed under ‘Any Other Business’ (AOB), and not even as a Major Cabinet paper. Following exhaustive evaluation, Cabinet concluded that while the opportunity represented goodwill and generosity on the Nigerian Government, it was costly. Cabinet therefore, quashed the entire programme and not a single barrel of crude oil was ever lifted either directly or indirectly by the Barrow Government.

“President Barrow therefore, finds it puzzling that a malicious story premised on falsehood and cheap political propaganda is what some politicians and their media apologists use to caricature and allege corruption and lack of transparency in his Government.

“In fact, the ongoing court cases over the Diplomatic Passport saga and the recent arrest, remand and trial of the former Ministry of Fisheries Permanent Secretary, shows the seriousness with which the Barrow Government takes issues of corruption in all places regardless of status or position.

“However, judicial processes could be long and cumbersome and as a true believer in the Rule of Law, the principle of Separation of Powers and the independence of the Judiciary, President Barrow does not interfere with judicial processes.”

UDP supporters online have asked sympathisers of the party to ignore a fundraiser that appears to have been set up in the party’s name.

A flyer bearing UDP’s logo and suggested the party is seeking donation of up to seven million euros for its operational budget, with the name and picture of three people put on the flyer.

Alert supporters have now raised the alarm and are calling on their unsuspecting compatriots to disregard the fundraiser.

Two Nigerians are in hot water after getting arrested for breaking into people’s cars and stealing their properties.

Gambians have in recent months been victims of robbery from men riding motorcycles. They usually station themselves near banks to monitors users.

In March, two men on a motorbike smashed an Indian businessman’s car glass and snatched a bag containing D350,000.

Police said they will do a crime report on Thurday on the two Nigerians arrested in connection with breaking and stealing from vehicles.

They specialize in the use of motorcycles to conduct their unscrupulous activities, police said.