Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad and the country’s First Lady Asma al-Assad have tested positive for COVID-19, the presidency announced on Monday. The two are said to be in good health condition and stable.

The presidency said the two went for PCR tests after developing mild symptoms similar to those of COVID-19.

The two have proceeded on quarantine and will continue delivering their duties from home for a prescribed duration.

President al-Assad and Mrs. Asama called upon Syrians to continue observing health guidelines aimed at curbing further spread of the virus. (CGTN Africa)

The women of Niani Sukuta of UDP persuasion have stripped Abdoulie Suku Singhateh of his honorary father role and have given it to Momodou Sabally.

The women who had earlier adopted Suku as father announced that they have dumped him after he left their party and also presented cola-nuts and mint in traditional gesture to former Presidential Affairs Minister Momodou Sabally seeking his blessing as their new father.

The event happened in Niani Sukuta on Sunday, March 7, 2021 during a political gathering at the town center convened to present farming equipment worth more than D300, 000 to the UDP women of the area by a group of Niani natives resident in The Gambia and abroad.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Sabally expressed gratitude to the women who extended to him the  honour of being their father and promised that this group of women will never regret their decision to choose him.

Sabally implored the women and the entire town of Sukuta to renew their allegiance to the UDP and their party leader Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and to continue supporting the country’s biggest political party since “victory for the UDP is certain come December 4, 2021. “

It could be recalled that barely a week ago, on February 28, a group of six towns and villages from CRR, NBR and the Kombos formally adopted Momodou Sabally as honourary father during a ceremony presided over by the UDP’s party Leader and  Secretary General at the Party’s Manjai Bureau.

By Sarjo Brito

Secretary General and Party Leader of PDOIS Halifa Sallah told delegates during his party’s congress on Sunday that it is time the Gambian people open their eyes to the reality of this country and take charge of their affairs. Sallah said ordinary Gambians have been made to believe that they are least important, whilst we continue to view our politician as our superiors. The veteran politician also said it is time for the narrative to change as Gambians need to understand that power in fact resides in the people as opposed to what they are forced to believe.

“They make us believe that we are nothing. People tell us I am just a poor person; I do not know anything. I am just a farmer; I am just a woman and I am not educated. I do not know anything. I am just behind you. We tell politicians we are behind them and keep going backwards until we fall into a hole.

“The idea that people do not have a voice, power, or that they are nothing in society is what PDOIS as a party is out to dialogue and educate Gambians about because the people are in fact everything. Reiterating the theme for this year’s congress ‘eradicate ignorance and poverty”, Sallah said the status quo will continue being the same until and unless ignorance and poverty are ready to be fought.

The PDOIS leader also said: “PDOIS had to go through a long journey. We knew as long as ignorance remain, the battle will be long. When you’re fighting to enlighten and those are fighting to keep the people in darkness, the battle will be long.”

The National Human Rights Commision has called for the greater participation for women in leadership roles, as the commission joins the rest of the world in commemorating International Women’s Day celebrated on March 8.

In a statement, NHRC said women and girls form about 52 percent of the nation’s population but they yet hold less leadership roles.

NHRC said: “However, despite their numerical strength, women in the Gambia are severely underrepresented in elected decision-making bodies at the national and local levels.

“Of the 58 members of the National Assembly, only 6 are women; while only 4 women are in a Cabinet of 18. Women comprise less than 15 percent of the 144 elected councillors while only one of the eight Local Government Authorities and only one of the five Administrative Regions are headed by women.

“There are no women District Chief (Seyfo) and very few Village Heads (Alkalo). None of the State-Owned Enterprises is headed by a woman.

“Patriarchy, illiteracy, and socio-cultural and religious beliefs continue to militate against women’s political participation and socio-economic advancement and also exacerbate the discrimination, exploitation, and violence they suffer in both the public and private spheres.”

Lamin Tunkara’s wife wept as she gave evidence on the circumstances surrounding the disappearance of her husband.

Tunkara was the only Gambian who was arrested together with West African migrants in July 2005. They were later brutally killed on the orders of former President Yahya Jammeh.

Tunkara was arrested after he dashed out of his house following a phone call.

“They came with him to the house with his hands cuffed from behind. Those who escorted him did not wear uniform. But they were many, more than 10 people,” his wife Adama Conteh told the TRRC.

Adama said she was then asked to go out of the room.

“They told me to go out of the house. I went out and stood under the veranda. They did not stay long in there and they came out. The owner of the compound had come from his travels who asked them where they were going but someone among them told him he should come with them if he wants to know where they were going to. They left,” she said.

Kairaba Police Station was the last place his family knew him to have been kept – where his wife would take food to him. She would do so in the morning and in the afternoon.

All attempts to have him bailed failed and Adama then spent the next weeks and months looking for her husband. Her search took her to Jeshwang, Mile Two and even the NIA.

According to her, a man found her at the gate of the NIA who asked her to stop looking for him.

“Him telling me ‘so Lamin Tunkara is your husband’… It then occurred to me he knew something about it. He then put me in his car and took me home,” she said.

Tunkara’s child is now 15 years old.

Senegal opposition leader is set to return home following an order for his release from detention, according to local media.

Sonko had been in detention since last Wednesday following his arrest for disturbing public order while on his way to court to answer to a rape allegation charge.

He has now been released and will be allowed to return home. However, he is placed under judicial supervision and is required to answer to any summons in respect of investigations regarding rape claims against him.

General Yakuba Drammeh has returned to the country after days of going shoulder to shoulder with top Senegal general Birom Diop and other officials in a working visit, the army said in a statement Monday.

The army said: “The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) Lieutenant General Yakuba Drammeh recently returned home from Senegal where he embarked on a 4 – day working visit to his Senegalese Counterpart, Air Force General Birom Diop from 24 – 27 February 2021.

“The CDS was accompanied by the Commander of the Gambia National Army, Brigadier General Ousman Gomez, the Commander of the Gambia Navy, Commodore Madani Senghore respectively as well as somel Principal Staff Officers of GAF.

“The visit is at the invitation of the CDS of the Senegalese Armed Forces (SAF) during the meeting of the two Chiefs in June last year at Kerr Ayib border post in Farafenni.

“It is also in fulfillment of the promise made by General Drammeh to his counterpart at this historic meeting as well as in several phone conversations and engagements during the period under review.

“At this historic meeting in Farafenni, they agreed to work on strengthening and consolidating on the existing cordial relationship between the two armed forces and countries.”

PDOIS’ hugely successful congress on Sunday churned out Halifa Sallah as presidential candidate of the party – putting the party firmly on course to showing what it is made of at the December election.

Gambians will head to the polls in December to election a new president and certainly Halifa Sallah will be one of the options.

The credible politician was chosen by delegates to be PDOIS’ battle axe at a congress that began on Friday.

And addressing the delegates, Sallah said: “If I were ever to become the president of this country for months and years and discover that I cannot add value, I promise you that I will resign. And if I have to spill blood, arrest, detain just to be a president of this republic, then call me a criminal, the worst criminal who has ever lived on this earth.

“Power is not meant to oppress and coerce. It’s meant to protect. So the task you have put on my shoulders is a heavy one and I will leave this podium with a heavy heart, seeing the past and looking at the future.”

The child version of President Adama Barrow in this year’s International Children’s Day of Broadcasting celebration has warned that tribalism has no place in a decent society.

Gambian children on Sunday joined the rest of the world to mark International Children’s Day of Broadcasting, ICDB.

One event that took place was the celebration of Gambia 56th independence anniversary presided over by a child President Adama Barrow.

The child President Barrow said in an event broadcast by GRTS: “Tribalism has no place in a decent society and The Gambia is a decent society. Therefore I strongly urge all of us to say ‘no to tribalism’ and ‘yes to one Gambia, one people, one nation’.

“We should concentrate on work and minimize unnecessary talk. Let us be sincere and honest to our nation. Let us build a nation our children and grandchildren will be proud of.”

Opposition have pulled in Senegal and have announced a protest spanning three days over the detention of their compatriot Ousmane Sonko.

Sonko has been in detention since his arrest on Wednesday amid a rape allegation charge against him.

Senegalese opposition under the banner of Movement for the Defense of Democracy said they would take part in a march spanning three beginning on Monday March 8.

By Matty Senghore

A massive 131 people formed a queue on Saturday where they said they are migrating to GDC from NPP.

GDC held its national congress in Farafenni on Saturday attended by thousands of supporters. Mamma Kandeh was returned as leader of the party.

There, 109 men and 122 women announced that they are cross carpeting to GDC. They are from the Sabah ward under Sabah Sanjal constituency.

The men and women said they were previously NPP/NRP supporters.

GDC had in recent months lost many of its supporters to NPP. The party even lost its national chairman Demba Sabally to President Barrow’s NPP.

GAP leader Musa Ousainou Yali Batchilly has ripped into ‘cooperate thieves’ who got about conniving with European nations for Gambians to deported, vowing to roll back any deals signed if GAP takes power.

Gambia Action Party is holding its national congress at the Coral Beach Hotel in Brufut with Batchilly addressing delegates moments ago.

In his 7,900-word statement, Batchilly in the area of mass deportation said: “We stand against mass deportation of the Gambian brothers and sisters around the world to ensure the respect for our nationality.

“Recently, we have witnessed draconian agreements set to deport our giant Gambians back to the nation who struggled their way out for greener pasture and majority of them died along the Mediterranean Sea.

“We stand beside those single mothers who struggled in Gardens, Markets, and Weekly Lumos as well as the Cooperative Associations to ensure their children excel which in return benefit our society. We stand beside those widows that sold their jewelries and credited some cash in order to finance their journey.

“Sadly, our government connives with the European nations to repatriate our people. A GAP led government will revoke all the malicious and exploitative deals signed by some cooperate thieves for selfless service for the Gambia.

“Our government will be responsive, people centric and devoted government to the service of the people and shall ensure our bilateral and multi-lateral relationship with the nation of the world exclude this horrible action. We urge the government of the Gambia to respect the human dignity and revisit their treaties. And to the deportees and those on the pipeline, your rights will be protected by voting for GAP in December 04th, 2021.”

The National Reconciliation Party has resolved to negotiating a ‘complete’ merger with President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party in the future – putting to bed any ambiguity around the two parties’ love affair.

NRP on Saturday held a huge congress in Ngai’n Sanjal North Bank Region where most of the party’s leaders were unanimously returned to their roles including leader Hamat Bah.

And in a resolution after a closed-door plenary, the party came out with a massive announcement: to work towards a complete merger with NPP.

Party leader Hamat Bah said: “We know that Gambians were expecting us to clear the air and come out with a very clear position about our relationship with the NPP and Adama Barrow for that matter.

“We want no ambiguity, we want clear message to be sent across the world. We are committed to negotiating with the NPP leadership for a complete merger of the two parties in the future.

“We want to strengthen democracy, the politics of Adama Barrow – politics of development in this country to make sure that Gambians are pulled out of this evil poverty.”

Brief panic gripped the people of Bajagarr on Saturday when a Senegalese soldier opened fire as the convoy he was travelling in went past the village.

Senegalese soldiers were travelling in two vehicles to Kanilai when the incident happened Saturday afternoon, according a Bajagarr native who witnessed the incident.

Four rounds were fired, he added.

The soldiers apologised and said it was an accident, the witness said.

Two sets of wives in Brikama fought leaving one dead in each occasion, sources have told The Fatu Network.

Two women sharing the same husband fought on February 26 leaving one dead after she was allegedly hit on the neck, a source said.

On Thursday March 4, two women who also shared the same husband locked horns resulting in the death of one of them, one person familiar with the separate event said. In the first incident, the victim is said to have been the first wife while the reverse is the case in the second incident.

Police are yet to respond to a request for comment.

UDP leader Ousainou Darboe said on Friday his party will go home with 54% at the December presidential election.

“For this year however small, UDP’s vote will be 54%. The reason I made that declaration, the reason I say UDP will get that is because of you, I trust you. If I did not trust in you, I would not have made that pronouncement. Let’s make sure UDP gets that target,” Mr Darboe told supporters on Friday. Should this happen, he will become the country’s next president.

Darboe had last month said no one but him will be declared president-elect in December’s presidential election.

“I want to assure you this… Wallahi this is not a [political] platform statement. In the past I only say let’s campaign and ensure we win. But what I’m telling you today is that… Anyone who believes the statement fine but also who doesn’t believe it you can leave it but you will see it. On the 5th of December this year, president-elect is going to be Alhaji Lawyer Ousainou Darboe and nobody else,” Darboe told his supporters in New Yundum.

Bubacarr Bah who was CID officer at Barra Police Station in 2005 has told the TRRC then CMC Yankuba Sonko told him they treated UN investigators to alcohol and women as they travelled to the country over the massacre of West African migrants.

West African citizens most of them Ghanaians were murdered in the 2005 on the orders of former President Yahya Jammeh as they attempted to reach Europe.

According to Bubacarr Bah, then CMC of police Yankuba Sonko asked him not to divulge anything to the investigators should the occasion arise.

Bah told the TRRC on Thursday: “He [Yankuba] said to me, ‘these UN people are coming here, make sure if you’re called, make sure you don’t say anything’. ‘They were here but then we took them to bars, gave them alcohol and women’.

“I have sworn, what I’m saying is the truth. I will not swear here and lie. He said they drank alcohol and got women and they left but ‘this is our country, in case they’re going to come back, don’t talk to them’.”

Bah also told the TRRC the murder of the migrants was ‘unbelievable’ and those responsible should pay.

“Those who are responsible for this act, they should not be forgiven. They should face the full force of the law,” he said.

Sonko is now the Minister for the Interior.

A second death has just been reported after the first reported in Bignona.

A young man named Baye Cheikh Diop was allegedly shot in the head in Yeumbeul.

The deceased was according to Senego an apprentice mechanic.