A youth leader in Sanchaba Ablie Gaye has joined United Democratic Party after a meeting with Momodou Sabally.
“Sabally and I discussed a lot about the youths and also issues that can take the Gambia forward. This gave me the hope to join UDP,” Gaye said in an audio obtained by The Fatu Network.
Gaye is a youth leader, an environmentalist and a coach.
A number of parties are reportedly interested in having Gaye join their party.
Nigeria’s Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala was appointed Monday to head the leading international trade body as it seeks to resolve disagreements over how it decides cases involving billions in sales and thousands of jobs.
Okonjo-Iweala, 66, was appointed director-general of the World Trade Organization by representatives of the 164 member countries, according to a statement from the body.
She said in a statement that her first priority would be to quickly address the economic and health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic and to “implement the policy responses we need to get the global economy going again.”
“Our organization faces a great many challenges but working together we can collectively make the WTO stronger, more agile and better adapted to the realities of today,” she said.
The appointment came after new United States President Joe Biden endorsed her candidacy, which had been blocked by former President Donald Trump.
On Monday, the US delegate to the WTO said he was “eager” to work with Okonjo-Iweala. (Al Jazeera)
General Mamat Cham has visited troops who are undergoing training ahead of their deployment to Central African Republic.
The United Nations maintains a peace-keeping mission in CAR as peace continues to elude the French-speaking African nation.
The Gambian military volunteered to send a quick reaction force to the country – and preparation has since been underway.
The nation’s Number 2 military official visited troops who have been tapped for the mission as they got trained by soldiers from Britain, according to a report by the army on its official Facebook page.
A Rivers State High Court sitting in Port Harcourt has convicted and sentenced to death by hanging one Sodeinye Mbatumukeke for murdering a Jumia delivery agent, Chukkwuma Eleji.
Justice I. P. Chigoezi-Igwe in the judgment o Monday in Port Harcourt discharged and acquitted the second defendant in the case Divine Naabe of the murder and robbery charges.
Chigoezi-igwe and Naabe were arrested in Port Harcourt and charged to court over their alleged involvement in the killing of a Jumia agent after the victim had delivered some valuables to the duo.
Chigoezi-Igwe in his judgment said the prosecution team was able to prove their case and convinced the court that Mbatumukeke killed the Jumia agent.
The judge ruled that even though the convict was rejecting the confessional and extra-judicial statements he earlier made in the matter, the evidence provided was weighty enough to prove that he (Mbatumukeke) murdered the Jumia delivery agent.
The Judge also found him guilty of the second charge, armed robbery, describing the murder of the Jumia delivery agent as unlawful and gruesome.
He, however, sentenced the prime suspect to death by hanging, noting that the sentence will serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements.
Chigoezi-igwe, however, discharged and acquitted Naabe of murder and robbery charges, noting that there were doubts in the evidence provided by the prosecution team to find the second Defendant guilty of the crimes. (Vanguard Nigeria)
The Senegalese military has retrieved ‘secret’ documents from rebel bases following its operation in Casamance in recent weeks.
Three rebel bases fell during an offensive against MFDC rebels who have been fighting for the independence of Casamance since 1982.
According to Sud Quotidien, the documents have to do with the rebels’ source of financing and their internal and external links.
The documents were reportedly retrieved from a well.
By Fatou Camara II
The government has said a plan is in place amid the dead Ebola re-emerging in Guinea Conakry.
Guinea confirmed a return of the disease to the country following the reporting of seven cases and the deaths of three people at the weekend.
Sanna Sambou the head of epidemics at the ministry of health who had also been in charge of the nation’s Ebola response told The Fatu Network a plan is already in place.
“With Ebola, there is already a plan in place. All we need to do is just revisit those plans and implement them,” Sambou said.
Sambo however said Gambians should not leave the issue to the ministry alone.
“This should not only be associated to the Health Ministry this is the responsibility of everyone, be it stakeholders, security, journalists etc.
“My main worry is with the border control which lies purposely with the security because we have people who can smuggle in various ways and this might lead to the importation of the virus,” he said.
MP Fatoumatta Njai has said she would want to engage Kebba Jallow in a debate showdown over leadership of PPP.
The fearless politician is vying for the top role of PPP secretary general and speaking to The Fatu Network said she would love a debate between herself and challenger Kebba Jallow.
“My wish would have been to have a national debate and talk to our delegates, convince them based on our policies rather than having a campaign team. Because once you have a campaign team, you’re breaking the party,” Njai said.
On her assessment of Jallow who has been interim leader of PPP since last year, the MP said: “He’s been overseeing the party since September but I have not seen any change. But to be honest with you if I had seen any positive changes, it wouldn’t even have occurred to me. I was already an MP in 2018 but it never occurred to me to run for it. But I think now is the time…
“He has great love for the party but in politics it’s not about love and hate. It is about competence. It is [also] not only about commitment. Because no doubt, he is very committed to the party and I would love to have Kebba in my team.”
The government of Sierra Leone on Sunday activated its Health Emergency Response System to level two following seven confirmed Ebola cases in neighboring Guinea.
The country’s Health Ministry said in a statement that it has all the structures in place that were established during the 2014/15 Ebola response.
“We will build on our expertise and experience to mount a solid response that not only prevents the introduction of Ebola into the country but should the virus be introduced has a strong system that protects the lives of all Sierra Leoneans and interrupts the transmission of the virus,” the statement said.
With the border with Guinea currently closed, health authorities and local stakeholders in the districts bordering Guinea have been supported to heighten Ebola surveillance, and improve community awareness including appropriate preparedness measures, the statement added.
Sierra Leone first saw an Ebola outbreak in 2014, which killed more than 3,000 residents. (XINHUA)
President Adama Barrow on Monday clocked 56 years old as messages of best wishes trickled in including State House.
The president was born on February 15, 1965 in Mankamang Kunda, Upper River Region.
The presidency reacted to the president’s birthday by thanking him for his service to the nation and by praying for him to celebrate many more birthdays in sound health.
“May you have many more years and sound health to stay with us and continue to lead!” State House said.
Gambians took turns on the State House Facebook page to wish the president well.
The Africa Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC) will deploy an advanced emergency response support team of experts in Guinea to help the country fight a new Ebola virus outbreak.
The Africa CDC, the African Union (AU) Commission’s specialized healthcare agency, said late Sunday that the AU Commission is ready “to offer the comprehensive support of all AU organs.”
Guinea announced the new Ebola outbreak on Sunday in Gouecke, a sub-prefecture in its Nzerekore Prefecture.
The Africa CDC said it is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to mobilize its expertise and resources to support the response.
It will call for an emergency meeting of experts to better coordinate emergency responses in Guinea and in neighboring countries across the region, in collaboration with the West African Health Organization, Africa CDC said in a statement.
Guinea has so far reported seven Ebola cases and three deaths.
There have also been fresh cases of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of Congo in its North Kivu province.
The 2014-2016 West Africa Ebola virus outbreak claimed over 11,300 lives, with over 28,600 recorded cases. (XINHUA)
A glance at the current crop of likely presidential candidates in the December 2021 presidential election is both comedic and entertaining. It is truly a case of “Yimping,” “Yampang” and “Yampangpori.” Pardon my irreverent, tongue-and-cheek swipe at our elite political leaders, as the election is a serious matter that harbors vastly important consequences for the future of Gambia and Gambians.
Yet, to stop myself from weeping, or descending into bouts of mild depression, which I do often when I think about the poor prospects of a stable and prosperous democracy under their watch, I am compelled to imagine our political leaders as comedians.
Certainly, you can think of many moments that made, or could make you laugh out loud upon hearing the president, or vice-president demolish the English, or Arabic languages, or see the affable president dozing off at a meeting following a delicious meal of “thiep bu dien,” one of his many favorites.
In a world grappling with a year-long global pandemic and political fiasco in the (dis) United States of America, how else can the human race survive without South African comedian, Trevor Noah’s humor, his Trump jokes and jokes on colonialism?
Alternatively, imagine the resulting pondominium of the current government and its retinue of advisors lost at sea while each groping to steer a ship to an unknown destination- without a map. This could be hysterical. Or watch them ransack Jammeh’s files and notes for pointers and direction to navigate the lost ship- castigating him for all that is wrong with our country while the brute’s sympathizers in the new administration try desperately to sink the ship.
Similarly, imagine the ruling elite and its newly minted party boss consorting with the then disgraced ruling party mafia boss arguing about who was most suited to captain a sinking ship- “where were you”?
The political leaders that remain offer Gambians another commiedy treat. Gripped in throes of grandstanding, and revelling in past glories, and entitlements, they parade the country as Gambia’s saviors. At their feet are the newly registered lilliputian political parties that remain financially trapped, and with bowls in hand, their leaders panhandle for donations with little prospects to pose a credible threat to the established parties and their leaders.
The comedy thickens and takes a twisted-turn with “one-man” political parties that seek relevance and a chair at the table. Without a constituency to speak of they gaslight as larger-than-life political pundits striving to be taken seriously and be thrown a bone. Cartoonists will have a field day of this.
Consider other comedian politicians that have abandoned their half-dead parties and thrown their lot, and gaff with promising presidential wannabes. It is all a case of smoke and mirrors as the electorate listens, Seriously, how can anyone take these hustler-politicians seriously at all times without going mad? Take it from me; humor is the medicine to the madness.
And, you certainly do not want to miss the tall, and often animated national assembly stand-up comedian with protruding eyes for a hearty laugh. You can see him on TV pacing the national assembly floor in his “njaxass” outfit gesturing for emphasis and effect on a heavy national political issue. How could anyone miss the humour in this otherwise serious politician?
Also, how can anyone not get the comedic punch when “homeless” members of the national assembly roam the streets of Banjul and leave their cardboard shelters to resoundingly vote themselves a huge housing loan facility amid a global pandemic? Goodness, what were they thinking? Laughter, humor, even satire are sometimes the only antidote, or escape to pent-up anger and frustration over Gambian politics and politicians and their foibles.
When next you get frustrated over Gambian politics and the political elite, and risk ruining your day, reach out for George Orwell’s, “Animal Farm,” as a backdrop to the comedy show that is Gambian politics. Better yet, watch Senegalese comedian, Kuchaa, make fun of Yahya, Macky, and Adama. It may just be the break you need.
Take it from me; when you are at the brink of giving up on politics, and politicians in Gambia, and wish to lower your blood pressure; take a break from the madness, and laugh your heart out by reimagining our elite politicians, as prototypes of “Yimping, “Yampang” and Yampangpori,” before snapping back to reality.
Come on, relax! Have a sense of humor! Happy Valentine’s Day!
Ablaye
Three people have died of coronavirus while 112 people have tested positive for the disease, the ministry of health has said.
In a new report, the ministry said the three people – two men and a woman – died between February 8 and February 11. Their deaths have taken the total number of fatalities to 138.
The ministry also said 112 new cases of COVID-19 have been registered between February 8 and February 11 bringing the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 4,414.
Foreign Minister Dr Mamadou Tangara on Sunday delivered a ‘special’ message from President Adama Barrow to the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, according to the foreign ministry.
The Foreign Minister, Dr. Mamadou Tangara is in Qatar as a Special Envoy of H.E. Adama Barrow, the ministry said. It would not say what the message is.
Tangara held diplomatic engagement with Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State Qatar, the foreign ministry said.
The two leaders discussed bilateral cooperation in health, road construction, capacity building for security forces amongst others, the ministry said.
“Views were also exchanged on regional and international issues.
“Still with his diplomatic engagement, the Honourable Foreign Minister also met with the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of the State of Qatar, H.E. Ali Bin Fetais Al Marri. Discussions between the two leaders centered on issues of mutual interest one of which involves strengthening legal cooperation between the two friendly countries,” the foreign ministry said.
A top NPP official has said Suku Singhateh was not at State House, contrary to claims he has met President Adama Barrow.
Reports of the politician meeting President Barrow emerged on Friday as claims of his NPP defection continues to persist.
An NPP official said he did not meet the president and photos that have been circulated were taken in 2018.
Four people have died of Ebola in Guinea in the first resurgence of the disease in five years, the country’s health minister said Saturday.
Remy Lamah told AFP officials were “really concerned” about the deaths, the first since a 2013-2016 epidemic — which began in Guinea — left 11,300 dead across the region.
One of the latest victims in Guinea was a nurse who fell ill in late January and was buried on February 1, National Health Security Agency head Sakoba Keita told local media.
“Among those who took part in the burial, eight people showed symptoms: diarrhoea, vomiting and bleeding,” he said.
“Three of them died and four others are in hospital.”
The four deaths from Ebola hemorrhagic fever occurred in the southeast region of Nzerekore, he said.
Keita also told local media that one patient had “escaped” but had been found and hospitalised in the capital Conakry. He confirmed the comments to AFP without giving further detail.
The World Health Organization has eyed each new outbreak since 2016 with great concern, treating the most recent one in the Democratic Republic of Congo as an international health emergency.
Early Sunday, WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus tweeted that the UN health agency had been informed of two suspected cases of the deadly disease in Guinea.
“Confirmatory testing underway,” the tweet said, adding that WHO’s regional and country offices were “supporting readiness and response efforts.”
DR Congo has faced several outbreaks of the illness, with the WHO on Thursday confirming a resurgence three months after authorities declared the end of the country’s latest outbreak.
The country had declared that the six-month epidemic over in November. It was the country’s eleventh Ebola outbreak, claiming 55 lives out of 130 cases.
The widespread use of vaccinations, which were administered to more than 40,000 people, helped curb the disease.
The 2013-2016 outbreak sped up the development of a vaccine against Ebola, with a global emergency stockpile of 500,000 doses planned to respond quickly to future outbreaks, the vaccine alliance Gavi said in January. (AFP)
Top lawyer Fatou Bensouda has congratulated Karim Khan over his election as the next prosecutor of the International Criminal Court.
Khan was tapped this week as the top court’s new prosecutor. He is from Britain.
Bensouda in welcoming the development said, according to the ICC: “I congratulate Karim Khan QC on his election as the next ICC Prosecutor.
“I look forward to working with him to ensure a smooth and effective transition to the start of his term in June, taking over the Office’s independent and impartial mandate.”
Karim Khan from the United Kingdom has been elected as the next International Criminal Court Prosecutor for a nine-year term starting on June 16.
The Briton won a secret ballot after beating three other candidates to replace lead prosecutor Fatou Bensouda. This is after The Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (“the Assembly”) held its second resumed nineteenth session on 12 February 2021 at the UN Headquarters in New York.
The 123-member Hague-based court, which began work nearly two decades ago, handles war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, and crimes of aggression.
British barrister Karim is best known for heading the United Nations’ special investigative team looking into Islamic State crimes in Iraq.
In his 27-year law career Khan, who is also Queens Counsel, has worked for almost every international criminal tribunal in roles in prosecution, defence, and as counsel for victims.
At the ICC Khan is best known for being a lead defense counsel who has worked on cases from Kenya, Sudan, and Libya.
The Assembly also elected the two Vice-Presidents for the twentieth to the twenty-second sessions of the Assembly, Mr. Robert Keith Rae (Canada) and Ms. Katerina Sequensova (Czech Republic).
The President of the Assembly, Mr. O-Gon Kwon, concluded his term noting in a pre-recorded statement that “it has been a great honor to serve as President for the last three years. We have faced some interesting times during that period. These included a very heavy agenda of important matters for the future of the Court and the Assembly, and – over the last year – the additional challenges of a global pandemic,” and concluded by reiterating his “sincere gratitude for the support of all stakeholders in [his] time as President of the Assembly”.
The new Bureau will assume office as of 13 February 2021 until the end of the Assembly of States Parties in December 2023.
The incoming President of the Assembly, Ms. Silvia Fernandez de Gurmendi, noted in a pre-recorded statement that “our shared values and commitments under the Rome Statute were tested as never before and we came to realize both the vulnerabilities and the strengths of the institution that we created two decades ago.
” She added that “the consideration and follow up of the Independent Expert Review is a top priority of this Assembly,” and that she is “committed to promoting this follow up and to provide all the necessary support to those in charge of this endeavor”.
The twentieth session of the Assembly will be held from 6 to 11 December 2021 in The Hague. (CGTN Africa)
The National Human Rights Commission has said all Gambians must believe in the principles of human rights instead of just paying lip service to its ideals.
NHRC will on February 14 mark two years since its officials were sworn into office by President Adama Barrow.
And in a statement in ringing in its two years of existence, the commission said: “Our recent history is too fresh in our minds for us to have a nonchalant attitude towards human rights.
“Those who govern us (the Executive and its agents), those who are governed (the public) and those who aspire to govern us (political parties and their supporters) must believe in the principles of human rights and not just pay lip service to its ideals.
“We must condemn injustices wherever and whenever they occur and not be selective in our condemnation of human rights violations.
“We have a duty to exercise impartiality and objectivity in condemning all forms of discrimination based on religion, tribe, caste, race, gender, sex and/or social status.”
