Tour reaches Foni: President Barrow hits the road again as second leg of his tour gets underway
President Adama Barrow is restarting his one month tour of the nation after ending the first leg last Thursday.
The president will travel to Foni to hold meetings there on Monday, first in Sintet in Foni Jarol.
There was traffic chaos on Monday afternoon as car got removed from the road to allow the president to pass.
President Barrow has in his previous nationwide tours held meetings in villages and towns in Foni, just like in other regions of the country. He has however never held a meeting in Kanilai, the birthplace of former President Yahya Jammeh.
Police vow to deal with anyone who breaks traffic law amid Foni tragedy
Police have vowed to deal with violators of the Motor Traffic Act and Regulations following an accident in Foni that claimed five lives.
A driver said to be driving at high speed rammed into a crowd in Jagil, Foni killing five people and injuring over a dozen.
And according to the police spokesman, “individuals found wanting of violating the Motor Traffic Act and Regulations will be dealt with, in accordance with the law”.
Road accidents have been on the increase in the country and some members of the public have pointed fingers of blame at the police for issuing driver’s license to people who cannot drive.
Solo Sandeng: Modou Ngum shares what brave politician-activist told them as they prepared to protest against Jammeh’s rule
Modou Ngum has disclosed what slain politician and activist Solo Sandeng told them as they prepared to march against former President Yahya Jammeh’s rule.
Sandeng led a group of UDP supporters in April 2016 to protest against Jammeh’s rule. They were arrested and detained during which detention Mr Sandeng got murdered.
Modou Ngum took part in the protest and today he detailed what the brave activist told them moments before they staged the protest.
“Solo told us, ‘we are going on a demonstration but whoever gets arrested, tell them it’s Solo Sandeng who put us into this’,” Ngum told the TRRC today.
Ngum had earlier on testified on how they met at Tippa Garage and went to UDP’s bureau in Manjai Kunda where they held a meeting presided over by Mr Sandeng.
He said: “When I got to Tippa Garage, I called Solo Sandeng, he told us ‘it’s (meeting) at Manjai Bureau, let’s go there’. I was standing there and Nogoi Njie and her high power delegation came. Solo and his high power delegation also arrived shortly after.
“We went to Manjai bureau, went upstairs and sat there. Solo Sandeng brought out the banners and Wudeh Ceesay. She is now a protocol at the office of the president. When Solo brought those banners out, many of my people were not literate. So I read the banners to my people. I translated it to Mandinka.”
Army chief asks his troops to be politically neutral as elections approach
The nation’s top military leader has reminded members of the army to remain apolitical amid an election year.
Speaking in an end of year message, Lieutenant General Yakuba A Drammeh told troops they must endeavour to be a ‘reformed’ armed forces.
The top general said: “As we gradually welcome 2021 and the country prepares for elections, I wish to remind you all of the political climate while urging you all to remain vigilant, professional and apolitical in the execution of your sacred constitutional duties.
“We must endeavor to be a reformed Armed Forces that is prepared to execute its constitutional roles and at the core, subjected to democratic civilian authority and accountability.
“Our role, I must admit is a noble one and requires total commitment to the ideals of the Founding Fathers of this country.”
Darboe discloses what prompted their sacking by President Barrow
UDP leader Ousainou Darboe has revealed UDP officials lost their appointments as ministers because they refused to endorse President Barrow as UDP’s presidential candidate.
Darboe and two UDP stalwarts in Amadou Sanneh and Lamin Dibba were sensationally fired by President Barrow last year. It effectively ended UDP’s membership of the coalition government.
On For The People By The People show on Sunday, UDP leader Darboe in dealing with a question that has to do with both UDP and Barrow living the same political lifestyle in terms of firing perceived fifth columnists said: “I think the situations (their sacking and UDP sacking its MPs) are incomparable, they’re absolutely incomparable.
“We went into government because the government was elected on a coalition platform of which we were a partner. We were part of that coalition, we were not in fact an insignificant partner in that coalition.
“We really deserved our appointments as ministers and we lost our appointments not because we were against the government of The Gambia. We lost our position not because we were doing things against the government of The Gambia, we lost our positions because Barrow wanted UDP to endorse him as the presidential candidate which we refused to do.
“Now contrary to what happened to these MPs, these MPs were elected on a UDP platform and when they got elected on UDP platform, they started conspiring with Barrow to undermine UDP and we felt that we cannot keep such people in the party. We cannot have divided loyalty.”
Darboe’s side of the story is different from President Barrow’s, with the Gambian leader saying they were sacked because they were undermining his government.
Police confirm Jagil accident, say car ploughed into crowd leaving five people dead
Police have confirmed a car ploughed into a crowd in Jagil on Sunday killing five people and injuring over a dozen.
Police spokesman Lamin Njie told The Fatu Network today: “We can confirm the Accident that occurred at Jagil Village, Foni Berefet, WCR.
“According to reports reaching us 5 people have been confirmed dead and 13 others sustained injuries.
“Preliminary investigations revealed that, the driver Buba Bah was speeding when he lost control of the vehicle, running into a crowd of young people. He is currently helping the Police in their investigations.
“The Gambia Police Force is seriously concerned about road traffic accidents. To this effect, we wish to caution drivers to ensure that, they observe speed limits, employ due care and attention while driving at all times.
“Individuals found wanting of violating the Motor Traffic Act and Regulations will be dealt with, in accordance with the law.”
Salihu Kemo Barrow: President Barrow’s Europe-based man who flew into the country to join Gambian leader in his tour
Salihu Kemo Barrow has lifted the lid on how he flew into the country from Europe to join President Adama Barrow’s tour.
The president has in the past two weeks been on a tour of the country, to meet with Gambians over their problems.
And Salihu Kemo Barrow who is a popular sympathizer of the president has been accompanying the president.
He told NPP TV: “Everyone knows how Europe is like right now, there is coronavirus and no work. When I heard the President is on a tour, I said I will buy my ticket and join the president before he finishes his tour.
“And that’s what I did. When I arrived, I spent two days in Serrekunda and then joined the president when he was entering Mansakonko.”
‘You will be blocked’: Mai Fatty lays down the law to anyone who attempts to insult him
GMC chief Mai Ahmad Fatty has said no one is required to agree with him on his views but vowed to press the block button on anyone who tries to insult him.
Writing on his official Facebook page, the former interior minister said: “If you are afraid to express your honest views or afraid of your identity for fear of public vilification, then you shall continue to live in mental captivity. When I express my views, I do so without hatred or seeking public validation because they represent my original thinking. I may be right or wrong because I do not have monopoly over ideas, the truth or principle and I am not perfect either.
“You are not required to agree with me, and I wouldn’t think negative of you for that. I understand that I could be wrong in my views, and your ideas may infact be right. You may also be wrong and I was right. I am willing to be persuaded because am receptive to new thinking but not through rudeness. Yet I will defend your legitimate right to disagree with me.
“Notwithstanding, an attempt to insult or attack me personally or otherwise regarding my views on issues is unacceptable. If I was persuaded by superior argument, I will shift position. I have no respect for those who insult or make personal attacks to rebut others’ views. If that kind of language or attitude is reflected here, the individual shall be swiftly blocked permanently. Freedom of expression is not a licence for impudent conduct. Respect begets respect.
“Lastly, I am ready to debate anyone to defend my ideas and political views at a public forum or platform.”
President Barrow asks citizens to be mindful of COVID-19 regulations, wear face masks
President Adama Barrow has called on citizens to be mindful of the health guidelines and regulations introduced over the coronavirus pandemic.
“As we celebrate Christmas, let everyone be mindful of the health guidelines and regulations, and ensure that we wear a mask whenever we have to go to public places,” President Barrow said in his Christmas message this year.
2020 has been a difficult year for the country and the world at large amid the coronavirus pandemic which first emerged in China in December 2019.
But according to President Barrow, coronavirus infections and related deaths in the country have declined.
“Let us give thanks, and pray that life returns to complete normalcy so that we can forge ahead with our development programmes. We thank all those who contributed to the fight against the pandemic,” the president said.
Regional migration summit: Dr Mamadou Tangara discloses what must be done to end ‘back way’
The Honourable Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad, Dr. Mamadou Tangara, has called on leaders of Mali, Senegal and Mauritania to concertedly find ways to address root causes of migration.
He made this remark on 24th December 2020 during a virtual meeting of leaders from The Gambia, Mali, Mauritania and Senegal. The virtual meeting was meant to map out ways of tackling migration within the four neighbouring countries.
Minister Tangara indicated that part of measures critical to addressing migration is mainstreaming migration in development cooperation. This, he emphasised, is crucial as the continent continues to lose bulk of its youthful population crucial for the continent’s development. He urges for timely and effective regional coordination efforts be put on the table with a view to fighting irregular migration.
Dr. Tangara said serious policies must be developed that would create economic opportunities, increase basic services and strengthen governance and rule of law for the people. He used the opportunity to call on development partners to work with regional countries in curbing migration which he said continues to affect the labour markets and livelihoods in Africa.
He said massive sensitisation of communities across the four countries is key in the crusade against migration. The Honourable Minister also took turn to thank the Government and people of Mauritania on behalf of His Excellency President Adama Barrow for the support rendered to Gambians whose boat capsized along the coast of Mauritania. He also extended President Barrow’s gratitude to the Mauritanian community in The Gambia. (Foreign Ministry press release)
The adventures of Alkatan: Hadumeh’s fate
By Baba Galleh Jallow
As the sun was rising the following day, Alkatan sat on his sheepskin outside his hut, stoking his small beard, and musing at the strangeness of life. His thoughts were on Afang Hadumeh. He knew sooner or later, he would hear something about the greedy trader. He was not surprised when suddenly, an ominous scream wafted into his ears, and continued in long notes, over and over again. It was the voice of a man screaming woooi . . . . woooi . . . . woooi they have killed me! Woooi they have killed me! Woooi they have destroyed my world! The ghostly lamentations were loud and clear, piercing the early morning airs of Tonya Kunda like a horrible tragedy. Against the background of the screams Alkatan could hear a cacophony of agitated voices shouting and talking loudly.
Alkatan groaned, and shook his head, wondering why humans wilfully bring so much pain upon themselves and their loved ones. He wondered why people do not heed the wisdom of the elders and the ancestors, why people often doubt that the path of the soul is longer than the grave. He wondered why people like Afang Hadumeh could not see that a rat cannot give birth to a rabbit, nor a rabbit to a rat. That we cannot sow pepper and reap sugar cane. Afang Hadumeh could have created a paradise for himself and his progeny with his wealth. But he chose to do the exact reverse. He chose to be cruel and stingy, even to his own family. For while Afang Hadumeh was the wealthiest man in Tonya Kunda, his family often went hungry for days on end because business was not good and Afang Hadumeh could not afford to lose his money. And so he gave only a fraction of the usual fish money to each of his four wives, and he subsisted on bread and other snacks in his large shop . . . . It was a matter of constant wonder for the people of Tonya Kunda that Afang Hadumeh did not even wear shoes. Some said it was the secret of his wealth, but many knew Afang Hadumeh was just too stingy to buy a pair of shoes every once in a while. So he avoided shoes altogether. “Shoes? What shoes?” he liked to ask. ‘What if you bought shoes and you went somewhere and you forgot them there? Is that not a loss?”
Alkatan sighed and looked up. He saw a woman approaching his hut. She did not seem to be in any particular hurry, but Alkatan could feel the urgency of her demeanor as she greeted and addressed him.
“Good morning Ba Alkatan,” she said. “I have come to beg you to come help my husband, Afang Hadumeh. It seems like his eyes are touched this morning. I was told you came to beg him to untie Niara Dinding’s husband yesterday. That’s why I came. Hadumeh is a difficult man; his affairs are very difficult; but he is my husband and the father of my children. So I have to get up and try to do something. Please do it for God and come help us Ba Alkatan.”
“Nna, I have heard your words,” Alkatan said, calmly. “Please sit on that chair and tell me what happened to your husband so we see if I can help him.” The woman sat down, quietly, her face tense, the look in her eyes inscrutable. But Alkatan saw the deep worry and the chronic pain in her eyes; he saw the woman who would suffer in silence, for years, for decades, for life because she was told there was nothing she could do. Alkatan sighed, and the tears flowed in his heart.
“Ba Alkatan,” the woman started, looking down at her feet then up at Alkatan. “I am Hadumeh’s first wife. He slept in my bed last night. Around dawn, when the cocks started crowing, he started shouting in his sleep. He shouted three times before I could wake him up. When he woke up he sat up, looked at me and said, “eh, so this was all a dream?” I said to him, “what dream, you were shouting in your sleep.” He did not say anything. He just got up and went to perform the ablution and went to the mosque for the morning prayers. When he came back he told me about his dream. He said he had dreamed that thieves had stolen all his wealth; but that he just passed by his shop and the doors were all locked, just like he left them yesterday. He said he opened the door and saw that nothing was touched; he said all the merchandise was there like he left it yesterday. Then he locked up and came to have his breakfast.” The woman paused, and looked at Alkatan. Then she continued.
“Eh, when he finished breakfast, he went to open the shop. Then I heard him shouting again, just as he was shouting in his sleep, saying woooi they have killed me; woooi they have destroyed my world. He kept shouting that, and we all ran to see what happened. We found Hadumeh standing in the middle of his shop, his hands on his head, just shouting and shouting. We saw that there was nothing in the shop; not even a piece of paper. All the merchandise was gone. Even the chair he sits on was gone, and the iron box where he kept all his money and gold. All that was left in the shop was his big stick, the one he uses to beat us and the children and anyone who offended him. Eh, we do not know how this happened and we asked him again and again, Hadumeh, what happened, Hadumeh what happened? Ba Alkatan, what he told us was strange. I don’t even know the head or tail of it” The woman paused again, held her mouth and continued telling Alkatan what Afang Hadumeh said.
“Eh, after some time he stopped shouting and said last night he was sleeping when he dreamt that someone was calling his name and telling him that some people were waiting for him at his shop. He said he got up and went; when he went he found about eight young men standing near the shop; he said one of them told him “Hadumeh, open your shop.” He said when he opened the shop, the men started loading all his merchandise in a big truck standing by. He said he stood by and saw them load everything in the shop onto the truck, even his money box. He said when they took everything from the shop, they told him, “Hadumeh, now you can lock the shop and go back to sleep.” He said he then saw the truck moving away. As soon as the truck started moving, he said he started shouting and that was when he woke up in my bed. He said when he went to the mosque and back, he saw that the shop was locked. He said he even opened the shop to make sure and everything was inside. Nothing was missing. But he said after breakfast when he went to open the shop, he found it empty. Nothing was there. When he said that, he started shouting again. And he took his stick and started beating everybody and saying they have killed him. We had to shout so that the men could come. When the men came, they all fell on him and brought him to the ground and tied him up. That’s when he stopped shouting; but he kept crying and groaning that they have killed him. We are worried Ba Alkatan. What shall we do? Eh this world!” The woman fell silent, and bent her head.
Alkatan groaned. His heart cried for the woman and Hadumeh’s family. But do humans not bring upon themselves the wrath of their own souls which are outraged at the suffering of other souls caused by humans? If all Hadumeh loved was his wealth, how could he be helped when his wealth was forever gone because he had used it to inflict injustice on his fellow humans? This time was bound to come for Hadumeh, as it does for everyone like him. But Alkatan knew that while the woman was worried, she and Hadumeh’s family would do just fine. He knew that soon enough, they would learn to enjoy some relief because Hadumeh had become poor, and he would become quiet. But the family would thrive by their labor and would support Hadumeh as long as he lived.
“Eh, Nna,” Alkatan said. “This is a very sad situation; but the only way your husband can be helped is by bringing back his wealth; and I cannot do that. What I see is that he will be all right; his eyes will not be touched. But he will taste poverty because he will never get his wealth back. But you and your family will be able to help him. When you go you will find that they have untied him; but he will not talk much from now on because he can never stop thinking about his wealth. You go home now and hold onto God. He will help you.”
The woman thanked Alkatan and left shortly before Afang Njonji, the Alkalo of Kaira Kunda came to seek Alkatan’s help about a sorcerer he said had turned his peaceful village into a place of conflict, fear and restlessness. Alkatan listened as the alkalo told him the strange story of Nyakahel the sorcerer who, when he came to Kaira Kunda, insisted he was the real alkalo and went about beating women who quarreled with their husbands and forcing people to drink his medicine because he insisted they were sick even if they were as healthy as iron!
Momodou Sabally says it’s moderator who jumbled things in asking Ahmadi to pray at UDP’s event
Momodou Sabally has said it’s his personal opinion it’s wrong to ask the leader of the Ahmadis to ‘pray on behalf of Muslims’.
“And also it is my personal opinion that what happened at the UDP Congress in asking the leader of the Ahmadiyyah Jammaat to lead the prayers on behalf of the Muslims was wrong,” Sabally wrote on Friday.
According to the active UDP member, he knows it was the moderator who made the error which he later tried to correct.
Sabally said: “I also know that this was not an official position of the party but an error on the part of the moderator of the programme who later tried to correct the error.
“The majority of Muslims in UDP, and also those present at that forum, are mainstream Muslims; and they do not identify themselves with Ahmadiyyah.
“Therefore it is undemocratic to ask the leader of the Ahmadiyyah to lead prayers for that majority.
“As a Muslim and believer in the divine injunction that “there is no compulsion in religion”, I do respect the rights of the Ahmadiyyah Jammaat to practice their faith as they see it.
“I believe in the rights of every individual to choose their own way of worshipping God, and I respect those rights at all times.
“It is the nature of humans that we make errors sometimes; such errors should be corrected and we must endeavour to respect all protocols, with tact, be they worldly or religious.”
Madi Jobarteh says there should be a parliament inquiry into President Barrow’s tour
There should be a National Assembly inquiry into President Adama Barrow’s ongoing nationwide tour, according to Madi Jobarteh.
The president has in the past two weeks been travelling around the country meeting citizens but critics have lashed out at the size of his entourage.
According to Madi Jobarteh, the National Assembly has the “power to open an inquiry, to enquire into how, what the constitution says about this tour and how this tour has been conducted, [whether it] has been conducted along the lines of the constitution, in the conduct of this tour has public money or public resources been utilised in ways that is a waste and illegal”.
“Because if you put something who is not a public official, is not a member of that community, he’s just there because he is a member of a political party or just a supporter of the president, he has no legal constitutional reason to be in this tour, yet you paid for this man’s transportation, for his accommodation, for his feeding, for his welfare all the way through. So that means that is an illegal use of public resources and that has to be accounted for. So for me there should be a National Assembly inquiry into this tour,” Mr Jobarteh said while appearing on News Review.
MP Saikouba Jarju says Ahmadis have ‘approached’ him and understand what he means by Ahmadis are going to be valued more than Muslims if UDP takes power
MP Saikouba Jarju has returned to his Facebook two days after he got excoriated for suggesting Ahmadis are not Muslims.
UDP chose the leader of the Ahmadiya Muslim Jama’at to offer prayers at the opening of their congress last weekend – but an unimpressed Jarju said it was indication Ahmadis will be valued more than Muslims if UDP forms government.
The MP got hammered online prompting him to delete the post.
He returned to his Facebook on today after Sulayman Gagigo wrote that he saw nothing wrong in what the MP said.
“Godly people and those who read statements without sentiments or any ill motives will read and understand.
“It was only hypocrisy and incompetency that a UDP member hiding behind the keyboard under Kerr Fatu platform who twisted my post to mean that am underrating the Ahmadis.
“Some Ahmadis had approached me privately and they understand vividly what I meant.
“Allah is disgracing them, that’s they something that has never been done according to norms.
“I regret nothing in my post but because some conscious followers appealed for to bring it down.
“I am jealous of my religion and I respect every religion,” the MP wrote.
‘I’m alive to it’: President Barrow sets out to soothe concerns of nation’s Christians by saying he’s alive to protection of everyone
President Adama Barrow has set out to soothe the concerns of the nation’s Christians by insisting he is ‘alive’ to the principle that everyone has the right to be protected.
“I am alive to the principle that everyone has the right to be protected, no matter what our religious beliefs may be,” President Barrow said in his Christmas message this year.
The nation’s Christians have in recent weeks and months pushed for their greater protection, publicly voicing their concerns and demanding that their their rights as Gambians are well established in the draft constitution. They have continued to raise concerns after a number of their concerns failed to make it to the draft constitution.
But according to President Barrow, “even though Christians are statistically a minority community in The Gambia, their rights are as significant as the rights of their non-Christian compatriots”.
“As citizens, all are equal before the law, and have equal rights. We are Gambians without distinction, and should strive together for the progress and development of our dear country,” the president said.
Imam Chebo Cham says Ahmadis are Kafir and hammers UDP for letting Ahmadi pray at congress
Imam Chebo Cham on Friday devoted his sermon to a decision by United Democratic Party in appointing the Amir of Ahmadiya Muslim Jama’at to pray at their last weekend’s congress.
“We want to plead with UDP to come out and apologise to the Muslims,” Imam Cham said while closing his sermon.
Earlier on the Imam argued Ahmadis are not Muslims although they claim to be.
The Imam said: “Ahmadiyas are not Muslims, you can never try to make them Muslims. Scholars tell you their prayers is of no use to them, their fasting is of no use to them, their prayer call is of no use to them, their pilgrimage, their alms, are of no use to them. Why? They’re Kafir (disbelievers). They’re disbelievers.
“So you people say it’s wrong to point at some people and say ‘yes the religion of these people is this, so let’s just let them be , things will be clear at God’s (hereafter)’. You are doubting or you’re not doubting? [For us] we are not doubting [that they’re not Muslims]. We learnt something which is very compelling. We are not leaving it to your words. You cannot know more than those who spent their whole life learning La Illaha Illallah [about Islam]. Don’t you know one can learn Laa Illaha Illallah and then do or say something that will take him outside the bounds of La Illaha Illalah?
“I gave you an example of the people the Prophet’s companions fought. They had a mosque just like the Ahmadiyas. They used to say La Illaha Illallah just like the way Ahmadiyas say it. The reason why the companions of the Prophet waged a war on them because they distorted La Illaha Illallah just like the way the Ahmadiyas distorted it. Their leader Mehdi Gullah Ahmad said he makes loves with Allah.
“So it’s those people that you’re making important to the extent you’re inviting them to your events and they are praying for you? So where is your being a Muslim? So people are seeking to rule but when we give you the nation, are you going to make us Muslims or Kafir? If you say this, they say he has started again, he has started to criticise people but you do things that attract criticism. So you people want to do things that attract criticism and we should keep quiet?”
Police issue warning to young people over dangerous driving – as they also ask those preparing to conduct fireworks to seek clearance
Police have issued a warning to young people planning to engage in car racing calling on them to desist from the dangerous sport.
Police in a statement said: “As we usher into the Christmas and New Year festivities, the office of the Inspector General of Police wishes to remind the public that due care must be employed in the handling of fireworks and explosives.
“The public is further advised to seek clearance for the use of heavy explosives and fireworks from the Gambia Fire and Rescue Services before using them at public places.
“Furthermore, fireworks and explosives must not be lit around risk prone public places such as electric poles, markets, car parks among others to avert unforeseen circumstances.
“Similarly, the general public particularly young people are hereby warned to desist from joy riding and car racing along public roads and places during the festivities.
“The Inspector General’s Office wishes all Christians a Merry Christmas and a prosperous new year in advance.”