Tuesday, July 1, 2025
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BABA GALLEH JALLOW – STORY: The adventures of Alkatan

By Baba Galleh Jallow

Alkatan was a small old man, slight of build, but very healthy and very strong. He was cheerful and had a lively air around him and was perhaps more friendly and more jovial than anyone you’ve ever met and was very much beloved of the people of Tonya Kunda, the village that he called home. Young and old alike enjoyed his company and would always show him great respect. And Alkatan reciprocated the friendship and the respect he received many times over, always endeavoring to make people feel good about themselves.

But there were some people in Tonya Kunda who did not enjoy Alkatan’s company and only pretended to be friendly to him. These were people he had had problems with, people he had occasion to censure because of their unjust actions against others. For while Alkatan never got angry or spoke in an angry fashion, he was drastic in his actions against people who perpetrated injustice against others in Tonya Kunda. He intervened in legitimate differences and conflicts only as a neutral mediator and often succeeding in making peace. But in cases of gross injustice by one person against another, Alkatan’s charm and simplicity was not to be taken for granted; which is what all the people who did not like him in Tonya Kunda did.

The first person Alkatan had a problem with shortly after he moved to Tonya Kunda was Degere the wrestler. Degere was the unbeaten champion of those parts and had thrown many a champion who came to Tonya Kunda village to challenge him. A tall and bulky fellow with large, red eyes, Degere was at his prime when Alkatan came to Tonya Kunda. He was feared by everybody and had a reputation for grabbing and slamming people on the ground just to show that he was not to be messed with. And it did not matter whether you were a man or woman, young or old. If you dared question Degere’s words or actions, Degere beat you up, and beat up anybody who dared object to the beating or intervene on behalf of the beaten. When Degere beat somebody, even the beaten did not cry out for it was Degere’s rule that the more you cried out the more he beat you!

One morning, Alkatan arrived at the village Bantaba to find a small crowd of people standing in a circle. In the middle of the circle were Degere and another man. Degere was repeatedly slapping the man, knocking him on the head with his clenched fist, and demanding to know why the man dared to challenge him to a wrestling contest the previous night. The wrestling match was swift because Degere was no match for the challenger who came from a nearby village. The man was on his way home when Degere stopped him at the Bantaba and demanded to know why he dared challenge him. The man was repeatedly saying, I’m sorry, please forgive me. But Degere was paying no heed and kept slapping and knocking him on the head. The villagers stood around watching. No one dared to intervene or even ask Degere to forgive the man because they knew what would happen to them. Such was the dread Degere inspired in the people of Tonya Kunda.

When Alkatan arrived, he entered the small circle and said, “Hey, why don’t you leave that man alone. You are hitting him, he’s not hitting you back and he’s begging you to forgive him. Can’t you just leave him alone?” At this, Degere looked at the old man and angrily gnashed his teeth. “Old man do you want to die!” he roared. “How dare you ask me to leave him alone?” “I think it is you who wants to die,” Alkatan retorted, wagging his finger at Degere. “You threw that man down but I can throw you down right now and put you to shame.” Hearing these words Degere rushed at the old man and grabbed him by the waist and tried to dash him on the ground.

But it was not as easy as he thought. Alkatan was a bundle of strength. The two wrestled round and round for a few minutes before Degere felt himself flying in the air and landing with a heavy thud on the ground. The crowd cheered and held their mouths in awe shouting, “he threw him, he threw him! How could such an old man throw Degere down?” In a fit of rage, Degere sprang to his feet, rushed at Alkatan, lifted him high above his head, and tried to slam him on the ground. To his dismay, Degere found that he could not throw the old man down. He ran with him around the circle and tried to throw him down again, but he could not do so. And so he carried Alkatan round and round the circle, not able to throw him down or put him down. Soon, he was sweating profusely and felt as if he was carrying a tree and not a small old man. Meanwhile, Alkatan continuously knocked Degere on the head, pulled his ears, and pinched his nose over and over again saying, “I told you to leave him alone.” Then suddenly, Alkatan jumped and landed behind Degere, grabbed him by the waist, and flung him to the ground in the famous busulu style. Degere landed with a heavy thud, let out a mournful cry, and fainted.

From that day, Degere retired from wrestling and became a changed man in Tonya Kunda. Alkatan on the other hand became a hero. All kinds of stories were told about him, including that he was himself a famous wrestler in his youth and that he had some hidden powers. It was not long before Alkatan had another problem with another person in the village. This was no other than Kiyanka, the newly installed Alkalo of Tonya Kunda.

F’ministry explains some Gambian women in Lebanon have changed their minds over repatriation

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The ministry of foreign affairs said on Monday the task of its honorary consul in Lebanon to discern which of the Gambian women wish to be repatriated proved increasingly difficult as some of the women changed their minds.

The Gambia government has come under fire over the women after they raised the alarm the government was being indifferent to their plight.

The ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement Monday: “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, International Cooperation and Gambians Abroad wishes to update the general public on the ongoing repatriation efforts by The Government of The Gambia to secure the evacuation of about thirty six (36) Gambian Migrant Workers currently in Lebanon.

“The Government of The Gambia is at all times committed to the protection of its citizens, especially women, children and those most vulnerable. Allegations of trafficking of Gambian women and girls have always been treated seriously by the Government.

“It is to be recalled that the Government of The Gambia fielded missions to Lebanon in 2014 and 2015 to find out first-hand information on the plight of Gambian Migrant Workers. The missions resulted in the successful obtainment of penalty and detention waivers and the subsequent repatriation of some of the women to The Gambia. A fully funded repatriation package and psychosocial support was afforded to those willing to return.

“Out of a total of thirty (30) women initially registered for repatriation, only ten (10) were eventually repatriated. The remaining twenty (20) rejected the Government’s offer of repatriation and made the decision to stay in Lebanon for economic reasons.

“Today, despite the Government’s previous experiences, the constraints with the effects of Covid-19 on the economy and the need for rationing of resources becoming even more important, it has not relented to ensure the safe repatriation of the Gambian women in Lebanon.

“The Honorary Consul in Lebanon is working with authorities in Lebanon to surmount the administrative hurdles such as the payment of penalties before exit clearances are issued. It is alleged that some of the women had absconded from their respective employment in violation of their employment contracts, some had minor criminal charges levied against their persons, and some had immigration penalties to settle as a result of overstaying their visas. These only compounded the complexities in the process of obtaining the clearances.

“Additionally, the task of the Honorary Consul to discern which of the women wish to be repatriated proved increasingly difficult as some of the women changed their minds, claiming they have found new jobs and now wish not to be repatriated.

“Presently, the Honorary Consul has obtained approval for the waivers of penalties and clearances to travel for all the women. Once these clearances are received, the Government will ensure their safe return.

“NAATIP and the relevant Government institutions are working on investigating the perpetrators and this requires close collaboration with the alleged victims to ensure that the perpetrators are apprehended, investigated and prosecuted.

“In the meantime, we continue to seek the understanding of the women in Lebanon and the Gambian population to exercise patience whilst efforts to repatriate the women are ongoing. We further urge the public to verify all information received, especially on Social Media with the Communication Unit of the Ministry.”

Sisters stage stunning comeback after Jammeh allegedly killed brother

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For five years, they went through the ordeal of securing the release of their brother Alhagie Mamut Ceesay who was kidnapped and later killed in The Gambia.

Sisters Juka, Olay, Amy, Mamaram and Jay Ceesay decided to use the life-quake engendered by the loss of a dear one to give back to the world by sharing their experiences instead of embracing victimhood.

Alhagie Mamut Ceesay, brother to the comeback sisters was a Gambian-American who lived in Texas.

Ceesay and his friend Ebou Jobe returned to The Gambia in May 2013 with the goal of launching a business, but wound up getting kidnapped and killed in brutal fashion.

In the premiere of The Sisters Show, Olay Ceesay recalled: “My brother was kidnapped for five years and we didn’t really know his whereabouts. And as sisters for about five years we all took it upon ourselves to basically find out what we could do. It was a very, very emotional, low point in all of our lives. But we do not sit back and play as victims. We decided, took it upon ourselves to figure out what happened to our brother and during that time we all took the fight using different methods.

So a couple of my sisters, Amy, Juka and Jay basically were the ones that, their focus on the media. Mama and I were more like in the back end and through that journey of using the media, they’ve determined that actually the media is a very very powerful channel in terms of getting across to people. And so after all of that, we were talking about the events that happened and how we were able to inspire a lot of people, because a lot of people reached out and they could not figure out like, ‘how do you stay strong during such a very difficult time of your life?’ And of course I would say it was the family support that helped us all connected and get through that very difficult part of our lives. And so that inspired us all – that with such a tragic moment we have to bring something good out of it and that’s what better way to use the media to inspire women all across Africa, women that are in the US as well [to] share our knowledge, share our experiences. We all have different professions.”

For Juka, the experience of shared loss over a period of five years brought them closer together as a family, while strengthening their resolve to give back to the world.

“We think there is a void we can fill in media to show young girls all over the world especially young girls of African descent, young girls that are different ethnicity all over the world literally, to know that you could do anything that you set your mind to, whatever your purpose is, whatever your calling is. For us that is one of the reasons why we’re coming with this show,” she said.

KEBBA NANKO: Mr Bub S Njie Needs the Most Basic Civic Education on Gambia Political Evolution

In response to an article published on the Freedom newspaper and Fatu network, entitled “The Jawara Administration was a Moonwalk: shall we tell Papa Njie?” written by Bub S Njie, research assistant, center for research and policy Development (Not sure where). The article according to him was in response to an interview given by the current leader of the Peoples Progressive Party (PPP) Hon. Muhamadou Papa Njie to the Standard newspaper, Gambia. That interview was in honor of the upcoming first anniversary since the demised of the late FATHER OF THE GAMBIA SIR DAWDA KAIRABA JAWARA on August 28th, 2019.

The current PPP leader was being sincere and upright about the legacy of the modern Gambia founded by the late Sir Dawda and his team from the twilight of the 1950s to the dusk of July 22nd, 1994. The ideals and beliefs Sir Dawda under his leadership etched into the minds of Gambians based on country and people. The political struggles of the late 1950s and1960s, the living of a country believed unable to sustain herself, the challenges of limited educated minds, the lack of mineral resources to help boost this struggle to create the modern Gambia was like an impossible mission

I intend to help him understand Hon. Papa Njie was paying a tribute to Sir Dawda on his first death Anniversary, for any Gambian to falsely attack Sir Dawda on moment likes this is very disheartening. Culturally and religiously when people speak about death at a moment of their anniversary they focused on the good side of his/her life. Of-cause, Sir Dawda as a human being also made his share of mistakes. The difference between him and other leaders is that he pondered those mistakes and quietly learned from them, and he grew and developed because he had a learning mindset.

Now let’s look at Bub S. Njies take on PAPA NJIEs interview AND THE JAWARA ADMINISTRATION Bub is allegedly a researcher at a policy center and I do respect that but I expect an honest and factual assessment with a productive counter-argument to papas claim but not based on half bake unconnected allegations with no substantive facts. I tried to be reasonable and open to his alleged claims but sadly, I found it either he is too young to understand the trajectory of the Jawara Administration from 1962 to 1970 and what they achieved from the dawn of a republic to the 1994 or he was just intellectually dishonest. I expect a comparative policy analysis from him on the PPP Administration to Jammehs 22 years and the current Government. Calling the Jawara legacy a “moonwalk” was just not only intellectual dishonesty but professionally inept.

Bub S Njie said “In his attempt to glorify his party’s founding father, Sir Dawda Jawara: “someone who will not want to harm anybody” Mr. Njie exposed how Sir Dawda was comfortable and never wanted to disrupt the status quo; a corrupt political class, a sclerotic bureaucracy, a heartless economy, a divided and distracted public that had gone untreated for more than two decades. Our people had learned to live, uncomfortably, with the manipulative political equation of the Jawara Administration”. This is just false and misleading in his effort to mischaracterize the good intent of Mr. Papa Njie paying tribute and echoing the great trades of Sir Dawda both as a politician and a defender of human and people’s rights both at home and abroad. Probably Mr. Bub Njie has never done any research on Gambian political evolution. Let me try to draw an image for him how the Gambia look like before independence. During the colonial rule, people leaving in the provinces weren’t allowed to vote, Gambian are been enslaved both within the Gambia and abroad, there was no drainage system in Banjul (they use “Poti Kama”), Our farmers sell there Groundnuts at the price the British wanted, there was no bridge in the Gambia, There was no road network between Banjul to Basse (the Denton Bridge at the time was a one-way bridge one vehicle have to wait for the other to cross the bridge), Gambians are denied education (some due to family and others because going to school was preserved to sons of rich and chiefs), Girls are denied the rights to education, the caste system is used to deny people their rights, there was no resources both Human, capital and natural, there was no system of democratic government in place, etc..

Looking at this picture one can only argue that Sir Dawda from unset his objective was to disrupt the status quo to ensure Gambian become an independent sovereign state, to make sure that every Gambian vote counts, to ensure farmers get the money they deserve from their hard labors, to ensure the caste system is never used to deny any Gambia a good-paying job, to ensure every Gambian have the right to education (including Girls). Considering the concerns raised by many people that the Gambia getting full independence was too risky before independence Gambia has only ten university graduates, most of whom are medical doctors, it has no natural resources, the book written by Berkeley Rice explained the situation of Gambia at the time, but with his determination and foresight, the Gambia is still a sovereign state. He also embodied the mantra of “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Sir Dawda not only made positive changes in the Gambia he was a part of, but he also cared about people. He believed that positive change and caring about people were intricately linked.

Talking about corruption that most Gambia uses as a talking point against the PPP has probably been masterminded by the Military Junta emptied accusation of Jawara administration of rampant corruption and flamboyant lifestyle. After the military Junta took power they had established a commission of inquiries against PPP government up till now no Gambians have ever seen the findings of that commission. I will also use this opportunity to appeal to the Barrow Government to look into the archives and make such finding public. Sir Dawda is a man who believes in rule of law and would not punish any Gambia base on a mere allegation of corruption without evidence but he those acted when he has evidence and facts. Yes, he those fired a Minister who was accused of corruption as well as Minister who made a false statement to back a supporter on a passport application. He allowed the Minister to be tried in court and jailed for six months which ended his political carrier.

Furthermore; the above quote by Mr. Bub Njie just convinced me that the writer hasn’t bothered himself into any research before he writes such a misleading article. The Jawara administration has expanded the Gambia beyond the colony of then, Bathurst, to Koina. The Jawara administration set up all the public corporations in the Gambia from the National Trading Corporation (NTC), GPMB, GCDB, GGC, River Transportation, the Cooperative Unions, Jahally Pacharr, Cotton Ginnery in Basse, etc. most of this set the basis of the economy and had been making empirical changes in the socio-economic lives of the people. At the time of Independence in 1965, the government coffers were red! No human resources, some positions in the civil service has to be advertised to other qualified candidates in the commonwealth nations to fill in.

When the 1981 Rebellion took place shattering the dreams of a poor country about to notice gains of her work. After the 1981 coup and the struggled to recover from both human and material loss, came in the complexities of nature in the greater Sahel- DROUGHT. That period 1981 to 1985, was a very tough period for the PPP and there has to be tough decision making that indeed affected hundreds. At that moment, not only the Gambia but there was drought dragging hunger and malnutrition along with sub-Saharan Africa. Sir Dawda was human but also a leader of a country of poor farmers, it was challenging but we had to cross the bridge. The IMF and WORLD BANK conditionality to privatize our public corporations, peoples have to be laid off, the era of price control was over, and market reforms were introduced. This was tough but the turning point for The Gambia and hereafter the hardship and shortages of commodities came to the economic boom.

This is how Sir Dawda was able to revive the Gambian economic when it faces serious challenges, he said “A great deal of homework had gone into identifying and selecting what projects went where with the rationale for their execution based entirely on the sole objective of development that would make our independence real. It was inevitable in the early stages to pay much attention to buildings and structures but the bottom line was the well-being of the people, which should best be counted in the quality of food they ate; the standard of housing they enjoyed; the level of education and health care at their disposal; and, above all, the scope of the peace and freedoms they enjoyed; Many leaders in the sub-region asked me on several occasions what made our recovery and restructuring so successful. Ours was a simple answer. The country had taken on the whole program as a package and did not cherry pick which of its aspects were convenient to apply. We went the whole hog, whether it was administrative reforms, retrenchment, reduction of subsidiaries to farmers, or any of the measures on a tough list we had to introduce. But because we knew it was a massive load to the demand of the people, I went on a countrywide tour to explain the EPR. I told the people what it meant, and shared with them the purposeful outcomes if they came through with us. Thought four years of commitment and understanding it worked. The foreign exchange problems eased; and shop stalls filled up again. We were such a leading light in structural adjustment that the Sierra Leonean Minister of Finance, Tommy Taylor Morgan, and researchers came to study the implementation of adjustments Sierra Leone had been trying since 1983 without success.” This is to cement that Sir Dawda was a transformational leader and if our current leaders can learn from his style of leadership Gambia can only be a better place.

Mr. Bub Njie when further to say that “Jarawa’s Legacy cannot save the Gambia, he left a bad political tradition; with the advantages of incumbency; he had state resources at his disposal, using government vehicles for campaigning purposes, and his unflinching encouragement of traditional authorities to exert pressure on electorates to support his administration.” Mr. Bub S Njie need a serious basic civic education about Gambia political history, this is laughable. Hon Sidia Jatta is the only living person who has contested against Sir Dawda in an election he had accused Sir Dawda of many things but none of the above. Hon Sidia Jatta said “my wife use to be the makeup-artist for Sir Dawda’s wife at the time I was contesting against him in an election” his wife was never fired because of Hon. Sidia Jatta was his political opponent. Jawara has never used government resources to campaign, or use traditional authorities most traditional authorities didn’t like him because he fought very hard to ensure traditional leaders didn’t have absolute power to punish Gambians that every Gambian must have a fair trial. It would have been easy for him to slip into an authoritative power mode as he was under immense pressure to declare the Gambia a one-party state, but Sir Dawda humility was the real power he had in the relationships he cultivated to ensure the Gambia remains a Multi-Party Democracy. Being humble helped him to be known as someone who acted out ethically even while others in similar positions did not

Bub Njie Said “How can a legacy of political correctness, economic downturn, and deliberate control of the state media save a country? This was a government that used libel lawsuits to oppress prominent journalists sending many to Mile 2 central prisons. President Jawara’s original intent was not to be a “unifier” as Papa Njie suggested! No! Jawara’s style of politics was based on coalitions, because he thought he needed to form alliances with the urban Wollofs and Aku who dominated the bureaucracy. He sought to please these people and coax them to be on his side because, otherwise, their administrative skills could used to undermine his crumbling government. It was political. It’s a glaring fact that under Jawara’s Administration the poor majority of Gambians were forced to make the choice to sell their voters’ cards in exchange for resources needed for daily sustenance. Voter – buying became a booming business for politicians, in the Gambia”.

What frustrates me most Mr. Bub Njie did not make any reference to any media personality who was arrested or what law was in our constitution at the time that was intended to oppress the media. A good researcher argues on facts, not hearsay. Sir Dawda was a unifier, for bob Njie to say he was not is very baffling. His intention from unset was to be a unifier cognizant of the fact he was able to convince his people to change the name of his party From Protectorate People’s Party to People’s Progressive Party well before he formally gets into politic Sir Dawda said “the country, having reached a crossroads, it was with a great sense of urgency that I mounted the platform at a mass meeting the party had called at Albion Place in Bathurst to justify the need for a very important change in the name of the party. I explained that events had overtaken the original name that now lingered with a limiting feature about it. The Protectorate People’s Party carried a parochial aftertaste and presented a politically incorrect image which needed immediate correction to avoid disaffection within an urban public whose sympathies we absolutely could not afford to do without. It was a blessing that the tradition of democratic consensus was already bearing fruit. Thankfully, the party was built on principles that derived authority from no other source than the people. The meeting quickly saw the need for a name that properly reflected the national character of the party, and accepted my suggestion to retain the already recognizable abbreviation PPP- which will henceforth stand for People’s Progressive Party”. Sir Dawda in all his campaign his slogan use to be One Gambia, One Nation so clearly, his intention from unset was to see the unified Gambia.

Gambia was heaven for media personalities, due to the democratic nature of Gambia when AU decided to open a Center for Democracy and Human and People’s Rights, it was decided to choose The Gambia because of the Country’s respect for Democracy and People’s Rights and the foremost country in Africa that guaranteed the rights to its people and others around the World. Two years before the Despicable 1994 Coup, A world survey of all country around the globe, the results listed The Gambia as one of the five most democratic countries in the world and included all Western Democracies and all under the thoughtful leadership of Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara and his commitment to the respect of Human Rights, Rule of Law and full and unfettered Democracy.

Mr. Bub Njie’s allegations are just pathetic, Sir Dawda`s legacy is today the very country you’re certainly proud of. He left an educational system based on quality and access, not quantity. The tertiary educational system became the components of the current University of The Gambia (UTG), Such as Gambia College, Management Development Institute (MDI), Rural Development Institute, School of Nursing, National Agriculture Research Center, Chamen Self Development Center, Cooperative Training Center, Gambia Technical Training Institute (GTTI), etc. without these institutions there will be no Gambian university as we speak.

Finally, people like Bub S Njie always remind me of the need to ensure PPP stays alive as a political platform to fight all deceptions surrounding the legacy of Sir Dawda and all our hard-working public servants under the PPP government. It is very unfortunate and hateful for Mr. Bub Njie to have the guts to attack Sir Dawda when people are trying to celebrate his life on his First Death Anniversary. May his soul continue to rest in perfect peace!!!!

Kebba L Nanko
PPP USA Chapter, Interim Coordinator

UDP fears turning Kanifing Hospital into coronavirus treatment centre could jeopardise access to healthcare to large number of Gambians

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UDP on Sunday expressed fear designating the Kanifing Hospital as an ‘exclusive’ Covid-19 treatment center risks jeopardising access to healthcare for the large number of patients that rely on the facility for the treatment of non-Covid illnesses.

“The net result would be a denial of easy access to medical care for treatment of other illnesses,” the party through its leader Ousainou Darboe said while speaking at an event in Manjai Kunda marking 24 years of UDP’s existence.

The party through its leader then proffered that a better alternative would be to release to the Ministry of Health the “big air conditioned tents that Yahya Jammeh purchased with our funds currently sitting on statehouse grounds and position them at a suitable locations, properly equipped to be used as a treatment center for Covid 19 patients”.

“It can accommodate a large number of patients and their caregivers with some augmentation of materials and other resources. This will allow our limited health facilities to see a cross section of patients battling non Covid serious illnesses as the identified Covid cases are referred to the designated treatment centers,” the party said.

GDC emerges as first party to publicly commiserate with Jammeh Kunda over death of Ansumana Jammeh

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The GDC on Sunday said it mourns the death of Ansumana Jammeh and wishes to extend its deepest condolences to the Jammeh family of Kanilai, the APRC party and friends within and outside The Gambia.

“Ansumana Jammeh was known to be humble and a great family man, people who knew him from around the country unanimously mourns his death. He served our country as a diplomat and for that the GDC wishes to thank him abundantly,” the party said in a statement.

It added: ” We mourn his demise and pray that Allah grant him the highest residence in Jannah, look after his family and ease the burden of his death on his family and friends.”

Ansumana Jammeh died on Saturday at the age of 45 after a brief illness.

Mali junta replies Ecowas by saying it wants three-year military rule

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The junta that seized power in Mali wants a military-led transitional body to rule for three years and has agreed to release ousted president Ibrahim Boubacar Keita, a source in a visiting West African delegation said Sunday.

“The junta has affirmed that it wants a three-year transition to review the foundations of the Malian state. This transition will be directed by a body led by a soldier, who will also be head of state,” a source in the ECOWAS delegation in capital Bamako told AFP.

“The government will also be predominantly composed of soldiers” under the junta’s proposal, the source said on condition of anonymity.

The source added that the junta has agreed to “free president Keita”, who has been detained along with other political leaders since the coup on Tuesday, and he “will be able to return to his home” in Bamako.

“And if he wants to travel abroad for treatment, that is not a problem,” the ECOWAS source said.

Prime minister Boubou Cisse, who has been detained with Keita at a military base outside the capital where the coup began, would be moved to a secure residence in the city, the source said.

A junta official confirmed to AFP the decisions on the fate of Keita and Cisse, as well as that “the three-year transition would have a military president and a government mostly composed of soldiers”.

The coup followed months of protests calling for Keita to resign as public discontent with the government grew over the country’s brutal Islamist insurgency and collapsing economy.

While it was met by international condemnation, thousands of opposition supporters celebrated the president’s ouster in the streets of Bamako.

The junta has said it “completed the work” of the protesters and has vowed to stage elections “within a reasonable time”.

However Mali’s neighbours have called for Keita to be reinstated, saying the purpose of the visit by the delegation from the regional ECOWAS bloc was to help “ensure the immediate return of constitutional order”.

Tuesday’s coup was Mali’s second in eight years, and has heightened concern over regional stability as its jihadist insurgency that now threatens neighbouring Niger and Burkina Faso.

UDP at 24: Party’s leader seizes chance to insist those that claim end to Jammeh’s rule was a three months effort are fooling no one but themselves

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Those who wish to peddle the counter factual history that the victory of democracy over tyranny in 2016 was a three month transaction led by an un-known lion killer fool no one with their delusions but themselves, UDP leader Ousainou Darboe insisted on Sunday as he led party adherents in marking UDP’s 24 years of being.

UDP held a small largely media ceremony at its bureau in Manjai Kunda to mark its 24 years of existence, where the party’s leader looked back at how far they have journeyed as a political organisation.

“Unlike previous years when we would gather as crowds of comrades to celebrate and reflect on the enduring journey we have embarked on to build a Gambia that is as good as the diverse people that constitute it , the challenges of a raging pandemic requires that this year we commemorate the founding of the party differently,” Mr Darboe said while reading a statement.

He said elsewhere: “Today as we commemorate 24 years of the party’s existence, I pay homage to the men and women , young and old , spread across the length and breadth of our beloved Gambia and to our compatriots across all continents of the world . I am especially pleased with the sheer number and diversity of very talented and experienced professionals who have joined our ranks over the years.

“These are among the best in our country and their membership of and support for UDP give me great hope about the future of our party and the country to which we are all committed. I extend my profound gratitude to our vigorous and hardworking chapters spread across the globe for their dedication, superb organisational skills and laser beam focus on what is best for Gambia . UDP diaspora is and has been essential to the history and future of our party.”

The UDP leader also insisted the journey to “defeating a vicious tyrant in 2016 was the culmination of a 22 year effort of prayers, hard work, blood, tears, exile, disappearances, imprisonment, torture and economic ruin of several people”.

“Our people fought in all these categories as part of a necessary battle selflessly, courageously and with passion not in the quest for what they can get for themselves or their family. They were driven by love for country and the firm believe that Gambia deserved a democracy and a government that was as good as its people,” he said.

He then blasted those that think otherwise: “Those who wish to peddle the counter factual history that the victory of democracy over tyranny in 2016 was a three month transaction led by an un-known lion killer fool no one with their delusions but themselves.”

President Barrow had in the past branded himself as the ‘lion killer’ who was able to yank Jammeh out of power where everyone else had failed.

Two toy gun carrying burglars are arrested – as they confess to their crimes

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Two men that specialise in breaking into homes and public places have been arrested and have confessed to a number of their crimes.

Airport Police arrested the two men after a breaking incident at the VVIP Lounge at the Airport in which a flat screen TV was stolen.

Police said in a statement: “The suspects Muhammed Bah and Ebrima Kebbeh have confessed to being involved in series of breakings and stealing around Babylon, Lamin and surroundings.

“The duo also confessed to stealing a solar panel at the Lamin Kerewan Church. They also stole a water borehole pump and a laptop at Babylon.

“The stolen items together with a toy gun have all been recovered by the CID . They are currently helping the police in their investigations.”

Ansumana Jammeh laid to rest in Kanilai – as the likes of Momodou Sabally and Fatu Camara join members of the public in paying tribute to the former Gambian ambassador to Qatar

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Former Gambian ambassador to Qatar Ambassador Ansumana Jammeh was laid to rest Sunday in Kanilai, Foni.

Mr Jammeh died on Saturday after a brief illness aged 45.

Tributes have poured in for Mr Jammeh, a half brother to former President Yahya Jammeh.

According to Momodou Sabally, Jammeh was a ‘cool and affable gentleman’.

“May Allah forgive him and grant him peaceful repose in Jannah,” he prayed.

Hydara Karara who knows him personally wrote: “A very good and humble man is gone, Allah S.W.T knows best.

“My condolences to the family. May Allah S.W.T grant you Jannahtul Firdausi Your Excellency Ambassador Ansu Jammeh.”

Fatu Camara said: “A great human being has left this world. Ansu was always very shy, calm, peaceful, and well composed.

“I still remember telling him to stop visiting me because I no longer work at The State House and that I do not want to get him in trouble. We were good friends until I joined the fight against his brother, after which we started to drift apart. I did not blame him at all.

“My only regret is not interacting with him like we used to when I saw him a few times at a friend’s house. Instead of showing resentment, he gave me his usual smile and that was it.

“The last time we spoke was when I was in exile in Dakar in October 2013. He called on Skype asking me to head back to Banjul assuring me that everything will be fine.”

 

 

SENEGAL: Homosexual gathering in Nioro gets broken up by gendarmerie

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Senegal’s gendarmerie has dispersed a crowd of suspected homosexuals after they gathered at the premises of Cedeps in Nioro to get test for HIV/AIDS, according to Senego.

The gathering got dispersed by the gendarmerie after members of the public raised the alarm of a gay gathering taking place.

The gendarmerie were called after the mayor of the city reportedly went to Cedeps’ office after being informed of the activity. The association reportedly has its headquarters in Dakar and is said to be a pro-gay group.

Coronavirus: 148 new cases are seen nudging cases to 2,685

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The ministry of health has discovered 148 new cases of coronavirus after testing 483 people.

The new cases registered have taken the total number of COVID-19 cases ever confirmed in the country to 2,685.

The median age of the new cases is 37 years (range: 6 to 104 years), according to the ministry of health.

Two people on treatment for coronavirus at treatment facility die – as another person’s death also gets related to the disease

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Two people on treatment for coronavirus at a treatment facility have died while another person’s death is also being related to coronavirus after posthumously testing positive for the disease.

The health ministry in a report on Sunday said three new COVID-19 related deaths have been recorded bringing the total number of deaths to 87.

“While 2 of the new deceased cases were COVID-19 patients at a treatment centre, one tested positive when his sample was collected posthumously,” the ministry said.

It added: “Out of a total of 12 posthumous sample results received, only 1 returned positive for COVID-19. The median age, at death, of the deceased cases (2 males and 1 female) is 89 years (range: 37 to 93 years).”

Man’s act of kindness in giving ride to two men misfires as they steal his bag containing his passport

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A man was left to regret according two men a ride after they repaid his kindness by stealing his bag containing his passport.

Ebou Jobe, 26, was returning home in Bijilo from his mother’s place in Fajikunda when two men at Sukuta traffic light begged him for a ride. It was around 9.30 on Saturday when everyone was scrambling to get home before the 10pm curfew.

Ebou explained: “[It’s] yesterday about 9:30. I picked [them] from Sukuta traffic light to give them a lift and dropped them at turn table but they stole my bag.

“I am planning on returning to Canada on the 7th of next month. I have a phone and my passport in my bag. It’s a Gambian passport with active US and Canada visa. Please

“I need help. They begged that I should help them it’s almost 10 and they will not have a vehicle.”

Anyone that comes across Ebou’s passport can contact him on 2357019.

Jammeh demands investigation into his brother’s death after he reportedly vomited blood

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Former President Jammeh is asking that a postmortem be conducted on his brother Ansumana Jammeh who died on Saturday aged 45.

Jammeh, in exile in Equatorial Guinea, has called family members over the passing of The Gambia’s former ambassador to Qatar.

He died at Afrimed clinic at around 11pm Saturday a day after being admitted there over high blood pressure. He died of the illness according to family sources.

His brother former President Jammeh has called family members but couldn’t say much as he was too emotional.

The Fatu Network however understands Mr Jammeh could hardly understand why his brother was vomiting blood and is demanding an investigation into his death.

The family is yet to take a decision on his request.

 

Death shakes Jammeh and his family again: Former leader cries as he calls amid his brother’s death, sources say

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Former President Yahya Jammeh was crying when he called a family member over the death of his half brother Ansumana Jammeh.

The younger Jammeh died late Saturday aged just 45. He had been admitted at Afrimed after his high blood pressure illness worsened.

Former President Yahya Jammeh, on exile in faraway Equatorial Guinea, spoke with a family member over his half brother’s death, sources have said.

The former leader however could say much as he was crying, the sources said.

It’s the second time in two years Jammeh is losing a close member of his family; his mother Aja Asombi Bojang who he had fled with died in July 2018.

Jammeh and Ansumana are half brothers sharing the same father. Ansumana’s mother Yassin is alive.

 

 

Ansumana Jammeh dies at 45 – just two months after losing his J’Commission court battle as royal Prince Ibrahim says the former Gambian ambassador could not survive ‘wicked’ witchhunt

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By Lamin Njie

Prince Ibrahim has reacted to the death of Ansumana Jammeh saying the former Gambian ambassador to Qatar and brother to former President Yahya Jammeh could not survive ‘wicked’ witchhunt.

Jammeh died on Saturday at Afrimed clinic at 11pm after being admitted to the facility over high blood pressure. Family sources said he died of disease.

“My heart is HEAVY. The forces that united us are intrinsic and greater than the superimposed wickedness that keep us apart. Your gentle heart couldn’t survive their 4yrs of wicked witchunt! You been hurt, humiliated and betrayed. May Allah SWT grant you Jannah firdaus FOREVER IN MY HEART DEAREST FRIEND & BROTHER,” Kiang Batteling royal Prince Ibrahim said on his Facebook alongside a photo of Jammeh and himself on a groundnut farm. The duo were both investigated by the Janneh Commission.

Mr Jammeh’s death comes less than two months after the appellate court denied his stay of execution prayer over his properties.

The Janneh commission had investigated him and agreed that a 2016 high court order against him be implemented; it meant he would lose his properties in Bijilo and Old Yundum. He was also fined over 24 million dalasis.

Last month, the Appeals Court dismissed his application for a stay of execution over his properties which effectively left the properties at the mercy of the state.

 

 

Breaking news: Jammeh’s brother Ansumana Jammeh dies at 45 – family sources

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Former president Yahya Jammeh’s brother Ansumana Jammeh has died aged 45, family sources have told The Fatu Network.

The younger Jammeh died at Afrimed clinic a short while ago, the sources said.

Jammeh died on Saturday at Afrimed clinic at 11pm after being admitted to the facility over high blood pressure. Family sources said he died of disease.

Opposition APRC in an announcement said burial rites will be held on Sunday 23 August 2020 at 11:00am ‘possibly at Kanilai’.

“Whoever wants to make it to Kanilai to attend the funeral rites can be on standby whilst we await confirmation,” the party said through its deputy spokesperson.

Mr Jammeh’s death comes less than two months after the appellate court denied his stay of execution prayer over his properties.

The Janneh commission had investigated him and agreed that a 2016 high court order against him be implemented; it meant he would lose his properties in Bijilo and Old Yundum. He was also fined over 24 million dalasis.

Last month, the Appeals Court dismissed his application for a stay of execution over his properties which effectively left the properties at the mercy of the state.

 

 

Mali’s coup leaders meet Ecowas mediators for just 20 minutes

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By Reuters

A key meeting on Saturday between Mali’s coup leaders and mediators from West Africa’s regional bloc seeking a return to civilian rule ended after just 20 minutes.

Tuesday’s overthrow of Mali President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita has been condemned abroad, but celebrated by many in a country battling an Islamist insurgency and months of political unrest.

A delegation from the 15-nation Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) earlier arrived in the capital, Bamako, for talks aimed at reversing the overthrow of Keita.

The bloc has taken a hard line on the coup, shutting borders and halting financial flows – a move diplomats said was as much about warning opponents at home as stabilising Mali.

Ahead of a series of meetings with the mutineers and other groups, the head of the delegation, Nigeria’s former President Goodluck Jonathan, sounded optimistic.

“I believe at the end of the day we will come up with something that is best for the people and is good for ECOWAS and the international community,” he told journalists.

The most-anticipated meeting was held in the defence ministry, where ECOWAS mediators in face masks sat at a long table opposite junta leader Assimi Goita, who wore a desert camouflage uniform and was flanked by other military officers in berets and fatigues, photos on Twitter showed.

The talks were set to last 90 minutes, according to a provisional ECOWAS schedule, seen by Reuters. But the meeting ended after just 20 minutes, a Reuters reporter said.

President Barrow reveals he turned to ‘my brother’ Macky Sall over coronavirus

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President Adama Barrow has said he has turned to President Macky Sall of Senegal for the nation to tap from Senegal’s experience in managing the coronaviru pandemic.

COVID-19 has overwhelmed us as a population; infection numbers are surging beyond our expectations and within a short period of time. Hence I turned to my brother, President Macky Sall, to tap from Senegal’s experience in managing the pandemic,” Barrow said on Saturday while meeting with four top health officials of Senegal, according to a State Hosue statement.

According to the statement, President Adama Barrow said as leaders they are responsible and accountable to the people, thus urged the health professionals to take the lead to provide expert advice that will guide them as politicians to make informed policy decisions on the COVID -19 response mechanisms.

The officials were sent by President Sall and their visit came as a result of the decision of the two Heads of State to facilitate for the Health Experts of the two countries to share experiences as well as for the Senegalese to consult on possible partnership and support to the COVID -19 response in The Gambia, according to State House’s statement Saturday evening.

The statement added: “President Barrow said there are valuable lessons to learn about the Coronavirus situation from each country.

“The Senegalese Director of Health Emergency Operations, Dr. Abdoulaye Busso, who spoke to the press corps after the audience described Gambian laboratories as “very good capacity laboratories” at MRC and National Health Laboratory under Department of Public Health.

“They visited these labs and other treatment centres to exchange ideas and hold discussions with their Banjul counterparts on how to effectively collaborate and coordinate their efforts between Banjul and Dakar.

“President Barrow expressed delight at the quick response from his Senegalese counterpart, President Macky Sall in dispatching such a team without much formalities, which he said, raised his confidence in their brotherhood as two nations but one people. The President described the gesture as representing “true bond of bilateral friendship” never before enjoyed by Banjul and Dakar.

“Furthermore, he said, their friendly relationship also presents an opportunity for the two governments to work together for the eternal benefits of their two peoples.

“Senegal’s COVID-19 Response Coordinator, Prof. Moussa Seydi, the Director of Health Emergency Operations, Dr. Abdoulaye Busso; the General Administrator of Institut Pasteur of Dakar, Dr. Amadou Alpha Sall, are among other high profile experts on the Coronavirus Pandemic led to the State House by the Senegalese Ambassador to The Gambia, Mr. Bachirou Sene.”

A Senegalese paper had earlier this month reported The Gambia has sought for help from Senegal over the coronavirus pandemic, only for government officials to dismiss the report as false.

 

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