By Lamin Njie

The Gambian economy is anticipated to grow by four percent in 2019 compared to an actual real growth of 6.5 percent in 2018, Finance Minister Mambury Njie has said.

The top government official today brought the 2020 budget before members of the national assembly for their approval. According to Mr Njie, government will spend 30 billion dalasis in 2020. Total government expenditure and net lending for 2019 was 28.8 billion dalasis.

The growth of the country’s economy has however dropped to 4% with the finance minister saying the “decline in growth is as a result of anticipated setbacks in both agriculture and services sectors.”

“Growth in these two sectors is project at -2.6 and -1.5 percent in 2019 compared to 0.9 percent and 9.9 percent in 2018, for agriculture and services respectively.

“The contraction is on account of the delayed rain and the impact of the collapse of Thomas Cook the major carrier of tourists to The Gambia,” he added.

By Adama Makasuba

A Jambur man has accused the United Democratic Party of not showing any form of solidarity to him and his family during their detention by the APRC regime in 2001.

Ba Dembo Bojang who appeared before the TRRC today to testify on former President Yahya Jammeh’s 2009 so-called witch hunt quickly veered off to narrate his 2001 ordeal, accusing the UDP leaders of abandoning him.

“I don’t like UDP anymore unless if this government leaves and they choose another person but if they choose Ousainou I will not vote for him. But if they choose a new person I will vote for that person, maybe that one vote could be reason for a victory for someone,” Mr Bojang told TRRC officials at a session Jambur today.

“Therefore, I will not vote for Ousainou Darboe and if I should hear that he chose someone I will not cast my vote for that person, I am the one who liked him but he doesn’t like me, the one who is supporting you, if he happened to got into trouble shouldn’t you care about that person,” he added.

According to him, the reason for his dislike of UDP is because the Jammeh regime had sent seven people from his family including himself for opposing APRC and UDP leader neither visited them in detention nor sending a messenger adding “from that time I have expressed I don’t like Ousainou Darboe and UDP.”

They arrested myself and my brother Dodou Kah and his son Ousman and his younger brother Dodou Bojang and my niece call Binta Sillah and my grandson Kebba Mamaring Bojang and my son Ousman Bojang, he said.

By Lamin Njie

The UDP leadership in Tallinding constituency on Sunday branded the constituency’s national assembly member a rotten potato that needed to be removed from the bag.

Fatoumatta Jawara is among eight UDP members of the national assembly who have been expelled by the party after they were adjudged to have ‘conducted themselves in a way that was not in conformity with party principles.’

The expulsion of Fatoumatta Jawara, Billay Tunkara, Saikouba Jarju, Saikou Marong, Baba Galleh Jallow, Omar Darboe, Abdoulie Ceesay and Alagie Jawara is as a result of their alleged overt support for President Adama Barrow.

The UDP leadership in Tallinding on Sunday held a press conference where it hailed the decision of the party’s national leadership in sacking the eight officials.

“Fatoumatta leaving the party will not affect us in any way, it will only strenghten us.
“She’s given her back on the party, on Tallinding, and she even went to the point of saying she supports Barrow Youth Movement.

“We also have evidence she is one of those people who take bribes from the president to support his agenda,” a top Tallinding UDP official Bubacarr Jabbie while reading a statement said.

Another official blasted: “If you have one rotten potato in a bag, and you know it could harm the bag, what would you do? That’s what Fatoumatta is in the bag.”

The Fatu Network contacted Fatoumatta Jawara but she is yet to respond to a request for comment.

A person must attain the age of thirty years on the date of nomination for election of president, the new draft constitution has said.

The Constitutional Review Commission on Friday released the new draft constitution as The Gambia moved ever closer to getting a new constitution.

If approved, The Gambia’s political and socio-economic future will witness a major transformation, as among the many propositions are term limit and absolute majority.

On the issue of president, the new draft constitution says a person must be a citizen of The Gambia and has ‘on the date of nomination for election of president attained the age of thirty years’.

The new draft constitution also espouses a candidate either hold an undergraduate degree with five years work experience or a high school certificate with twelve years work experience.

The new draft constitution of The Gambia has laid down the law regarding who qualifies for the job of minister.

The Constitutional Review Commission on Friday released the new draft constitution as The Gambia moved ever closer to getting a new constitution.

If approved, The Gambia’s political and socio-economic future will witness a major transformation, as among the many propositions are term limit and absolute majority.

On the issue of ministers, the new draft constitution says a person is qualified to be appointed a minister if the person is a Gambian and has ‘attained’ the age of 21 or more. It also says the person must a qualification at tertiary education level and can speak and write the English Language well.

The Gambia government has ditched its plan to introduce a law that could see people going to jail if they are found guilty of insulting the parents of public officials.

The Barrow administration in the past few days has been under fire over an alleged plan by to introduce a law that would ban people from insulting government officials.

Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou clarified Friday saying the proposed new law is strictly on ‘parental insults’ when it comes to public officials, but now the ministry of justice has issued a statement announcing it will no longer present the proposed law that seeks to introduce the offence of parental insults in the criminal Offences bill.

“This withdrawal decision is as a result of concerns expressed from several quarters regarding the objectives and the possible effects of the said provision,” a statement purportedly by the ministry said.

It said further: “The Ministry wishes to inform the general public that the introduction of the said proposed law was simply intended to stem the rise of unwarranted abuse and/or intimidation of public officers who serve the public everyday and these include civil servants, police officers, judicial officers, National Assembly members etc.

“Contrary to some claims, the proposed law was neither intended to stifle freedom of expression nor to shield public officers from public scrutiny. Far from it.

“The Ministry has therefore considered that this single legal provision on parental insults, which is only one among over four hundred other provisions in the revised Criminal Offences Bill that we will be seeking to enact before the National Assembly, threatens to overshadow all the hard work invested in this process, and the more fundamental and far reaching reforms of our governance architecture in general and the criminal justice landscape of our country in particular. These include enacting an anti-corruption commission bill, an access to information bill, a media services bill, a women’s anti- discrimination bill and above all, a new draft constitution to usher in renewed hope going into a 3rd republic. These are exciting times in our country and the sense of optimism imbued by these progressive constitutional and legislative reforms must not be allowed to be overshadowed by our disagreements over one single legal provision.

“The Ministry further reassures the public that it is firmly committed to its governance reform agenda and that it will always take on-board the concerns of citizens as it shapes this agenda in the best interest of all in our country.”

By Adama Makasuba

A peace organisation is planning a tour of the nation next week to engage people especially young Gambians on the promotion of peace in the country.

The group is expected to start its tour on a day President Adama Barrow would start gracing 44 in-country meetings.

The group’s tour of nation is targeting youth groups especially students who it describe as the people who are used during crisis situations.

Pro-Gambia a group formed after the political impasse in 2017 with its principal goal to promoting peace and unity in the country through dialogue among political leaders, youth and community, and pressure groups.

It has recently held engagement with various political leaders and interior minister on the coalition’s controversial gentleman pact which is calling for Barrow to step down in December.

Vice President of the group Fatou Fatty, who spoke at a news conference on Sinchu Baliya said: “We wish to informed and educate the public on how we can all come together and promote peace and give peace a chance to ensuring stability and security.”

Mrs. Fatty called for encouragement of dialogue in the country saying ‘because of dialogue they have resolved many unwanted problems in the country and we are calling on stakeholders to give support to this initiative and not to wait until the country is in flames and act.’

Ensa ‘Jeusus’ Jatta group secretary general said they expect to hold a national day for dialogue after the tour where ‘we will have all the political leaders, security forces, pressure groups- 3- and 5-years, religious leaders civil society organisations for us to come and dialogue and see how best we can safeguard the peace and security of the country.’

By Lamin Njie

Two top Gambian imams last week went head to head as the fight for leadership of the country’s apex Islamic body continued.

Supreme Islamic Council second vice president Ibrahim Jarjue clashed with Rawdatul Majalis’s Abubacarr Jabbi on Perspective, a weekly GRTS show, in a session peppered by accusations and counter-accusations.

The debate first started to get heated when Supreme Islamic Council’s Jarjue claimed Rawdatul Majalis was a one-tribe Islamic group.

“Because we are interested in peace is why I am sharing a stage with Rawdatul Majalis. I will not have been here. We have nothing against them but all we hear from them is insults.

“If you go to any Majalis, you will find a Fula, a Jola, a Mandinka, a Serahule, a Serere but for Rawdatul Majalis, all the scholars are Mandinkas and Gambia is not a country of just Mandinkas,” Jarjue said.

He continued: “So if these people go out on a tour of the country and go as far as naming a new president, it’s impossible for us to work with those people.

“Also, if we (SIC) announce the sighting of the moon, they (Rawdatual Majalis) will announce that the moon is not sighted. They use the media to discredit us and to confuse people.”

Rawdatul Majalis’s Abubacarr Jabbi fired back saying the current Supreme Islamic Council is a ‘club of friends’.

Jabbi said: “These are all accusations. For him to say Rawdatul Majalis is made up of people from just one tribe is an allegation.

“We all know what Supreme Islamic Council did to Gambians; imams were beaten, imams were imprisoned and imams were stopped from observing Eid.”

Rawdatul Majalis, a group established in 2017 to bring all Islamic sects in the country together, is soaked in a bitter leadership row with the current leaders of Supreme Islamic Council. The group says the term of office of the current leadership has expired.

By Lamin Njie

Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou has said the objective of the draft Criminal Code Bill is not to ‘stifle’ freedom of expression.

Gambians online have been railing against an alleged plan by the government to introduce a law that would ban people from insulting government officials. Screenshots were shared online with users suggesting people would be handed jail terms of up to one year if they are found guilty of insulting the president or a public official.

Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambadou clarified Friday saying the proposed new law is strictly on ‘parental insults’ when it comes to public officials.

Mr Tambadou said: “First, this is only one provision among hundreds others that are being proposed for amendment. Second, the Government is introducing two new pieces of legislation on freedom of expression: Access to Information Bill and Media Services Bill. These two bills were drafted in close consultation with Article 19 and the GPU and subjected to stakeholder validations.

“Third, as part of the government’s consultation process, we shared the draft Criminal Code Bill, which contains the Parental insults provision, with some civil society organizations in confidence because it has not yet been finalized and it is still subject to validation. It is unfortunate that this incomplete Bill was shared with the public before finalization.

“In any event, the Government proposes to proceed with the Parental insults provision for two principal reasons: first, the Supreme Court had sometime in 2018 upheld that the criminal provisions relating to sedition against the President were lawful and constitutional. This by the way is the provision relating to insulting the President or bringing into contempt or hatred against the person of the President etc. We thought that this particular provision is susceptible to abuse and decided to delete the provision notwithstanding the Supreme Court decision on it; but we also want to ensure that when the provision on sedition is removed, the exercise of the right to freedom of expression is done in a responsible manner and that Parental insults should have no place in political discourse especially with respect to those holding public office.

“By virtue of their employment, decisions by public officials affect the public on a daily basis and this exposes and makes them the most vulnerable to public reactions. So in order to prevent unwarranted abuse and intimidation of public officials, and consistent with the constitutional provision to place reasonable restrictions in the interests of public decency or morality, we proposed the offence of parental insults which in our culture is extremely offensive and may perhaps be the most extreme form of provocation. This is the genesis and context in which this law is being proposed.

“The objective is not to stifle freedom of expression, otherwise the government would not be introducing the bills mentioned above among others such as amending the Information and Communications Act to remove what I call the laws on “garuwalleh”.

“But in our local culture, it is simply wrong to insult the parents of another and it is the responsibility of all to discourage this practice especially against those holding public office for the reasons stated earlier. What has anyone’s parents got to do with their employment? Why not just stop at insulting public officials if you so choose and not their parents? The only reason one would do such a thing is to be hurtful to others because that is the natural consequence of saga ndey in our culture.

“And by the way, the proposed new law does not seek to prohibit insults against public officials, only their parents, ie, saga ndey!!! Or bai.”

By Lamin Njie

The Gambia’s political future is about to witness a major transformation after the country’s new draft constitution revealed a massive shift to the country’s electoral law.

The new draft constitution of The Gambia which was released today says a candidate for election to the office of president can only be elected if the candidate has received more than half of all the votes ‘validly’ cast in the election. The pronouncement translates to 51% and it a sharp departure from the simply majority system The Gambia has known since independence.

The new draft constitution is also saying the president cannot hold office for more than two terms of “five years each, whether or not the terms are consecutive.”

The Barrow administration in 2018 tasked a commission to work on a new constitution for The Gambia, and after over one and a half years of work the commission has published the first draft of the document.

Cherno Jallow the chairman of the Constitutional Review Commission speaking at a news conference in Kotu today said the draft constitution comprises 20 Chapters with a total of 315 clauses. The current constitution of The Gambia has 17 chapters.

The CRC top official said: “We took note of their wishes and carried out research into comparable jurisdictions.

“We have come to the conclusion that while a leaner Constitution may be desirable, it ought not to be the yard stick by which we measure the strength and effectiveness of the Constitution.

“We have taken into account the fact that we have a young democracy with not so strong institutions – one of the things we have attempted to rectify in the draft Constitution – and the need to ensure clarity.”

By Adama Makasuba

The draft new constitution is demanding candidates for president to at least obtain a minimum of senior secondary school leaving certificate with twelve years work experience.

But if the clause is approved, it will affect many aspirant candidates for the country’s top job especially young people who are without undergraduate degree and haven’t got twelve years work experience.

Qualification for president was an emotive issue during CRC’s in and out-country consultation with many people saying a candidate for president of The Gambia should at least hold an undergraduate degree.

But the new draft constitution which is published today is saying a “candidate must hold a minimum of an undergraduate degree plus five years’ work experience after the date of attaining that degree, or hold a minimum of a senior secondary certificate or its equivalent plus twelve years’ work experience.”

Presidents in The Gambia are known to be poorly educated, with the exception of former president Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara who had attained university education.

By Momodou Justice Darboe

It is the count-down to Hijab Fashion Week and all roads will on Friday lead to Semaj Garden in Senegambia where a scintillating array of young Hijab-wearing girls will do the cat-walk but Movement for Islamic Research and Dawah(MIRD) has condemned the event, describing it as contrary to the teachings of Islam.

Hijab Modelling Agency, established with the overriding aim of projecting young Hijabis in positive light, is poised to host a fun-filled night of events that is expected to attract notable figures in the fashion industry and the larger public.

According to organizer Hijab Modelling Agency, the events are intended to provide a platform for Hijab-wearing young women to have a taste of fashion and the feeling of being a model while being modest.

“In addition, to train them the way of life in the fashion world in positive ways and to become professional models who will represent their motherland [The Gambia] on international runway events involving modest fashion,’’ stated a press release issued to the media ahead of the Friday Hijab Fashion Week.

However, MIRD has come out strongly to denounce the Hijab Fashion Week.

In a press release issued to this medium on Thursday, MIRD states: ‘’We condemn in the strongest possible terms the evil activity organized by some people who call themselves Hijab Modeling Agency. In Islam, everything is cleared for us. There are no editions, concoctions, deletions, additions or innovations in Islam.’’

The release adds, quoting the Quran: ‘’This day, I (Allah) have perfected your religion for you, I have completed my favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.

“The verse above serves as a seal to any invention that anyone may introduce to Islam. The prophet (peace be upon him) said, ‘whoever does any deed (in Islam) that is not based upon our commandment it is rejected.'”

According to the release, Hijab Fashion Week is prohibited in Islam in that women are prohibited in Islam to display their adornments to other than their husbands or close male relatives who are prohibited to marry them.

“And stay in your houses, and do not display yourselves like that of the times of Ignorance. (The Glorious Qur’an).

“The above stated event will undoubtedly include display of beauty and adornment by adult Muslim sisters for marketing purposes which will certainly attract the opposite gender to lust for illegal sexual desires which will defeat the entire purpose of Hijaab as Hijaab literally means a barrier, a shield, a protection meant to preserve the Muslim woman against the oppression of illegal sexual relations,’’ the release said.

“We know very well that this ‘Hijaab Week’ is an eye-catching event that is intended to market your products, display your adornment to open spectators/attendance. There is no justification for this in Islam,’’ stated the release.

“It never was practiced during the time of the prophet(PBUH) nor was it ever practiced by any of the predecessors amongst the times of the truthful scholars, including female Islamic scholars,” said the dispatch.

But Rohey Jeng president of Hijab Modelling Agency told The Fatu Network the argument MIRD is peddling is faulty as the event is only meant to promote modesty ‘through hijab.’

“We are just trying to promote modesty, we are all hijabs and we are just trying to promote hijab fashion designers. And we are really not trying to make a mockery of Islam,” Rohey said.

By Momodou Justice Darboe

Eight UDP members who are currently serving as members of the national assembly have been expelled by the party in a move political analysts say has always been coming.

Billay Tunkara, Saikouba Jarju, Fatoumatta Jawara, Saikou Marong, Baba Galleh Jallow, Omar Darboe, Abdoulie Ceesay and Alagie Jawara were axed as members of UDP on Thursday for allegedly conducting themselves in a way that was not in conformity with party principles.

According to sources, the expulsion of the eight legislators from the party was the outcome of broad party consultations.

“They have been expelled from the party because they were behaving in a way which is not in conformity with party rules and regulations,’’ Mr Almamy Taal, spokesman of the UDP told The Fatu Network while confirming the reports.

According to the UDP chief propagandist, the expelled legislators were apathetic to the party and their lukewarm attitude towards it was the reason why the UDP sent them packing.

“UDP is a membership party and whenever the party organized meetings and consultations, they[expelled NAMs] were not participating. The party decided to expel them because we were informed about their performance by their constituents,” Taal said.

Asked as to whether the party’s decision to sack the eight members of the legislature is not harsh and may affect its support base, Mr. Taal said: “ We are playing along the spirit of the party. UDP is a united party. We have instances where people have been expelled from the party. Ounda Nyang, former UDP Kanifing municipality, has been removed and replaced. We will continue to consolidate.’’

Former Presidential Affairs Minister and International Speaker, Momodou Sabally, has advised young people to take their education seriously and build up themselves to become productive citizens in a prosperous society thriving in peace and harmony.

Sabally made these remarks Tuesday November 12, while addressing graduating students at ABC Schools in Jeshwang.

He harped on the importance of education, advising the graduates “Do not ever be complacent with your attainments on this path of education. There is always something important to learn and there will always exist the need to improve and update your stock of knowledge in this Information Age. The key to sustainable progress for individuals as well as nations is continuous education; lifelong learning is a must for those who wish to go beyond the shallow waters of mediocrity and subsistence levels of existence into the banks of abundance and prosperity.”

Sabally further emphasised the need for young people to be patient in their pursuit of success and to avoid dangerous paths like the hazardous illegal migration phenomenon called the backway.

“My advice to you is to shun the bait of instant gratification and to get ready to give it your all and to make the necessary sacrifices so that you can enjoy the juicy fruits of delayed gratification. This is the path that was taken by all the great achievers of the world: This is the path taken by Sir Winston Churchill, the late Sir Dawda Jawara, Steve Jobs of Apple, Bill Gates of Microsoft; and Gina Bass, our new sprint heroine!” he said.

In his concluding remarks, he implored the students, and youths in general, to live the spirit of patriotism, unity, and allegiance to our common good, as inscribed in our national anthem.

“I have always averred that the peace and stability of this country can only be maintained if you the youths of this country decide to choose peace and harmony over division and anarchy. We may have our petty disagreements and suffer some annoyances but nothing is worth the destruction of our long-cherished peace and stability in this gem called the smiling coast of Africa!” Sabally asserted.

By Lamin Njie

A top defense analyst is calling on President Adama Barrow to expedite the security sector reform in order for Gambians to regain control of national security.

President Barrow in June this year launched a national security roadmap as part of an ambitious reform programme but analysts say the process has been slow. A political impasse in 2016 resulted in Ecowas nations agreeing to send troops to The Gambia to ensure then-president-elect Adama Barrow is enthroned. Some of the foreign security personnel were later tapped to serve as the president’s bodyguards.

Sariang Marong who served in the US navy for 19 years in which time he has gone on deployment three time to countries where US has interest in, believes the reform process should be broadened to include Gambians protecting the president.

He told The Fatu Network in an exclusive interview: “At this point, there should be a parallel force on the presidential side; the bodyguards and physical security.

“For almost three years, I think that’s enough time to recruit and send someone in terms of VIP protection training, [and] anti-terrorism training.

“There’s four bodyguards I have seen him anytime he’s going who wear plain clothes. What I think is that the president, if he’s going with four or six foreign troops in total, I think 3-3 [three foreigners and three Gambians].

“That way they can start the transition process. I think we have capable Gambians, men and women who will swear and this will require a very robust vetting process.

“To be fair, ECOMIG did a very good job but initially when I saw the men who were guarding him, these were very young men that were guarding him.”

Gambia Armed Forces was one of the country’s security institutions that was pushed to the fringes in the aftermath of Jammeh’s political demise but Mr Marong argues it was high time President Barrow visited the country’s troops.

He said: “It’s a relationship building, it’s assurance that, ‘I care about you’. I watched one of the interviews where the president said, ‘I have someone who briefs me every time.’ You are the commander-in-chief. You got someone working for you but you’re the commander-in-chief and you got to get out there, get in front of the troops and talk to them.”