By Lamin Njie
President Adama Barrow has launched a scorching attack on the former vice president of The Gambia Ousainou Darboe, saying he sacked the UDP leader in order to establish order in the country’s governance system.
President Barrow on Thursday chaired the swearing in of the new vice president of The Gambia, Dr Isatou Touray, four ministers and four permanent secretaries.
President Barrow on March 15 sacked Ousainou Darboe as vice president and elevated Health Minister Dr Isatou Touray to the post. The president in a major cabinet reshuffle also appointed four new ministers namely; Dr Ahmadou Lamin Samateh (Minister of Health), Amie Fabureh (Minister of Agriculture), Lamin Jobe (Minister of Trade) and Fatou Kinteh (Minister of Women Affairs, Children and Social Welfare).
Speaking at the swearing in event at State House on Thursday, President Barrow veiledly criticised Darboe and two sacked ministers saying their removal was to ‘establish order in our governance system.’
“As leaders, we ought to be considerate and compassionate, but we must be realistic and firm in ensuring that justice is done in the interest of the nation. It is this principle that has given rise to the Cabinet reshuffle resulting in the new appointments that have just been confirmed. The lesson is that, sometimes, difficult decisions have to be taken to set things right. This is necessary occasionally to establish order in our governance system,” the president said.
While working as The Gambia’s vice president, Ousainou Darboe was said to have been more interested in pushing his party’s agenda. Relations between the UDP leader and the president soured following his sacking of President Barrow’s close aides from his party.
According to President Barrow, “it is a betrayal of trust to belong to a group, yet openly or secretly oppose its ideals, objectives, values, agenda and what it stands for.”
“In other words, one cannot operate in Cabinet, or within a government system, and seek to undermine it in order to pursue any other interest,” the president said.
Darboe was sacked together with two UDP senior officials, Lamin Dibba and Amadou Sanneh. The two were serving as Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Trade respectively.
President Barrow speaking further said “the best citizens in a nation are the genuine patriots who serve selflessly and put the nation and the greater good before any selfish interest.”
“Such good citizens are not moved by greed or any undesirable pursuit,” he said.
