Kemo Bojang, KMC Youth Councillor and UDP Secretary General Testifes on Lawsuits Filed By His Party
By: Alieu Jallow
Kemo Bojang, the nominated youth councillor at the Kanfing Municipal Council and Secretary-General of the United Democratic Party Youth Wing, testified on Tuesday in the ongoing lawsuit filed by the UDP.
The opposition United Democratic Party (UDP) filed a lawsuit in July 2023 at the Supreme Court challenging the legality of the appointments of six presidential advisers. The suit, filed by the UDP and Ebrima Dibba, seeks for the Supreme Court to declare the appointments of presidential advisers Dembo Bojang, Lamin Cham, Henry Gomez, Dodou Sanno, Sulayman Camara, and Lamin K Saidy unconstitutional.
The influential youth councillor told the panel of judges of the Supreme Court that he shares relations with the first defendant, Dembo Bojang, also known as Dembo by force. He asserts that the first defendant, who is the current national President of the National People’s Party (NPP), was a member of the United Democratic Party before crossing over in 2019.
The KMC youth councillor said he congratulated Dembo Bojang when he got the position of National President at the NPP.
“On a personal level, when he got the position, I congratulated him as family,” Kemo outlined.
He described Dembo Bojang’s appointment as an achievement for the family, and it was customary for the family to extend solidarity for his achievement.
The UDP Youth Secretary informed the panel of judges that he has three video pieces of evidence of Dembo by force’s appointment as National President of the NPP. These videos, according to him, were obtained from LSTV, Kerr Fatou, and the Fatu network during the election of councillors, the nomination of local government elections when he was on campaign, and the Mayoral election in Bakau where he was campaigning for the NPP mayoral candidate.
These videos were played and obtained from various media platforms. They were tendered and marked as exhibits V1, V2, and V3.
In his continued testimony, Mr Bojang also delved into his relationship with the second defendant, Mr. Lamin Cham, who according to him was the president of UDP youths in 2016 and 2018.
“I know Lamin Cham personally, who serves as the campaign manager of NPP and Presidential aide who occupied the position in the NPP last congress,” Bojang stated.
Asked about his source of information about the appointment of the second defendant, Kemo emphasized that he keenly followed the NPP campaign, especially during the local government elections, as he was busy canvassing votes.
Moving on, PW1 described the 3rd defendant, Dodou Sano, commonly known as Dou Sanno, as a former member of the UDP before joining the NPP in 2019, citing December 2018 when they were together at Paradise Suites Hotel for the party’s congress for three days. He was relieved of his duties. Kemo asserted that the UDP.
Testifying on the fourth defendant, PW1 informed the court that he knew the fourth defendant, Henry Gomez, who was one-time Youth and Sports Minister whom he met in person and shared pleasantries. He said the defendant is the party leader of the Gambia People’s Democratic Party.
Lamin K Saidy is the deputy youth adviser to President Adama Barrow on youth matters whose appointment is also a bond of contention in the ongoing lawsuit. During his testimony, the UDP Youth Secretary indicated his familiarity with the 5th defendant a decade ago. He presented a copy of Mr. Saidy’s birthday wish dated December 31st, 2022, he posted on his Facebook page where the defendant acknowledged him being voted as the deputy national youth president NPP and deputy youth adviser. Sulayman Camara, the secretary for media and communication of the NPP, is the 6th defendant. Kemo stated he knew him when he introduced himself as the secretary for media and communication during the president’s meet people’s tour.
In a similar move, Madi K Ceesay, National Assembly member for Serekunda West, and the UDP have also filed a suit against the appointments of Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay, Sheikh Tijan Hydara, Ousman Jatta alias Rambo, and General Lamin Bojang into the Foreign Service.
The case is adjourned to Wednesday, 27th March 2024, at 9:30 for cross-examination.
