Editor’s note: The opinions or facts therein expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Fatu Network.
By: Cllr Kemo Bojang, KMC Youth Councillor
We have been reliably informed that Barrow’s team just met every Alakalo in KM at Pa Omar Faal’s residence in Latirkunda and asked for their support in the coming local government elections. During the meeting, the team mentioned that they’ll build 100km of roads and claimed Mayor Bensouda and UDP are obstructing his development plans for KMC.
What this has shown us is that President Barrow has no love for the country and the people of the Kanifing municipality. If truly he is ready for what he has been calling for which is unity and development, our region being in the hands of the opposition should not be a hindrance to development. Mayor Bensouda has never altered or diverted development because it was meant for a ward or constituency that isn’t under the control of the UDP.
Why can’t the president learn or borrow a leaf from the pages of the Lord Mayor? In the areas that the president has claimed we are an obstruction to his development in urban Gambia, is the president acknowledging that he is weak and cannot assert his authority? Has he forgotten that the Banjul project was executed under the watchful eyes of an opposition mayor in Banjul? Why did he not complain then? If it can be done in Banjul, why not KMC?
Is he proving to us that he and his government are in disarray? If a council can stand in his way and obstruct his supposed development agenda. Going further, I find this hypocritical because there’s no law or power that councils have in stopping the central government from executing its functions in regions. It is the other way around.
President Barrow and his government have refused to subvent us, they have refused to acknowledge our work and even see us as partners in development, they are not interested in developing KMC and the Gambia, they are only interested in grabbing power.
Another flaw in the statement of his team is if indeed they are being truthful and frank to themselves and the Gambian people, why haven’t Brikama and Kuntaur been the best regional governments of the Gambia in terms of development because these two areas are under his control. Ironically, these two area councils are the least performing according to the just concluded CEPRASS survey.
At the end of the meeting, he gave every alkali D2500, I want to remind all Alkalis that you have been promised and failed multiple times, you have been promised salaries here and never given, all they told you today are not factualities but rather alternative truths. The 2,500 given to you today is your share of the national cake, I expect you to be the dignified traditional leaders you’ve always shown to be and do what is right and honouring for your people and the people of Kanifing.
