GMC leader files for nomination, says talks on coalition with 2 others is ongoing

The Gambia Moral Congress, the Citizens’ Alliance and All People’s Alliance have so far failed to reach an agreement on a common presidential candidate to lead their recently formed ‘Alliance for Change 2021, said Mai Ahmad Fatty on Monday. Fatty, a lawyer and key member of the coalition 2016—a 7-party political grouping that backed President Adama Barrow to power— has filed his nomination papers on Monday afternoon. Last week, the Citizens’ Alliance (CA), All People’s Party (APP), the National Unity Party (NUP), the Gambia Moral Congress (GMC) and Gambia For All (GFA) party have called a meeting to signed an alliance agreement. However,...

November 3, 2021Current Affairs, Election Hub
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Ex-justice minister Joof, others submit details for nominations with IEC

The nomination for presidential candidate in Gambia’s December 4 election has started on Saturday with the submission of nomination papers by Joseph Henry Joof, a one-time justice minister under ex-president Yahya Jammeh. The controversial figure passed a bill in 2000 indemnifying soldiers who shot student protesters. “I will win these elections. I am very optimistic. Gambia needs a new breed of politicians…,” Joof told journalists after submitting his nominations at the Election House. Joof will be an independent candidate if his nomination gets a pass from the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). In April 2000, hundreds of Gambian students took to the street...

November 2, 2021Current Affairs, Election Hub
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Dr Banja Denies Corruption Charges

Dr Bamba Banja, a former permanent secretary of the Ministry of Fisheries, has denied three counts of corruption charges brought against him at the High Court on Wednesday. Dr Banja faces charges bordering on economic crimes and official corruption. He pleaded not guilty on all counts. The former permanent secretary, who appeared before Justice Bakre, was remanded pending his formal bail application which his lawyer promised to file on October 15. The case is adjourned to October 20. Dr Banja was accused of collecting bribes from officials of a Chinese fish meal company, Golden Lead. Golden Lead operates Gambia’s biggest fish meal factory...

October 14, 2021Current Affairs, Investigations
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RE: Health Ministry’s $3.9m deal: who got a cut for medical “things bought for dying individuals”

By Dr. Muhammed B. Jaiteh and Dr. Ebrima S. Njie We have keenly read the above article that you published on your website on August 27, 2021. While we acknowledge your efforts to establish accountability, we also see it necessary to address certain claims that the said article made reference to concerning our person. In the report, one Isatou Jobe –the First Secretary at the Gambian Embassy in Turkey—claimed that Dr. Muhammed Jaiteh and some other Gambians demanded commission as part of transactions in the buildup to the deal. It further brought Dr. Ebrima S. Njie under the spotlight by referencing...

September 9, 2021Investigations, Opinions
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Re: Health Ministry’s Response To A Malagen story on controversial $3.4m procurement deal

The Gambia’s ministry of health last year struck a $3.9m deal with a Turkey-based company called TMS for the purchase of medical items and equipment. Ten ambulances are included in the procurement, each reportedly bought for $89,750, approx. D5m at the time. Malagen investigations published on August 27 revealed that the deal is fraught with irregularities, raising questions about corruption. Due process was barely observed in apparent breach of national and donor procurement rules. The health ministry made a contract on non-negotiable terms only to make a futile attempt to negotiate prices and specifications mid-way through. The prices of...

September 2, 2021Investigations
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Capitalism Kills: African Lives And Identity In The US, Brazil And Europe Yesterday, Today And Beyon

It is fundamental to note that, Transatlantic Slave Trade (TaST) —the ‘legitimised buying and selling of Senegambians— 15th-19th century) was organised as capitalistic from the outset, enslaving African captives for the profit of slave merchants, plantation owners, European political institutions and markets. As it already broke the fabric of the local labour, peace and governance, TaST gave way to colonialism and new ways to plunder Africa and never to allow it develop its powerful civilisation harmoniously. 

August 31, 2021Analysis
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