Gambians renew President Barrow’s mandate ‘free and fair polls’, but opposition do not accept defeat

The Independent Electoral Commission has declared incumbent Adama Barrow as winner of the presidential elections held over the weekend. But three of the five opposition contenders, including his main rival Ousainou Darboe, had rejected the results in polls that have been judged as free, fair, and transparent. “I am going to win with the biggest landslide in history,” Barrow told journalists after casting his vote Saturday morning, before going on to win 457,519 votes, representing 53 percent of votes cast. His nearest rival Ousainou Darboe scored 238,253 votes, representing 27.7 percent of the votes cast.  This is the second biggest presidential election...

December 8, 2021Election Hub, Investigations, The Big Story
Read more +

Race to State House: What presidential candidates paid in tax

Up to six candidates are vying to become president. Whoever wins on December 4 will manage taxpayers’ funds. But how much are the people seeking to make decisions over taxes in themselves paying in tax? In this investigation, Malagen digs out the tax records of the presidential candidates for the 2021 presidential elections and reveals how much each of them have paid in income tax - taxes paid on a business or deducted from salary – covering the period 2017 to date.

November 30, 2021Election Hub, Investigations, The Big Story
Read more +

A Foreign-owned Fishmeal Factory Causes a Stink in Senegal

Standing beside the empty guest house she manages, Abie Sanyang looks with worry across the beach. The source of her concern is less than 100m away on the foreshore; a fishmeal factory – its silos looming over a concrete wall separating it from cheerfully decorated palm-thatched beach bars and settlements. The fishing village Abene, in the rural Casamance region of southern Senegal, has long been a popular tourist destination. But when the plant, Société des Produits Halieutiques (SPH SARL), began operating in April 2018, the noxious fumes created in the process of turning pelagic fish into powder and oil drove visitors away. “Our guests were struggling to breath...

November 30, 2021Investigations, The Big Story
Read more +

Independent Candidate Faal Declares Over A Billion Worth Of Assets To IEC

A former lead counsel of the truth commission established to investigate the human rights violations of ex-president Yahya Jammeh who is now an independent presidential candidate, Essa Faal, has declared at least D1.4 billion worth of assets to Independent Electoral Commission. Faal, an international lawyer shot to fame through his work at the truth commission, is one of the 6 candidates qualified to vie for country’s top job, announced IEC on Saturday. He faces Ousainou Darboe of United Democratic Party, Mama Kandeh of Gambia Democratic Congress, Halifa Sallah of Peoples’ Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism, president Adama Barrow of National Peoples’...

November 8, 2021Election Hub, Investigations
Read more +

Gambian Leader Adama Barrow’s assets revealed

The Gambian leader Adama Barrow has declared at least D50.7 million worth of assets to electoral commission, Malagen has confirmed at the Independent Electoral Commission on Saturday. Gambians head to polls on December 4, in what is the small country’s most crowded presidential race since independence. Close to two dozen candidates are expected to be nominated, a final list of which will be announced on Saturday evening. According to Gambia’s electoral laws, candidates are required to declare their assets with the IEC. These asset declarations and other documents submitted by candidates were published for public scrutiny on Saturday morning. However, both members of...

November 6, 2021Election Hub, Investigations
Read more +

UDP Leader Makes Public Declaration Of Assets

The 73-year old’s assets include a leased property on 57 Kairaba Avenue acquired in 1975 approximately worth D10,000,000. He also has undeveloped plots of land in Kembujeh, Serekundanding, Tanji Batosilokang, Tanji Salanding, Sanyang, Gunjur, Sukuta and Bansang (kongko santu). All the properties, except the Bansang property which was acquired in 2021, were acquired between 1989 to 2015.

November 3, 2021Election Hub, Investigations
Read more +

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
Read more +

Dr. Banja Sent On Leave Following Malagen’s Story On Bribery

State investigations followed Malagen’s investigative story, published last week, about a series of payments of bribery that Dr Banja allegedly received from Golden Lead, a scandal-ridden Chinese-owned fish meal company. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Fisheries, Dr Bamba Banja, has been sent on administrative leave effective Monday October 12, the Minister for Information Ebrima Sillah has confirmed to Malagen. The move followed Malagen’s investigative story, published last week, about a series of  payments of bribery that Dr Banja allegedly received from Golden Lead, a scandal-ridden Chinese-owned fish meal company. “Yes, I can confirm that Dr Banja is on leave and I am in...

October 13, 2021Breaking News, Investigations
Read more +

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
Read more +

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
Read more +