Picture source: Fatu Network

In a WhatsApp audio obtained by Malagen, politician Bakary Jaiteh, known as ‘Baxo’, has launched scathing attacks on the mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council, Talib Ahmed Bensouda. The eleven-minute-long audio contains hateful comments. It has gone viral on various social media platforms.   

Mr Jaiteh has described Talib as a rat, calls on voters not to vote for him because of his ethnicity, questioned his Gambian citizenship, describes Talib’s mother as an animal, and calls on Jolas to support Talib’s opponent, Bakary Badjie, a Jola. 

Context 

The Local Government Election is due to take place in the months of April for the ward counsellor election and May for the mayoral and chairperson election. The event will complete the 2021-2023 electoral cycle, coming after the presidential and National Assembly elections in December 2021 and April 2022, respectively. 

Bakary Jaiteh is a key executive member of the former ruling APRC party. But the party has disintegrated into two factions in the run-up to the 2021 presidential election over alliance with the ruling NPP. Bakary Jaiteh belongs to the group – officially recognised one –  that has backed President Adama Barrow’s reelection. 

Talib Bensouda was elected into office in 2018, under the ticket of now main opposition UDP. He is seeking reelection and his main challenger is Bakary Badjie, who is sponsored by the ruling NRP-APRC-NPP alliance. 

In the WhatsApp audio, Bakary Jaiteh was addressing the ‘no-to-alliance’ faction of the APRC headed by exiled former president Yahya Jammeh. He appears to be reacting to claims that the no-to-alliance movement will support Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda. 

What exactly did ‘Baxo’ say?

Speaking in local Mandinka language, he says: 

“The no-to-alliance people believe that Talib is a good, respectful and honourable man and their intention is to vote for him. They are only doing it because of the hate they have for Fabakary Tombong Jatta. Talib Bensouda is among those who created the #GambiaHasDecided. He is such a bad rat. He is worse than a rat. He’s a hypocrite and a hater of [Yahya] Jammeh. No-to-alliance people, don’t empower your enemies because if you do, what they will do to you we will all see it. Please, do not do this. 

“Bakary Badjie is a Jola. All the KMC natives, people of Kombo and the Gambian citizens have all shown support for him and it is only his relatives from Jola ethnicity who are refusing to support him just because of the hate you have for Fabakary Tombong Jatta. You want to empower that ‘sula ganarr’ [a derogatory term used to refer to people from North Africa] who came from Lebanon or I don’t know where his blood appeared in the Gambia is the one you guys want to vote for.”  

In flagging the statement as hate speech, the following considerations have been made:

Advocacy for discrimination and hatred: By calling voters not to vote for Mr Bensouda because of his ethnicity, Bakary Jaiteh’s comments are a classic case of advocacy for discrimination and hatred, which is one of the constitutive elements of hate speech.   

Status: Bakary is an executive member of the former ruling APRC, which is in alliance with the ruling NPP party. 

The publicity the audio generated: The audio is widely circulated on social media, including WhatsApp groups. This is an indication that it has been listened to by many people. 

Timing: The Local Government election is fast-approaching and it is expected to be tense given the perception of ethnic politics the country has been witnessing.