The head of the Gambian army, Lieutenant General Masanneh Kinteh has been sacked by the country’s president, Adama Barrow.
Kinteh, 51, who was appointed to the post in January 2017 is succeeded by his deputy, Major General Yankuba Drammeh.
No reason was given for his removal, but a statement from the president’s office said he was fired on 5th March 2020 and in accordance with powers vested on the president by the Constitution.
Born in Sankwia village, Jarra West, the Gambia, Kinteh studied in the United Kingdom and worked as a school teacher from 1988 to 1990.
In November 1990, passed the Army Commission Selection Board organised by the British Army Training Team for the selection of potential officer cadets. He formally joined the Gambian armed forces on 15 March 1991 and gradually rose through the ranks.
In October 2009, Kinteh was made Chief of Defence Staff by former President Yahya Jammeh following the arrest and sacking of General Lang Tombong Tamba.
At the same time, Yankuba Drammeh was raised to Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff, but shortly after was removed from the post. Kinteh was removed as Chief of the Defence Staff by Jammeh on 6 July 2012. The week before he was removed, he was questioned by intelligence officers, but nothing came of their questioning. No official reason was given for his removal, but he wasit was said that he would receive a post in the foreign service. Ousman Badjie was chosen as Kinteh’s replacement.
He served as deputy and later chief of mission at the Gambian Embassy in Cuba.
In December 2016, following the defeat of Yahya Jammeh in thr disputed election, Kinteh was one of 11 Gambian ambassadors to call for Jammeh to step down as President and recognise Adama Barrow as his successor.
Angered by what he saw as a betrayal, Jammeh removed Kinteh from his post in Cuba on 10 January 2017.
On 25 January, it was announced that Kinteh would serve as President Barrow’s military aide. And on 27 February 2017, he was appointed by Barrow to replace Badjie as Chief of the Defence Staff.
Speaking at the time of his appointment, Kinteh said President Barrow has plans to reform and restructure the military, but his immediate priority was to restore the morale of the troops.
“I want to make sure we get over that hurdle and make sure soldiers come out of their self and see themselves as citizens of this country who are to be respected, admired and be role models.”
