The coastal town of Bakau became the stage for a heated political moment when the Minister of Youth and Sports, Bakary Y. Badjie, used the President’s nationwide tour to deliver a sharp rebuke of the Kanifing Municipal Council. His remarks focused squarely on the leadership of Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda and what he described as years of poor performance.
Speaking to residents, Minister Badjie urged people in the Kanifing Municipality to hold their local authority to the same expectations they set for the central government. He said both levels of government share responsibility for providing essential services, and citizens should demand results from all of them.
Badjie went on to accuse the Bensouda administration of spending “nearly a decade of excuses instead of development.” He described the council as lacking capacity and failing to deliver for the municipality. According to him, the council cannot point to a single major project that has improved the lives of KM residents.
He dismissed the Mayor’s claims of progress, saying KMC has been promoting “invisible developments” that the public cannot see. Badjie cited two key promises from the council that he said never came to life. The first was the D300 million road construction plan, which he argued has not moved beyond talk. The second was the proposed upgrade of the Serrekunda West Park into a FIFA-standard mini stadium, a project he said has shown no real progress.
The Minister also alleged that KMC slowed its own projects by ignoring instructions from the National Roads Authority. These instructions required the council to settle service relocation and compensation fees before any road works could start.
Turning to developments within his ministry, Badjie admitted the Independence Stadium renovation has taken far longer than expected. He assured the public that work is finally nearing completion and said the project should be finished by March next year. He added that the government has secured the required funds to meet updated CAF standards, including a new athletics track.
