(JollofNews) – President Adama Barrow is reconsidering the appointment of Fatoumata Jallow-Tambajang as vice president of the Gambia, his spokesman has announced.
Halifa Sallah said mr Barrow is looking at some information that came to light regarding her eligibility for the role.
Ms Tambajang, 67, who played an important role in the formation of the opposition coalition that defeated former President Yahya Jammeh in last month’s election, was rewarded with the top job on Monday by the country’s new president, Adama Barrow.
However, her appointment is in breach of section 62 (b), which bars anyone older than 65 from becoming president or vice president of the Gambia.
Speaking at a press conference in Banjul, Mr Sallah said while it is the prerogative of the president to appoint a vice president, Mr Barrow’s attention has been drawn to the constitutional provisions regarding the eligibility of the position and he has decided in good faith to reconsider his earlier decision.
Under Gambian law, a person can only contest for the presidency or be appointed vice president if they are – citizens of the Gambia by birth or descent, attained the minimum age of 30 years but not more than 65 years and been ordinarily resident in the Gambia for the five years immediately preceding the election.
Mr Sallah said although Ms Tambajang is well suited for the job, Mr Barrow has vowed to respect the constitution of the Gambia and will never do anything that contravenes it.
He added that unlike other countries, the appointment of ministers and other top government positions are not scrutinised and approved by parliament. And in a bid to avoid similar embarrassing situation from recurring, Mr Sallah said Mr Barrow will consider instituting a panel to throughly scrutinise potential candidates for top government positions before confirming their appointments.
The Dangers Inherent In Party And Ethnic Politics, Governing By Hearsay And On The Job Training:
President Adama Barrow and his Clique in Senegal Should act responsibly and with Due Diligence return to the Gambia within 24 hours instead of Absconding to Senegal and promulgating all kinds of Unsubstantiated and baseless accusations of one type or another. The Gambia and the Gambians need Assurance and a Sense of Normalcy following Former President Yaya Jammeh’s Departure from the Gambia since Saturday night, January 21, 2017.
If the people who Voted for the Coalition Alliance Party under the leadership of President Adama Barrow who Absconded to Senegal, returned back to the Gambia, a legitimate question and a Constitutional one is, what is President Adama Barrow and his Clique doing in Senegal still? The people have returned, where is President Adama Barrow and his Clique. In Senegal. The inadequate and simplistic answer of, “we are waiting for ECOWAS to Secure the Gambia and when they tell us to return to the Gambia, we will return” does not Demonstrate or Show LEADERSHIP.
This is incredible. It is incredible due to the implications of the callous answer and the Uptick narrative of “President Skips or Absconds from The Gambia to Senegal and refuses to Return Home to his Country and people and yet calls himself President of the Gambia. It is telegraphing the worst message to the World and especially, to the GAMBIANS that President Adama Barrow and his Clique do not believe that Gambia is Safe and Secure even though former President Yaya Jammeh is gone for days and the Military and Security Forces have by and large Pled their Allegiance to the State and the President. What are they telling the Potential Investors, foreign or domestic. Come to the Gambia to invest, but by the way, come to Senegal where we have Self-exiled ourselves, to discuss the the type of and terms of the Investments the Gambia needs or is looking for? Why would they invest in the Gambia while meeting in Senegal. The Negotiations Will be handicapped by Virtue of the Abscondance and the the fact that Senegal is a competitor and practically envelopes the Gambia with a bigger market and more Connections to the Outside World. Is President Adama Barrow and his Clique hostages of the Senegalese Government and the ECOMIG FORCE under the leadership of President Macky Sall of Senegal? What does a President who Absconds to another country do all day long in a foreign country while his Country and people are abandoned to fend for themselves without a Cabinet or President in Country. This is a Violation of Trust, and the Implicit “Social Contract” the Modern Nation State has between it and the people.
Given the Unreliable, Unsubstantiated and Unfounded allegations coming from Senegal via the Self-exiled, Self-appointed “adviser” to President Adama Barrow and his Clique, the Gambian people and the Stakeholders Should Scrutinize all and every Document that President Adama Barrow and his Clique in Senegal bring with them from Senegal, least we Sell our Resources, and Sovereignty in exchange for Contracting our Sovereignty and Independence to Senegal. Unfounded wild and crazy allegations are flying from non-elected Self-appointed “adviser” in Senegal that appears to be an attempt to cause more discord and anger toward the former President Yaya Jammeh, while Potentially Camouflaging the Real Insidious reasons behind the Unsubstantiated wild, crazy and irresponsible allegations of A SUPPOSED $11 Million alleged to have been stolen by the former President Yaya Jammeh. Never mind that the so-called Self-appointed “adviser” to President Adama Barrow and his Self-exiled Cliques in Senegal did not bother to provide any evidence of any kind, he is bold enough as befitting the kind to actually hold a Press Conference not in the Gambia, but in Senegal where he is trying to Under Cut the real and official Coalition Alliance Government and President Adama Barrow’s Spokesman, Hon. Halifa Sallah.
Hon. Sallah is in the Gambia, not in Senegal and as usual with calm, informed and first hand knowledge Debunked and Refuted the Reckless greed driven accusations without evidence or foundation from Senegal about the alleged phantom $11 Million that those in Senegal and not in the Gambia manage to have the “exclusive” knowledge of such alleged information, while those within the Coalition Alliance Government and the Spokesman, Halifa Sallah has been provided with a Decidedly different and more Credible evidence Contradictory to the GAMBIANS’ in Senegal’s Version of the alleged phantom $11 Million or D500 Million, GAMBIAN.
The Howling, Tooting and Crowing from the Absconder President Adama Barrow and his Clique has now moved to the State House. Now the same Cabal and Clique are at it and telling the Gambian people and the World that the “State House’s Air Conditioning System have been Contaminated with a Poisonous Substance”. The Implication is that Former President Yaya Jammeh must have done that inorder to kill President Adama Barrow and any others who are in the State House. The problem with the latest accusations without evidence, is supposed to have been found by the “ECOWAS Intervention Force” at the State House. Let’s see, this is January and even in Hamatan January, the temperature in the Gambia can be warm and would require the Air Conditioning to run to make a big building like the State House. Are we to believe that the State House was Padlocked, following a Total Shut down of the Air Conditioning System and the Meticulous Application of the “Substance” after Shutting down the whole Air Conditioning System (s) and not Turn it on until Adama Barrow and his Clique in Senegal return and turn the Air Conditioning on? Give me a break. Who does these Folks think of the GAMBIANS?
There are more important things Adama Barrow’s “Government” (quotation marks because the Gambia does not have a Cabinet and if there is one, it is a Phantom and Secret Cabinet), should invest its Energy and Time in more important Factual and Credible Evidence and Work for the GAMBIAN people, instead of Absconding to Senegal and Refusing to return to the Gambia, the Home land. The Wild Goose chase, Dirty tricks, Ethnic politics and the Unethical not to mention “Underhanded” Political Power Play going on in Senegal where the President and some of his Cliques are still Vacationing before Starting the Gambian People’s Work, Need to End and End now. With Dignity and Respect for themselves and for the GAMBIAN people, President Adama Barrow and his Clique in Senegal need to Do the Right thing and Return Home, Now. The Gambia and GAMBIANS Deserve it and Demand it. By the way, who is footing the Bill for the President and his Clique in Senegal? If it is the Gambian people, it’s all the more urgent than ever for President Adama Barrow and his Clique to return from imposed Self-exile in Senegal where they on their Volition stayed in Senegal for about a Week and a half. Who is governing the Gambia? The ECOWAS INTERVENTION FORCE AKA, ECOMIG? Or Senegal, the Overlord! Either way, the Coalition Alliance Government need to appoint an Interim President until Adama Barrow and his Clique decide to Return Home from Senegal.
Gambia cannot afford the Void left in the Gambia by the Absconding President and his Clique in Senegal. The Senegalese and ECOMIG have no Legitimate Mandate or Legitimate Authority to govern the Gambian State or its Affairs. There are Qualified and Competent GAMBIANS, for example, Coalition Alliance Government Spokesman Halifa Sallah who should be appointed as an Interim President until the “Honeymooners” in Senegal decide to Return Home to the Gambia. The Only Elected Official, President Adama Barrow and his Clique are engaging in Subterfuge and may soon exhaust the Gambian people’s Compassion, Patience and Understanding With reference to the appointment of Mrs. Jallow Tambajang as Vice President. The Choice is I’ll advised, inappropriate, smells of Double Crossing Backdoor Manuevering for Political Position (s) and Underhanded “Stacking of the Deck” in favor of the UDP, which is going to Destroy and or Consume the Goodwill and Patience of the other Coalition Alliance Party Leadership, Members and the Plurality of the Nation’s Collective MOU for a Democratic Dispensation. There are Signs of Marginization, Ethnocentrism and Party Politics Raising its Ugly head in Senegal within the UDP PARTY. If it is not Terminated and Surgically removed from the Gambia Political System, the Gambia will be repeating the same Practices that brought us the 1981 unseccessful Bloody Coup and then the 1994 Bloodless Coup which lasted 22 years of a lot of Infrastructural development and Decentralization of Development Programs, but also allegations of Repression Torture. No one Ethnic group Owns the Gambia. The Gambia is more than the Sum Total of any Individual, Ethnic group or Region. One Gambia, One People and One Destiny.
This is the greatest piece of writing & journalism I have had the pleasure of reading since Gambians all over became citizen journalists. Great and thoughtful analysis of the current situation, in depth intellectual analysis and insight in the future if advice is not adhead to. Well done author.
Sidi just calm down, security clearance very important, if you choose to Ignore it you will regret it. President life should not be taken lightly.
What is going on just now seems to be a drama. This law came into being to support Yahya Jammeh’s drive to exclude certain people from Gambian politics. However, the law in it self is discriminatory against old age and for that matter not right and potentially illegal. I expect Halifa to know this. The constitutions has almost been suspended with the state of emergency and now change has happened they suspended the state of emergency as the constitution supports the previous status quo; the regime and its machinery.
The apartheid regime in South Africa was base on law but that did not make it right and legal as such. There are similar stories around the world where there are dictatorships. So let us not use those dictatorship laws to apply them on ourselves. Then is better for Yahya’s regime to continue. Let us simply grow up (sorry for my words) but we do not have to tell each other these simple things. We should stop supporting and justifying Yahya’s actions and laws and the way I see things that’s what Halifa is doing. Tambajang’s appointment must not be reviewed let alone to be rescinded.
We all welcome the appointment of Mrs Fatoumata Tambajang. She is without doubt very competent to handle the post of VP. She also deserves it taking into consideration her hardwork to make this coalition a reality. How I wish she becomes the VP if not the issue with constitution.
However, we shouldn’t start the same sychophancy that perpetuated Yahya Jammeh in power and encouraged him to abuse our sacred constitution.
This constitution was approved by Gambians and/or our representatives in National Assembly, therefore it has to be respected at all times until revised. I appreciate the courage of the President to reconsider his decision and also to review all other proposed Cabinet appointments.
It is sad to see the coalition of hope for Gambians to start acting unconstitutional in their first test. I therefore urge President Barrow and team to always consult the constitution before taking such decisions.
May I also remind that no person with another citizenship other than Gambian citizenship can be considered for any Cabinet appointment. This does not apply to Mrs Tambajang.
Well I applaud everyone for their good thoughts, this is the Gambia we want where one can express their views. I personally think, the 65 age was meant to barred lawyer Ousainou Darboe from contesting the elections, the Gambian Parliament is a rubber stamp of Jammehs dictatorial ideas to banned and enslave our people. Let’s not forget it was the same Parliament that pass emergency laws and gave Jammeh another 90 days to stay in power
I beg to differ. The Constitution was made to serve the Gambian interest, and not the other way round. God has not put Gambians in Gambian for the sole purpose of serving the Constitution. Everybody has heard the saying ‘if the mountain will not come to Muhammad [SWT], then Muhammeh [SWT] will go to the mountain. The Constitution being sacrosanct does not translate directly to ‘the Constitution is set in stone”! If the constitution is not serving Gambians in its current form, then the offending bits should be quickly ripped off to make it serve it a servant of the people, and not as their master!
In other words, the ability to adapt to changed [political] environments appropriately is the key to the success. To adapt appropriately requires flexibility and nimbleness in action, and not a rigid adherence to doctrine, especially if, as is the case with Section 62 of the Gambian Constitution, the documents [doctrine] were crafted to achieve failure, rather than success.
The last thing Gambia need at this moment in its history is a Government that is so preoccupied with preserving itself that it fails to take risk in the national interest. It is very important that the Barrow government adopt very flexible, speedy, non-ideological, and pragmatic approaches to dealing with emerging challenges, and not be too faced if “the Mountain would not come to Muhammad” (SWT), because it knows it is willing to take risk and “go to the Mountain”.
Or indeed, as Jesus said, “if it is your left eye, or your right eye that is stopping you from entering the kingdom of heaven, then its better for you if they be gauged it out of their socket and thrown away, and if it is your right hand, or left hand that is stopping you from entering God’s kingdom, then it is better for you if both of them were you cut off and thrown to the [dogs]!
Moreover when William Blake wrote his famous quote “a truth told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent” he might as well have been directly referring Section 62 of the Gambian constitution: (1) it was thought out for the sole purpose of doing political harm to the aspirations of Jammeh’s fiercest critics, and (2) it was selfish and manipulative and nasty. It would be ironical therefore that having taken the fight to Jammeh with great anguish and won, we are now adopting his evil indoctrination, and machinations hook, line and sinker.
The sinker, in this case (s62), is particularly insidious, and we don’t have to swallow it slavishly because if we do we might just sink right to the bottom as no doubt was intended by him. We can spit it out while we struggle to free ourselves of his many hooks, some of which we have yet to know about.
Scary, Gambiain constitution should be reviewed and amended some laws are flawed in jammehs regime,some are designed to favor the regime of jammeh only, thats why we call it a bad laws. APRC parliamentary were not passing god laws for the people of gambian. One bad example law ;to become a president in gambia you should be at age 30 to 65 this law was designed to suppress others opposition members of taking up presidential poll thats flawed law. Itis a lot of them if it get properly reviewed and amended.
Mr. Madi Jobarteh Should Be Applauded, Not Villified By The Fairweather Constitutionalist:
Halake, Mr. Jobarteh is not a female. He is Jobarteh not Bojang as you obviously seem to be Rattled and a bit Confused about the person you were trying to “attack” or attempt to “put under the bus” for purely Selfish and Opportunistic Manuevering for a position of any kind. Mr. Madi Jobarteh unlike the “Fairweather Constitutionalist” earned the Respect and Appreciation of all GAMBIANS with a sense of Decency and Integrity for Taking a Position as well as Standing up for Constitutionalism and Rejecting Authoritarian and Callous Discarding of the Same Constitution Under which President Adama Barrow was Elected, Sworn to “Preserve and Protect “It” at all Times”, not “Unless The Constitution is in my Way or Prevents Him from doing whatever he Wants. It’s not a “Need.” Madame Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang’s Appointment is a “Want” not a Need” because there are many other Qualified Gambians/Candidates whose age would not present a Constitutional Crisis down the road. Mr. Madi Jobarteh should be Applauded for his Courage and dedication to the Rule of Law and his Pursuit of a Peaceful, Judicious and a Constitutional Democratic Gambia. May The Gambia be blessed with as many Sons and Daughters of like him and Halifa Sallah’s adherence to Republican Constitutionalism in the Gambia moving forward. May the Gambia and GAMBIANS Conversely be Protected from the likes of Fairweather Constitutionalist like you and others who View a Constitution as a “Document of Convenience” to be Set Aside, or Suspended like is done by Military Interventionists during a Coup. If you want to Pursue such Unelected and Undemocratic Modality of Governance, then SAY SO AND DECLARE A DICTATORSHIP OR MARSHALL LAW AND RULE BY DECREE. If you can’t do that, due to the same Constitution of 1997 which is Still in Effect, then We, the Gambian Citizens Declare and Summit that Madame Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang’s appointment as being Unconstitutional, ILLEGAL and Null and Void. Let the Constitution and the Law of the Land Reign Supreme Over Authoritarianism, Impunity and Unileralism.