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Gambia’s New President Swings Axe On Regional Heads

Lamin Dibba, minister of Local Government

(JollofNews) – Barely a week after putting together his cabinet, Gambia’s President Adama Barrow has set motion his electric broom and cleared out four regional governors appointed by his predecessor.

According to the independent Point Newspaper, the governors including Lamin Queen Jammeh of North Bank Region, Aminata Sifai Hydara of West Coast Region, Salifu Puye of Lower River Region, Omar Ceesay of Upper River Region and Omar Khan of Central River Region were sent packing on Thursday.

No reason was given for the sacking of the governors, who were appointed by former President Yahya Jammeh.

The Ministry of Local Government and Land,which is now headed by Lamin Dibba, an executive member of the United Democratic Party, is yet to appoint new governors to serve as the president’s representatives at the local level.

49 Comments

  1. Free car house cash isn’t good enough for good of the country , But yeah politicians will suck up until last penny Smells tribalism, we go on everything from outgoing government is useless we will pay unnecessary high prices we can kick innocent people just to appoint friends and family I did not see any Jolla in front line??? Careful remember Ruwanda and Burundi in 90s I will love to 3 or more Jollas high ranked

    • Peace,jammeh fail everyone so offcurse jolla will be appointed when a necessary post is up to grab. You say that appointment should be prioritized for jollas.

    • You are a very unpleasant person and you are playing a dangerous game. Tribalism. The CDS is a Jola and so are many top security officers and their jobs are as important as the cabinet ministers. Cabinet jobs are political appointments. The role of Ministers is to make political decisions, it’s the technocrats who translate those political decisions into workable and adaptable polices for the benefit of the citizens. Did it not occur to you that perhaps the reason why there are no Jolas at “front” is because most of them never got involved with the opposition’s struggle to remove Jammeh from office. They were too busy getting jobs from Jammeh. If Shyngle Nyassi was alive and there were many like him in opposition Parties then you would have seen noticeable names at the front. You remember Shyngle Nyassi? Let me refresh your gold fish memory, he was that brave patriotic Gambian whom despicable people like you have been calling all sorts of horrible names for years simply because he was a Jola who was supporting UDP. I challenge you to name me 20 prominent Jola opposition members. The president can only appoint people to political posts who share similar ideology or vision with him. Please do not abuse your freedom of expression by stoking the embers of tribalism. It has no place in the Gambia. Never has and never will. Gambians can see through you like plain glass. If you don’t have anything constructive to say then hold your peace until a time that you have.

      • Sangang: Can you name five Prominent Mandinka leaders who Supported the Uited Party of P.S. Njie during the First Republic? You can’t, please, Party Politics in the Gambia has always been on Ethnic Group lines. This is why the need for Peoples Progressive Party which was a “Bastardization” of the Original Protectorate Peoples Party which though was Predominantly Mandinka led, had few Urban Non Mandinka members who held next to No Position of leadership. Your Analysis falls short in many directions. For example, you are more than willing to Swallow without the benefit of Chewing, the “Nteri Kaffo”,(My Friends Club) which is a Mandinka hegemony Club Not Unlike the Rhwandan Hutu Extremists Club or Malitia, the Mthrawenge. An analysis of Jawara’s regime would show that the Political and Military Positions have been Assigned to the Mandinka fellow Tribes men, or his former Aku Adopted families during his Christian Conversion period and before Reverting back to Islam for Political Advantage due the Religious make up of the Gambian Population. Most of what Yaya Jammeh put in place as far as the Composition of the Top Security Forces, he Saw and Adopted from JAWARA and his Clique during the First Republic. Least, you are devoid of any sense of Decency and Integrity and therefore, Unwilling to Expose the Truth of an Ethnic Group Interest Politics that is Dusted off the Selfs of JAWARA and his Regime. Not acknowledging the Glearing Insidious repetition of Mob Rule and Hegeemony of the Majority at the Expense of the Minority which gave Birth and Nutured the 1981 and 1994 Coup. If the UDP PARTY LEADERSHIP which in reality is an Amalgamation of the Extreamist Minority of PPP and NCP Mandinka Ethnic Group. Unfortunately, the Kneejerk and Reflexsive need for a Plurality of Mandinka to Dismiss, Disregard, Marginalize and Belittle any Ethnic Group that Dares Challenge the Mandinka held view of Gambia belonging to them, is as usual going to Undo the Current Government of BARROW, which is made up of some of the most Sinister Sinister and Extremists Gang Configured from PPP AND UDP. I Predict that within Twenty-one to Twenty-six Months, the Gambia will face a Crisis of Ethnic Politics and Incompetence from the Top down, that would make the Post Election Impass a seem like a “Weeding ceremony”. No pont intended, the inability to form a Cabinet, the Abscondance of Adama Barrow and his Clique to Senegal, the Unconstitutional and Ethnic Group Interest Politics in the Formation of the incomplete Cabinet recently named without giving the Public enough time to look into the Back ground, Skills and Experience of the Cabinet Candidates. I suppose this is a Continuation of how Adama Barrow was imposed on the Gambia. We can do better. One Gambia, One People and One Destiny.

        • Sidi for a start no Mankdinka ever complained about not being in PS Njie’s front line because he never got that far. PS Njie lost because he was not engaged with the rest of the nation. His power base was only in Banjul area. Say whatever you want about Jawara and the Mandinkas but if not for them plebiscite would not have been extended to the entire nation. You must be psychic to know that I have “swallowed without chewing Nteri Kaffu”. Your inability to make any constructive criticism without tribal reference and bringing up Rwanda and genocide is alarming. Your claim that Jawara’s regime was composed of mainly Mandinkas was answered in my reply to #peace= that presidents can only appoint to political posts people who share the same ideology with them. Your claim that Yahya was doing just what Jawara did by appointing his tribe into top security jobs is at best erroneous and at worst dishonest. You do not sound stupid, you know the truth about that, so if you want to bend it to suit your narrative or to suit your agenda then that’s up to you. Although Jawara is a Mandinka the majority of people who against him are Mandinka. You also ignore the fact that the delegation that persuaded Yahya to contest elections as a civilian was lead by a Mandinka. Mandinkas have consistently supported Yayha hence the reason for him wining four elections. They withdrew their support for him when he started insulting them continually in the last two years before the election. Yahya was the architect of his own downfall. It is disingenuous to blame anyone else.

        • Nonsense bro,at the time the coup ndow Njie was chief of staff and his brother the gemdemerie boss .police chief was as well wollof.ports authority was headed by wollof .speak the truth and stop defending the indefensible.

          • Kits, this guys know the truth but they will not admit it. They are still in shock. So lets leave them to wallow in their sorrow and misery. We have a nation to build so we should ignore our distractors.

    • @ # peace= The Cabinet appointments made so far are for the members of the Coalition party, and of course every new government will appoint members in their party first, depending on their qualifications and experience. The rest of the Cabinet positions is reserved for all and any qualified Gambians, and I’m sure they would prefer to balance the remaining Cabinet positions along different ethnicities.

  2. Peace, you must be a Jolla?
    I would guess he had to appoint the cabinet members the way he did was because of the coalition deal.
    Besides, it might have been difficult to find Jollas with the credentials that were required to fill the minister positions that hadn’t been a part of the corrupt Yahya government.

    • Stan, Try hard to deconterminate or purge your Ethnic Group Politics and Incompetent Analysis that is informed by the Persistent nocturnal like parallel reality some of you kind allow yourself to think and even Believe. Contrary to such erroneous notions of “Nyancho” in the Mandinka folklore, the Gambia Mandinka at least are in Noway Shape or Form more Educated, Skilled, or Experienced than the Jola. On the Contrary, while the Jola poor or rich Strived for Western Education by Sacrificing all, most Mandinka invested in Quranic school for the most part. Those Jola who became highly educated and were among the Mandinka Intelligently Classified themselves as Mandinka for the benefit of Securing the Jobs that they would otherwise not be hired for due to Tribalist and Ethnic Prejudice Then and Now. The Jola are the Poster Tribe of Tolerance and Diversity, not to mention Honesty in the Intra and Inter Tribal and Individual Relationship and Transaction. This is the reason why the Mandinka called them Jola, Mandinka meaning, “Payer”. This is because the first contact between the “Arjamaat” which is the true name of the Jola was based on Trade. This is prior to the Jihadist Wars led by Mandinka Junior Marabous from the Disintegrating Mali Empire. The Arjamaat or Jola resisted the Jihadist to the end. That is why they are the one to last adopt the Jihadist’s religion, Islam. This is a Character and Philosophy not peculiar to the the Arjamaat or Jola but the Arjamaat or Jola Do not Scum to any form or kind of Subjugation and Oppression. Caveat! Do not thread on the Jola as a Whole or Marginalize them to the Sidelines, if you want to Sustain Democracy in the Gambia. One Gambia, One People and One Destiny for All Not For Some.

      • I absolutely agree that President Barrow’s Cabinet appointments should be balance as it can be, according to ethnic line. I’m quite sure there are qualified Gambians in each ethnicity to handle those positions. We don’t need a politics of division but everything that will unite us. May GOD guide us in the right decisions.

      • A SUMMARY OF JOLA-MANDINKA RELATIONSHIP AND THE POLITICAL WINDS OF CHANGE:

        Stan, Try hard to deconterminate or purge your Ethnic Group Politics and Incompetent Analysis that is informed by the Persistent Nocturnal Dream like Parallel Reality some of you allow yourself to think and even Believe in. Contrary to such erroneous notions of “Nyancho” in the Mandinka folklore, the Gambia Mandinka at least the ones I am associated with are in No way, Shape or Form more Educated, Skilled, or Experienced than the Jola in Matters of the Modern Nation State and Institutional Management and Policy Formulation. On the Contrary, while the Jola poor or rich Strived for Western Education by Sacrificing all, most Mandinka invested in Quranic school for the most part. Those Jola who became highly educated and were among the Mandinka, Intelligently Classified themselves as Mandinka or “Other” for the benefit of Securing the Jobs they would otherwise not be hired for due to Tribalist and Ethnic Prejudice Then and Now. The Jola are the “Poster Tribe” of Tolerance and Diversity, not to mention Honesty” in the Intra and Inter Tribal and Individual Relationship and Transactions. This is the reason why the Mandinka called them Jola, Mandinka meaning, “Payer” with the Subliminal meaning of Honesty. This is because the first contact between the “Arjamaat” or Jola which is the true name of the Jola was based on Trade between the two tribes. This is prior to the Jihadist Wars led by Mandinka Junior “Marabous” from the Disintegrating Mali Empire who Scattered and mostly headed West to the Senegambian Basin.The Arjamaat or Jola resisted the Jihadist to the end. That is why they are the last to adopt the Jihadist’s religion, Islam. This Character and Philosophy though, not peculiar to the Arjamaat or Jola, however, the Arjamaat or Jola Do not Scum to any form or kind of Subjugation and Oppression. Caveat! Do not thread on the Jola as a Whole or Marginalize them to the Sidelines, if you want to Sustain Democracy in the Gambia. They with the Coalition of the Marginalized would Agitate and endeavor to Make Changes. One Gambia, One People and One Destiny for All, Not For Some.

  3. Hi. Am from Nigeria…just love the music u guys play here, long live Africa!…u guys are doing well.

  4. Ther Gambia need new currency:

    The first basic move Gambia need is.

    1. Identitiy: Gambians dont have a correct birth certificate, if any 70% fakes
    2. For a country to move smooth we need a strong Currency. Not our 45% fake money
    3. cut those expensen on so call ambassy in UK, Spain, ect. its coasting us more. They just their with
    all their families for nothing but wasting tax payer money,

    thanks

  5. The message i have is for us to put tribalism aside as it has no place in our society and it has no benefit whatsoever. In The Gambia we inter-marry and live harmoniously in peace as a people. One thing i know of the Jolas,is that they believe in the authority of the day and that was why it never produced any opposition since the Jawara era, any one who cares for the truth can verify this.Our focus should now be putting all hands on deck to turn the tables for the betterment of The Gambia, as the country is bigger than any political party or tribe.

    • You are right my friend. I will like to assure you that those who are behind Jammeh after the peaceful election for Jammeh to stay in power should be all be fire from there positions. They don’t want peace for this nation

  6. It is good for president to fire all the governors because they have causes political tension in the Gambia. None them tell dictator Jammeh to handover to elected Adama Barrow. What dictator yahya jammeh plan was to bring war in Gambia. To my own side even the assistant governor MALANG SAIBO CAMARA should be fire from his post. They are evil and want to bring problem in Gambia

  7. As for the firings,a commentator has already said the axe should be brought to the Chiefs,alkalis and even national assembly members,these people almost took Gambians to war,because of their selfish intetests,what was wrong in pledging their support to the president-elect from the word go?and telling Mr Jammeh to accept the defeat?

    • CHaCha: Since you have found Truth telling very important especially during the Election Impass, would you do the Gambia and GAMBIANS a favor and Use your talent by writing as well as communicating to Adama Barrow and Mai Fatty as well as Ousainou Darbo of the UDP led Government that begining the governmenance of a Country/Nation State, the Gambia by Violating its Existing Constitution for any reason, is Treason against the Gambia and the Citizens who they purport to Represent. The Appointment of Mrs. Jallow Tambajang and Mr. Darbo are for different Constitutional reasons illegal and Unconstitutional. The Unileral Actions such as the uninformed and kneejerk reaction of firing the Governors without having replacements waiting is like putting the Cart before the Horse. It is a Clear sign of lack of having a rudimentary knowledge of Public Administration and Institutional Management 101. Who is now managing the Local Governments at the very Personal or Community Level? May be, it is a Plot to Creat a Vacuum in the Gambia’s Local government Level so that Adama Barrow and his Clique of Mai Fatty and Ousainou Darbo of the UDP to Consolidate and Unconstitutionally go on a Witch hunt without the Gambian people’s representative Standing in their way and that of their Overlord, Macky Sall of Senegal. GAMBIANS need to be Vigilant and Diligent in making certain that Adama Barrow, Mai Fatty, Ousainou Darbo and Uncle Macky Sall, do not go in a Rampage Against Perceived Enemies in the Gambia, especially in the Rural Areas mostly Populated by Jola and other Tribes known to Support the Second Republic under President Yaya Jammeh. CHaCha, If you are not a Fairweather Constitutionalist, Patriot and True Gambian, you would Speak up at the Bantaba, Ataya Brewing Binges and all other gatherings including the Dark Corridors of the Internet about the Self-Entitlement and Disdain for Law and Order that Seem to Characterize the Adama Barrow, Mai Fatty and Ousainou Darbo Infant Regime. If you do that, especially if UDP Members and the Majority of GAMBIANS of Ethnic and Political Persuation Speak up without fear of being Labeled as Yaya Jammeh or Supporters of the alleged Crimes against GAMBIANS, the Gambia and GAMBIANS would Free themselves from the Self-affilicted Wounds Past and Present. Looking the other way, Keeping silent and pretending that Wrongs are not being Committed by an Extreamist Minority in the name of the Gambia and GAMBIANS, would only end in the Destruction of Our Peace Loving People and Nation, the Gambia. One Gambia, One People and One Destiny.

  8. If this puppet president in watchman clothes wants to undo the lofty achievements of President Jammeh, let him not stop at dismissing personalities. He has the whole echelon of our public servants to dismiss, even the one’s (ambassadors) he wishfully reinstated. Calling on President Jammeh(by those ambassadors) to resign doesn’t manifest any trust/allegiance or patriotism, but personal self-guard to secure their public positions against dismissal. Why didn’t they leave earlier? he governors were the most trustworthy. DIE with your BELIEF and conviction!
    I would like to see Barrow overhauling the roads, hospitals, univeristy, the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions, the airport, the TV station and all the excellent work President Jammeh has left as his rich legacies for the Gambia and her people. Then you might say, I have earsed his legacies.
    There is absolutely nothing you can do more than President Jammeh. With your clique of neocolonialists like Lawyer Darbo, Mai Fatty, Fatoumatta Tambajang, Isatou Touray, Omar Jallow, Hamat Bah, Halifa Sallah, we’ll only see poliking and NO progressive work in your 3 questionable years before your wolves finally discard/throw you away for incompetence and ineptitude. Because you are a Muslim seconadry school product, with an Argos watchman curriculum in London, a corrupt estate dealer who is feebling his way among a group of very hungry “intelligent” wolves. They might have already regretted why you have been nominated the flagbearer. It was a brainstorming game where they lost the guesswork. Had they known…………..!
    In some circles we have been told that the dog that bit and killed your son disappeared after the gruesome episode. Yet we saw another photo (on line) of a slain dog purporting that it was the one that killed your son. Is it true according to some circles that you gave away your son in sacrifice (Jalango) to secure your present position as “president” of The Gambia? We’ll learn the truth….in the (no) distant future! And if so, Allah awaits you!

    • This kind of arrogance and self righteousness is one of the causes of the downfall of Yahya Jammeh and it appears some of our brothers in this discourse are manifestly showing the same traits in going overboard in their support for Yahya Jammeh.I will humbly ask them to Pause for a moment and think about the family of Solo Sandeng, how he was tortured to death in the hands of people who are only answerable to Yahya Jammeh alone.Think of Korro Ceesay, Deyda Hydara, Chief Manneh,Ebou Lowe and a countless more killed and their bodies discarded as Yahya and his henchmen lacked decency to even allow the families of these victims a proper burial.
      A pragmatic and patriotic leader is not one whose reign will always be remembered by its atrocities like torture, rape, death and mismanagement.Pragmatic and patriotic leaders are not those who enriched themselves while their subjects languish in abject poverty. Pragmatic and patriotic leaders are not those who think they are God, above all laws, but laws themselves.
      Yahya Jammeh is not pragmatic nor patriotic but a self serving cruel leader who destroyed our country, our institutions and our people. History will never absolve him.

      • @ Natty Dread= Please, don’t waste your time and energy on those who think Yahya Jammeh was some how doing a good job. Yahya was a divider and a conqueror with an iron fist repressive regime, thank GOD is over. We now need to heal the country and focused on uniting and move our beloved Gambia forward.

    • Nastiness to the extreme. Making fun of somebody’s loss of a child is mindless,stupid and immoral.This evil propagandist who is economical with the truth in this discourse hiding in the dark gutters of his colonial and imperialist host yet portraying himself as pan African,spilling bile whenever he open his smelly mouth can’t win this argument. Making fun of President Barrow as an ex Argos security guard alone show how shallow and confused this ass hole is. Calling these noble men like Lawyer Darboe, Mai Fatty, Fatoumatta Tambajang,Isatou Touray and Halifa Sallah neocolonialists show that this filthy nocturnal beast is beyond redemption. He is either confused, brain dead or outright dumb.
      Damn the beast.
      To hell with Yahya Arrogant Jackass Joker Jammeh, BABOITA MANSA.
      Long Live President Barrow and the coalition.

  9. Babu Soli, Barrow sacked the Governors because they have political appointments. Yahya did the same thing when he overthrew Jawara. He replaced all the Commissioners with military personnel. To avoid such things happening in the future, we can do one of two things, 1) Let Governors be elected thereby gaining their mandate from the people like the president, a case in point is Abdou Colley, of KMC. He is still in his post despite being one of the staunchest Yahya supporters in the country. We would all have stood up to defend him if Barrow had attempted to remove him from office as he did the Governors or 2) make the post a civil service post as it was during Jawara’s time. I must admit the problem started during the first republic because despite the post being part of the civil service, in the later years of Jawara’s regime he has directly or inadvertently politicised the post. Therefore I can understand why Yahya removed all of them from their posts, because they do not fit in his plans. And it is the same with the current Governors, they do not fit in Barrow’s plans. Your last paragraph is very distasteful, the man has lost his child, surely even you must have a sense of how painful that can be. You are an intelligent person so you should be wise enough to refrain from making such insensitive comments. Besides Barrow was elected before the death of his son so any suggestion of idol worshiping doesn’t make sense. This applies to people who also depend on hearsay that Yahya worships idol without any tangible proof. Still pictures purported to be of his “Jalangs” should not be entertained in intellectual discourse.

  10. Sidi N.Bojang,thank you for the comments.I have already made my reservations on the appointments, as most of them are unconstitutional, whilst others are arguing that they are reaping what they were sowing which in my opinion does not make any sense to me at all if they are to uphold the oath taken by the president in safe guarding the constitution.So if they choose to say that the constitution was for Yahya Jammeh and not for them then it is up to them,but what i do know for sure is no one will EVER take The Gambia and Gambians for a ride again.
    As for the governors my take on them was as well as others that i mentioned was simple,they were community leaders and representatives of the grassroots,so they should not have allowed one person in the name of Yahya Jammeh to hold the populace at ransom.They have failed in their duties and thought that if they tell the reality to Mr Jammeh,they would loose their positions,well they chose to keep quite so they will have a price to pay for that,since the reward they were expecting from Jammeh is no longer there.

  11. Buba Sanyang,
    And what about those Adama Barrow hand-picked? Wasn’t it political inclination? Where have you seen presidential appointments without political allegiance? Tell me Buba. Where? Those he axed were President Jammeh faithfuls, and that’s how it should be. They were dismissed on their faithful political inclination and conviction in a person(President Jammeh) they loved and revered. Is that bad?
    Do they have to lean on what incompetent Adama Barrow wants? To hell! They will live without fear and convinced that they have done the right thing, by supporting the person they love(d)….President Jammeh.

    • Babu Soli I have made very well balanced analysis of the issue. I have not blamed Yahya nor Barrow for the cause. In fact I blamed Jawara’s regime for some of the causes of this issue for politicising the office of Divisional commissioners. I have even made two suggestions as to how we may be able to prevent this from happening again and gave an example of Abdou Colley of KMC. If you choose to be blinded by partisan loyalty and ignore the fact that we as a nation need to put systems in place to prevent such things from happening then that’s up to you. My contribution was a balanced and an unbiased analysis of the situation. I am more interested in what we can change to make the future better. Mistakes have been made in both the fist and second republic, we should all learn from those mistakes to create a better future.

    • Don’t waste your valuable energy on this creature as he is beyond enlightenment. You can bring a donkey to a well but you can’t make it to drink. What kind of individual gloat over another person’s loss of a child? Only a heartless and ignorant fool does that. Its not a Gambian way. This confused creature who praised the lofty achievements of Jammeh but ignore the barbaric and countless atrocities committed by Jammeh and his henchmen show how blindsided this creature is. Any achievement made by Jammeh will forever be overshadowed by his many atrocities of rape, torture, disappearance without trace, murder and plunder of our meager resources.This doomsday propagandist who wish ill of our president and the coalition should be left in his pitiful state of self loathing and evil propaganda. We true Gambians will never again allow ourselves to be bamboozled by empty rhetorics and lies from this loud mouthed idealogue who think him and only him is right in this discourse. Education suppose to enlighten and help pave a better way for ourselves,our families and our people, but this creature highly educated he may be is just a self absorbed un informed and heartless.He is an unenlightened intellectual. As my daddy use to say ”A man who knows but doesn’t know that he knows, he is forgetful,remind him” but no reminding can awaken this creature from his deep slumber. He can huff and puff but let him know that Gambians have moved on. Yahya Jammeh is no more.We Gambians are prepared to cleanse the filth Jammeh and his henchmen left behind and built a new nation based on the rule of law, good governance and true brotherhood. Never again will we allow anyone of Jammeh’s ilk to have monopoly over our affairs. Gone are the days of arbitrary arrests and detentions, disappearnce without trace, torture, rape and plundering of our resources. Our country is now open to everyone including this doomsday propagandist creature from the dark ages withOUT fear of arrest, harassment or death.There is room for his minority opinion in this new Gambia.
      Long Live President Barrow and the coalition!
      To hell with Yahya Arrogant Jackass Joker Jammeh, BABOITA MANSA.

  12. Buba Sanyang,
    More serious mistakes, in fact not mistakes per se, but deliberate and wishful execution of power is taking place in the few days of this incompetent government.
    Fancy the fanciful appointment of Fatoumata Tambajang an unqualified overaged lady for the position she now holds. Fancy the appointment of Sanneh as Finance Minister who was lawfully jailed for forging UDP letters to would-be asylum applicants in Dakar for money he retrieved from them. A criminal appointed Finance minister! Darboe’s case is still in court, therefore adhering to the constitutional clauses, should he be appointed to such a responsible public position?
    It’s very easy to villify but VERY VERY hard to digest. Values that democracy calls for.
    We have mor worse days to come!

    • Babu I agree with you on those appointments just like most people who condemn it. That’s why we must all try and just put our points across without resorting to insults, inciting violence or invoking fear. For these distracts people from receiving the important messages we may be trying to convey. Lets all work together for a better Gambia because if not we will all pay the price for a broken Gambia.

  13. Some of our brothers appear to have short memories. Our judiciary under Jammeh was just a tool to imprison those he perceived as enemies, opponents or those complicit in his various crimes but are little or no use to him in the end.Yes its very easy to vilify as that is becoming your trade mark. Vilifying President Barrow and the members of the coalition but you can’t digest the fact that Yahya Jammeh was an evil despot who committed all kind of atrocities against our people. You can only see the mistakes by the coalition but blinded to the many deliberate and unjust execution of power by Jammeh for 22 years. You can see Sanneh’s illegally retrieving money from would – be asylum seekers in Dakar but blinded to Jammeh’s illegally acquired wealth at the expense of the Gambian people. Why are those people asylum seekers in Dakar at the first place? You are blinded to the answer i guess.
    What happen to you my friend? Why this one sided justification of events in our homeland?
    Families still searching for their loved ones dead or alive all around the country but that is something you are obviously blinded to or deliberately ignore.Millions in currency and millions in gold were discovered in Jammeh’s Kanilai home. I guess you are also blinded to that fact. Our educated elites have a moral responsibility to inform and enlighten our people in this trying times of our nation’s history, not to burden them with false hood and empty propaganda. True patriots love their country at heart, wish the best for their country not the worst. Our best days are ahead of us not behind us.

  14. Nasty Dreadful Natty Dread,
    You must be a kid or just deliberately ignoring the fact that the PPP government killed more than 8OO innocent Gambians by inviting the Senegalese invading forces in 1981. That was the hallmark of any atrocity a leader could commit. Should we forget that? Should those who are yearning for redress after that gruesome episode be sidelined?
    If you can prove beyond any dubious reason that President Jammeh committed the “millions” of atrocities you alluded to, come out! The courts are there to hear your case.
    Look, Nasty Natty, I have no support for unqualified and incompetent people whose sole desire is to rule without tangible objectives, plans and programmes.
    The case of Sanneh was clear. Except if you didn’t follow his crime or just want to ignore it. Sanneh was receiving money from anybody to falsely assist him/her in securing American visa. That was nothing political, but just CRIMINAL!
    Ask those who left the Gambia when Ex-President Jawara was in power. To asssert that the Gambian youth (the whole bunch of migrants) who left because of the APRC government’s “mis-rule” is not only frivolous but farcical. The lackadaisical behaviour of the Gambian youth has over the times contributed to their exodus en mass for what they always perceive as greener pastures in Babylon.
    Most of our youth in their host countries resort to the “easy” way of getting money: drug peddling, marrying octogenarian European men/women, lying to secure asylum……
    Will your new government halt youth migration? Let’s see. Omar Jallow and all the whistle blowers promised visas during their campaign, just to lie, without perceiving that those idiotic promises are not viable for national development.
    Our best ways have gone, Nasty Natty! President Jammeh has gone beyond expectations in what was necessary for our development. Your new government will NOT do anything beyond his achievements. I give them 5 years not 3 as they promised!

    • Babu sili. You are the people living in denial. Coup de tatet is something no one condones it is illegal and a violation of democratic nation. Going to poll and select your leaders is the best way forward in any genuine society. So when yor talking about PPP coups down there, I thinks you are just stupid im sorry to say this you. If you are a jola,you better think way for peace than voilence.

  15. Well well well the recent appointments of the coalition need to be revisited.An unconstitutional appointment is just unconstitutional no matter how one looks at it.Mr President swore to defend the constitution and that is exactly what he is expected to do.
    But what do you expect of a president whose married ( inauguration ) was done in Dakar, and brought in like a newly-wed ( Manyo ) to The Gambia?
    Such a person does not see the reality as he is just serving as a remote control for some people.

  16. I see him as a Governor of Senegal to The Gambia period,imagine of the 3 years of his mandate a month has already elapsed,still some cabinet positions are yet to be filled.I cannot understand why he did not form his cabinet when he has all the time in this world in Dakar?if he is really a president and not a governor.

  17. Tafel what brought being a jola in to this please?

    • Kalobong! I wonder where some of you were hiding during the 22 years of Yahya Jammeh’s lawless rule. Where was your moral compass in all those years of tyranny and bad governance? What was the unconstitutionality in remedying an unconstitutional declaration of age limit to the highest office of the land? Discrimination based on age is what is unconstitutional here. That clause was added to hinder the chances of Lawyer Darboe from becoming the elected president of the Gambia by Yahya Jammeh and his partisan APRC members of parliament as Darboe was the only perceived threat electorally. Small minded people like you with an IQ of a donkey who will never comprehend the closeness of Africans as one family but instead spread false narratives about the motives of Senegal in delivering us from bondage in the hands of that Kanilai monster for the last 22 years. Senegal’s motive is just a brother coming to the aid of a brother in need. But that fact never wash with hateful idiots like you who filled this pages with unsubstantiated allegations against a good neighbor.
      Go and study the history of Senegambia before the colonialists brought havoc to our shores, demarcate their various so called boundaries, setting brother against brother, introduced their various languages and policies to undermine our cohesiveness as a people,as a family of Africans, whose destinies will forever intertwine with each other.
      For 22 years, you semi literate fools afraid to murmur a word for fear of dying in the various torture chambers of Jammeh’s police state, suddenly coming out condemning a government barely formed. You should be grateful to President Barrow, the coalition and Senegal for freeing our people thereby allowing nocturnal dim witted creatures like you to have a voice regardless of how degenerate it is.
      Finally Kalobong, can i tell you that there is nothing for Senegal to gain in our country as we are damn broke, our institutions in disarray, our judiciary a joke,our security personnel tribalized and bastardised all because of the incompetence and mismanagement of Yahya’s 22 years in power. It is quite rich to vilify but only the wise take stock and digest the realities of the situation we are in. Barrow need all the time and support to be able to put us on a path to the norms of civility as that was absent during the 22 years of Jammeh’s mis rule.

      • Natty Dread, please don’t burst a vessel in your brain because of some of these people with IQs running in single digits. The only reason they are annoyed with Senegal is because a close working relationship between Senegal and the Gambia will see an end to their utopian dream of owning their own enclave in Cassamance. They are still reeling from the shock of the defeat suffered at the ballot box. Nothing you, I or anyone say will awaken them. A closer security collaboration between Senegal and the Gambia will see an end to their evil machinations. Brother my advice to you is just chill and enjoy the new found freedom in the Gambia with your family and friends. Leave them to wallow in their sorrow.

  18. White peoples under value our current and our fake brothers are following them? Gambian dalasi is the only African currency that insisted and saved its possession against colonial currencies you can see and compare last 10years dalasi , Maura cfa leone all African currencies are getting worse.i doubt if our new government can save the same values in next years? Today is D56 =£1 we will D100 for a£1 is that you guys want?. Again I’m seeing some of ex ministers as heroe and some are criminals ,? Mean jolla ex MPs and mandinka wolof fulla as no sarahulleh been involved MPs are different? The world is watching Mammah Kandeh future president!!!

  19. New found freedom indeed…..The cat is away and the mice are misbehaving….

    • Kalobong, the cat was declawed and chased away into the wilderness. It did not leave at it’s own volition. So yes the mice have a reason to celebrate.

  20. What’s the next??? Respect the law 100% and 50/50 ???
    New Gambian Vice President, Fatoumata Tambajang, In Age Falsification Scandal
    The new Gambian government of President Adama Barrow has been hit by its first major scandal with the age controversy swirling around Mrs. Fatoumata Tambajang, was named the country’s Vice President on 24 January. She is waiting to be sworn in.
    BY SAHARAREPORTERS, NEW YORKFEB 07, 2017

  21. #peace=, freedom of speech is very nice isn’t it? You would not dared have make such comments in Yahya’s time without worrying about getting your backside whopped. The issue of the VP “scandal” can only happen in a democracy. People are holding the government accountable. That’s the beauty of democracy. I am glad that the VP has not been sworn in yet because that will be a major coup for detractors like you. Perhaps the president is trying to amend the provision that sets an age limit so that the VP’s appointment is kosher. Whilst people like yourself see this as a “scandal” people like me sees it as a victory for democracy. Gambians have raised their voice and the government has listen.

  22. FOLKS, READ THIS ARTICLE WHICH NO OTHER GAMBIAN TABLOID ON LINE WILL WRITE EXCEPT FREEDOM NEWSPAPERS.
    FREEDOM NEWSPAPERS, I WARN YOU. YOU WILL SOON BECOME THE NUMBER 1 ENEMY OF THE INCOMPETENT BARROW REGIME FOR REVEALING THE TRUTH.
    LET’S WAIT AND SEE. THEY WILL SOON SURMOUNT REPRESSION ON FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION

    Gambia: Breaking News: Gambia’s New Youths And Sports Minister Was Once Jailed In Germany For Cocaine Possession And Sale!

    The newly hired Gambian Youths and Sports Minister Hendry Gomez, was jailed in 1987, in Hamburg, Germany, on drug related possession and illegal sale, a Gambian resident in Hamburg tells Freedom Radio Gambia, on Wednesday, during an…

    The newly hired Gambian Youths and Sports Minister Hendry Gomez, was jailed in 1987, in Hamburg, Germany, on drug related possession and illegal sale, a Gambian resident in Hamburg tells Freedom Radio Gambia, on Wednesday, during an exclusive interview. Mr. Gomez, who is the leader of the opposition Gambia Party for Democracy and Progress (GPDP) had a felony conviction on his rap sheet after he was found guilty by a German court on allegations of cocaine possession and sale, the concerned Gambian added. Gomez, he said, was subsequently jailed for two years, and later placed on probation before he could reintegrate into the German society.

    Explaining the circumstances surrounding Mr. Gomez’s arrest and imprisonment in Hamburg, the caller admitted that he (himself) was arrested together with Hendry Gomez and four others back in 1987, following a raid conducted by the German police to bust drug pushers in a drug infested neighborhood.

    “I am a concerned Gambian. I feel that I owe it to my country, and her people, by explaining Hendry Gomez’s past criminal history in Hamburg, Germany. I know Mr. Gomez to my fingertips. Hendry, and I, used to hussle in the streets of Hamburg. We used to sell drugs together. I can vividly remember in 1987, when the German police raided a drug peddling location in which Hendry Gomez, four other Gambians, including myself, were taken into custody. Mr. Gomez was caught with some grams of cocaine and marijuana. I was caught with some grams of marijuana too. We were booked at a remand jail in Hamburg, before we were finally taken to prison. Hendry Gomez, the guy President Adama Barrow, appointed as Youths and Sports Minister, was jailed for two years in prison, while my humble self was jailed for one year and six months. Both Hendry Gomez, and myself, were placed on probation after serving our time in prison,” he alleged while speaking in local Wollof dialect.

    “I couldn’t believe it when I read in the news that Mr. Gomez, is the new Minister of Youths and Sports. Gambians do not know Hendry Gomez. He is uneducated; dodgy, and clueless. He had a criminal history in Germany. The German police had his criminal record,” he said.

    “Hence, I decided to come forward to register my disdain and utter opposition against his appointment. Gambians do not deserve someone who was jailed in Germany on drug related possession and sale as their Minister. Hendry, was a familiar face to the German police back in 1987, to the 90s. Both him and I, used to be processed by the police. We used to sell drugs in Hamburg,” he further alleged.

    After finishing his probation, Gomez, he said, was hired as a cleaner at a train station in Hamburg. He later quitted his job and set up a cleaning company.

    “Hendry Gomez, later left the streets and set up a cleaning business. He has hired some Gambians in Hamburg. The business later collapsed. The last time I checked, I was told that he has resumed running the streets. I do not have any evidence to that effect. All I can tell you is that Hendry Gomez, was jailed in 1987, for drug possession and sale. From 1987, to the nineties, we used to sell drugs together at a train station in Hamburg,” he alleged.

    According to the concerned Gambian, Hendry Gomez, was married to a German lady called “ Marena.” Gomez and Marena never had a child, he said.

    “During our 1987 arrest, and subsequent jailing, we later received information that one white German lady, who was married to a Gambian national at the time, reported us to the police. I do not want to go into detail. Let confine the conversation to Gomez’s past. Mr. Gomez cannot deny that he was not jailed for two years in Hamburg. If he does, I will come out in the open to reveal my identity. Gomez knows who is talking. The other four convicts are now back in the Gambia. Some were even deported. I have been in Germany for over 30 years. I am 60 years of age,” he said.

    When asked about Gomez’s legal status in Germany, the Hamburg resident, who claimed to be Gomez’s neighbor said: “Gomez is a legal German resident. He is not a German citizen. He has been living here for over two decades. He was married to a German, but later got divorced. I used to hang out at his home. He also comes to my home.”

    When contacted for comment, Hendry Gomez’s phone went on voicemail. We tried on numerous occasions to seek reaction from him, but he was indisposed.

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    • Babu soli, that sounds witch hunting, his case May be expounded by now this is 30years ago. And also it happen in Germany, he is not in Germans jurisdiction. Compared to the one dictator jammeh acused jailed and later hire them back again. If this is in the constitution then the law will be enforced to make sure that it doesn’t happen again.

  23. Babu Soli! This is not the first time you brought a negative story about this government and it quickly turned out to be a blatant lie. Remember the Scribe strategies and advisors story from the Freedom Newspaper.I dreadful nasty natty do solemnly promised you that this new story regarding Henry Gomez will soon be debunked as loads of other stories from the Freedom Newspaper. Who is this so called concerned Gambian? a convicted drug dealer he was/is suddenly feel the urge to show concern to Gambia after impugning the name of our country by meddling in drugs. Secondly the offence happened outside the jurisdiction of the Gambia and as we all know there is a statute of limitation to petty crimes and even if his allegations are proven true,which is unlikely can’t stop Gomez from being appointed a minister under our law.. Thirdly it is quite rich and incredible that you being one of the biggest supporters of Yahya Jammeh can have any issues with this man’s appointment when plenty of Yahya’s appointees were ex convicts of crimes in the Gambia.Babu Soli is a man of contradictions. What are you trying to achieve by all these falsehood? to stay relevant isn’t it. Well Babu Soli and anyone who think like him shall forever remain irrelevant to the Gambia and its people. Gambians freed themselves and those who don’t want to rejoice in that can stay in their small corners and watch.
    A saying Babu that i forgot but i should take heed of goes — Never argue with a liar as liars lie till they believe in their own lies.

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