On going internal investigation into transferred of D33 million into First Lady Fatoumata Bah-Barrow’s Foundation (FABB) account is a manufactured crisis by people who are advising the First Lady.
The First Lady of The Gambia and her team should have known at the beginning that having a foundation is a bad political strategy which will give taint and corrupt legacy to President Adama Barrow despite whatever good purpose the foundation may have at this time in our national development efforts.
The Gambia has gone through 22 years of military dictatorship during which there were many phony foundations set up for economic mismanagement and exploitation of Gambian people. Jammeh foundation was one prominent example which was used as an economic exploitation mechanism by former President Yaya Jammeh , his family and cronies. Millions of dollars intended for Jammeh foundation to improve healthcare delivery system in the country were diverted into personal accounts of Dictator Jammeh and his wife.
The Current commission of inquiry probing the financial activities of former President Jammeh and his cronies has clearly shown that Jammeh foundation was not speared from rampant corruption and exploitation. If this is evident we are to go by , why would the First Lady Fatoumata Bah-Barrow and people who advise her even set up a foundation on her name if they really and truly want to have a good legacy for President Barrow?
The FABB Foundation has been registered as a non-profit organization in The Gambia purposely to engage in philanthropic and humanitarian efforts to complement national development. While philanthropic effort is a good idea but the board members of foundation must remember that the First Lady is not an ordinary citizen because her husband is the president of The Gambia. Any activity that the First Lady embark on during her husband’s presidency will be scrutinized for corruption and mismanagement of our meager resources. Being a First Lady is a privilege due to the trust and confidence bestowed on the president of The Gambia by voters .
In many advanced democracies, foundations associated with wealthy private citizens, local communities, former Presidents or First Ladies are set up as charitable organizations that are either privately owned and funded or public funded through government and community efforts. When foundations are established by First Lady or former President, it is usually founded during post presidency. Example in the United States, Clinton foundation was founded when President Bill Clinton left office to avoid political corruption and influence. Clinton foundation was specially well recognized since its inception due to its advocacy and philanthropic efforts “to create economic opportunity, improve public health, and inspire civic engagement” in improving lives in the United States and around the world.
The fundamental question every single citizen is asking where is the fund of FABB coming from , is it private or public funded ? If the FABB is private funded , who is providing the funding and for what purpose ? What relationship did this private donor(s) has with President Barrow ? These are all legitimate questions which has both legal and political implications.
Politically, we have seen opponents of President Barrow using the transfer of the supposed D33 million into FABB account as a political tool to suggest corruption and financial mismanagement by the office of First Lady. The office of First Lady has created this unnecessary and ill-advised charity organization which has affected the reputation and character of both the First Lady and her husband in court of public opinion while the investigation is on going . In the near future, there could be a commission of inquiry to look into financial activities of both President Barrow and the First Lady when Mr Barrow leaves office just like the current administration is probing financial activities of Dictator Jammeh and his cronies.
The First Lady and her team should have learned from this recent commission and avoid repetition of the same old financial scheme of hoodwinking Gambian people. President Barrow should work hard to leave decent, corruption -free and dignified legacy that will serve as an example for future leaders and democratization of the country.
The office of First Lady should disband FABB as soon as possible and advocate for a specific policy goal which will serve the common interest of Gambian people. In many civilized democracies, First Ladies usually choose a particular platform which has direct impact on the lives of ordinary citizens.
This was what Michelle Obama did when she focused specifically on combating childhood obesity in the United States during her husband’s presidency. Michelle launched series of programs such as “ let’s move “ initiative designed to encourage physical activities , she cultivated vegetables garden at White House , promoted public education on healthy eating and advocated for accessibility of heathy foods in local communities. All these programs were designed to improve healthy food consumption in order to reduce childhood obesity in the United States.
Similarly, former First Lady Hilary Clinton took healthcare as her signature platform during President Bill Clinton’s presidency. Mrs Clinton campaigned for universal healthcare system and advocated through congress for affordable healthcare delivery for all Americans. Today , Americans are grateful for both Mrs Obama and Clinton’s efforts to improve the lives of ordinary citizens, resulting to the translation of their high public approval rating and popularity.
The First Lady of The Gambia need to pick up a particular platform and advocate through the National Assembly to advance policies or laws that would improve lives of ordinary citizens. This will bring transparency and accountability in whatever activities she embark on. It will also serves as a good legacy for her office as well as an exemplary for future First Ladies. This is what our country need. At the end , Our reputation and character are the only legacy that matter to people when we leave highest office or this world.
Maxs Jarju
I fully concur with the author. A foundation setup by a current president can only be a vehicle for corruption and embezzlement. Additionally, it is a vehicle for political cronyism and an intransparent state within a state. A serious political misjudgement on the part of both President and Mrs Bah. Damage already done!
Critiques abound for the Barrow youth movement and the FABB, all justified but done not in good faith. The staunchest criticism of both organizations comes from UDP core supporters like Maxs Jarju and Kinteh (Kemo).
The office of the First Lady was allocated money in the budget, even though no such office exists in the constitution of The Gambia. When Halifa Sallah raised that issue in parliament, the same UDP militants rise to the defense of the former finance minister.
Fellas you can’t have it both ways. Adama is dancing to the Ousainou doctrines (i.e entrenchment of nepotism, corruption, political cronyism, self perpetuation, mismanagement of public resources and lying). Yes, they are partners in crime.
Only if the UDP feels the actions in state house could be detrimental to the “popularity” of their party will they start to ring the alarm bell. A classic example is the issue of the trucks that Adama is said to donate to NA members and of recent a “donation” to pilgrims both from anonymous donors. They illigally accepted that gift without questioning the source of the motor vehicles and kept quiet.
By abandoning the coalition three year transition agreement, the UDP is digging its own grave. This is just the beginning of the end of the love affair between the UDP and a president about to go hay wire.
Mwalimu,
I have being on record to raise the alarm bell if i found a move and actions detrimental to the wellbeing of the masses in our country. I have spoken against the trucks, the barrow foundation, against the petition
to nullify the kuntaur local gov’t election results – stating that the official results from iec are credible and must be respected.
I don’t see -yet- a corruption scandal engulfing Darboe for me to condemn him. Don’t worry about that. The circles within which I mingle, are patriots only loyal to the country and will not hold back with critics should we see a reason that poses a threat to undermining the wellbeing of the masses and the hard won freedom from jammeh tyranny. Corruption is one of them.
Ousainou is the chief architect for the total destruction of a pact that in the first place brought his party to power. Don’t you see something amoral about that?
He sat at Kerr Fatou show and defended the anonymous donation of vehicles to NA members.
When Walter Steinmeier came to Gambia, Ousainou signed a badly negotiated deportation agreement with the federal republic of Germany. He denied the existence of such an accord only to turn around and acknowledge that in fact, it indeed is in existence.
Andy, state secret?
This would have been one of those rare ocassions when I would have agreed with the author (Max), if he had placed the blame for this, not so clever way of attempting to steal public funds, where it rightfully deserves to be.
Unsurprisingly, because he is a blind supporter of President Barrow and his UDP dominated Government, he has attempted to shift the blame onto Madam Barrow and her advisers, as if they are the final decision makers in the country.
Max, be honest and say it as it is: this foundation would not have been established without the approval of President Barrow and the blessings of his political father, VP Darboe.
I would also be surprised if it turns out that this amount of D33 Million was deposited into the account of the foundation, without those two (Barrow & Darboe) knowing anything about it.
There aren’t many who will pump that kind of money into a foundation, without anticipating some future reward in kind, and who could guarantee that in our country today, except those two.
So yes, I agree with the author that the foundation was a bad idea and should probably be disbanded, but I disagree with him that the blame lies with Madam Barrow and her advisers.
The blame lies with President Barrow and VP Darboe because, as the Yanks would say, “the buck lies with them.”
Max should be honest to say so.
Or is it, “the buck stops with them.”
“buck stops with them” is erroneous because we have only one president. It is an exaggerated assumption that everything that Barrow does is perse approved prior by Darboe. The foundations are privat initiatives and I don’t see how Barrow would require Darboe’s approval before launching it.
Not Darboe’s approval; his “BLESSINGS.” That’s what I said.
Come on Kinteh (Kemo), you and I should know that Darboe’s influence over Barrow, rather than being exaggerated, is probably under rated.
The pointers are all there, if one cares to look.
For example, it took a simple public statement from Darboe for President Barrow to break all the bonds of trust that had existed between him and other coalition partners during the pre-election period, and reject the transition agenda and term.
That’s evidence of tremendous influence over Mr Barrow, if not outright control.
He sacrificed his integrity, sincerity and trustworthiness to do what Darboe wanted.
President Barrow himself has stated openly that Lawyer Darboe is his (political) father. What else do we need to figure out the relationship between the two?
I dont dispute the influence Darboe enjoys because UDP weight in todays Gambias political landscape but am questioning assumptions that Barrow virtually dance to Darboe’s tune even though he is the one with presidential power.
I expect from you some intellectual curiosity if confronted with such claims.
Barrow has his own motives that might be different from Darboe’s. That likelihood should be reflected in any implied darboe “outright” control over a person who has a presidential privilege and prerogative.
Barrow and close associates might have different agendas as Darboe and that is normal in such constellations.
Remember the public perception in early jammeh reign when it was widely held that Sana Sabally was the decisive man in the junta. That assumption turn out to be wrong and jammeh came out stronger after eliminating all core members of that infamous junta.
Nobody is espousing that Ousainou tells Adama which clothes to wear to work in the morning or how a presidential hand signature should look like.
It’s rather Adama’s inexperience, incapability and gullibility that has become a fertile ground for Ousainou to be unduly influencing the running of state affairs, albeit poorly.
If Adama understands his presidential prerogative and privileges, the following won’t have happened under his watch.
1) The killing of Arouna Jatta without investigations to punish the culprit(s).
2) The gunning down of the Faraba Banta freedom fighters to protect the interest of a friend.
3) Setting up bogus foundations for self perpetuation and enrichment.
4) Promising Gambians mosques when what they need is food, medicines and a functioning infrastructure.
5) Childishly taking on a critic (Ismaila Ceesay) and ending up looking like a dummy in front of tv cameras and microphones.
6) Hiding sources of “donations” which in reality are meant to induce the electorate.
7) Turning the state House into a bantabaa instead of the nerve centre of the administrative life of the state.
8) Electrifying his native village where he built himself a villa from “donations”.
9) Flying a whole cabinet of ministers to Saudi Arabia to perform the Hajj.
10) All the above whilst our health facilities have no drugs and the health infrastructure is decaying. Under the watchful eyes of a “political god father“.
” the god father” caricature does not exonerate Barrow from his duty and responsibility. I agree that collective responsibility is a necessity to hold gov’t accountable.
Where I differ is to say “ah darboe is responsible ” for the killings and the corruptions even though personally no such missteps can be authoritatively attributed to him. If he was the interior minister or he created a foundation, ofcourse criticism would be due.
Until then, failures that happened are the presidents and the collective cabinet – and of course the collective successes dued vice versa.
What we have to accept is that Ousainou is a divisive figure in the present political ecology of The Gambia. Not even long ago, when unity among opposition parties was a far fetched dream, he was in prison. During his absence, personalities and political groupings managed a feast that many thought practically impossible; A coalition that was to salvage The Gambia from brutal tyranny was born. Now that’s history, but history fortunately does not go to sleep. Ousainou and his party were proponents of a party led coalition. This has been tested and it failed awfully. The primaries method of selecting a flag bearer proposed by a segment of the opposition won the first time it was employed to task. A nation became once more united in hope for freedom and democracy. Still, Ousainou was incarcerated.
The election victory of a coalition format he vehemently opposed, saved him and many of his party members from imminent death at the mile two central prisons.
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Wait till he steps out of the gates of jail, he cowardly torpedoed the instrument that landed him back into the hands of his family and loved ones. He made the architects of that project look bad by making wild claims that he himself knew will not stand the test of time and truth. He was able to accomplish that destructive maneuver because he has control and leverage over the president. Adama is very much on record that he will respect the coalition MOU, manifesto and the spirit of unity among the political players and the nation at large. That was before Ousainou became a free man.
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One might ask what that has to do with question of the two foundations at hand. Everything! If Adama wasn’t derailed from adhering to the coalition agenda, the ten points I harped on won’t have occurred. So the connection is that Ousainou steered the coalition flag bearer, now the president, from honoring an agreement, taking us back to political Stone Age practices. Will that be enough to absolve Adama of his duties and responsibilities? No, but it will be enough to make them accomplishes in deception, corruption, maladministration and of course a common legacy of failure.