Halifa Sallah, who is respected in lot of quarters for his steadfastness to the truth for many years, is facing a great test to his credibility as Coffee Time With Peter Gomez listeners began to question the veracity of his claim on the program that he refused a ministerial offer by the AFPRC junta.
In July of 1994 when 2nd Lt. Sanna Sabally relaunched a successful military takeover, the junta dispatched the then army captain Mamat Cham, who is now the Chief of Defense Staff (CDS), to meet influential and respected Gambians in its bid to cobble a government.
The young captain left the State House on 23 July 1994, first to the residence of an influential lawyer and now the leader of the UDP Lawyer Ousainou Darboe in Pipeline, but Darboe refused to meet Captain Cham. Keen on forming a government in a feverish attempt to gain legitimacy, the shrewd young military officer went a few compounds ahead to another respected and influential legal practitioner the late Fafa Edrisa Mbye. He was able to convince Mbye and later drove towards the suburbs of the Gambia’s biggest city of Serekunda with two destinations in his mind: Dippa Kunda and Churchill’s Town.
He was driving to the suburbs to meet the late erudite journalist Suwaibou Conateh, Sam Sarr and Halifa Sallah. His first stop was in Dippa Kunda, where he met Suwaibou Conateh. Though Suwaibou declined the junta’s offer of a ministerial position, the respected late journalist received the junta’s emissary with kindness and wished him Godspeed as Cham left his house for Churchill’s Town in a frantic effort to help put up a military government, comprising civilians.
Captain Cham, who was at this time period hugely disappointed about the underwhelming outcome of his mission, was though undaunted. He sped off to Churchill’s Town to meet Halifa and Sam.
Cham told the TRRC that he encountered a few hitches here and there before he could meet one of the PDOIS officials but when he finally did, he could not tell whether they were interested or not in taking positions in the military government. He, however, explained to the truth commission that Halifa came to the Presidency the next day with Sam in tow. But CDS Cham said the duo were told by the military that there was no longer any ministerial position on offer. Halifa and Sam left with their files as the positions intended for them were already offered to Satang Jow and Fatoumatta Tambajang.
However, two individuals who were listening to Coffee Time With Peter Gomez on Tuesday when Halifa claimed that he refused an offer of a ministerial position by the junta, said they need more clarifications.
“I think Uncle Peter should endeavour to invite Captain Mamat Cham because we are confused. I watched CDS Cham’s testimony on the television and what Halifa said on Tuesday is at stark variance with what the CDS said,” avid Coffee Time With Peter Gomez listener Musa Fatty told JollofNews.
“I know it’s a tall order but the CDS must come to the platform to clarify because what he said at the TRRC and what Halifa said yesterday are poles apart. We have a right to the truth and both Peter and CDS can help us achieve this,” Basirou Jallow told JollofNews.
It has yet to be seen whether Halifa and CDS Cham will come face to face in the Coffee Time With Peter Gomez studio any time soon, but some listeners said their right to the truth should not be allowed to slip from the program’s agenda.
