Dr. Kalilou Bayo Secretary General and Minister for Presidential affairs and Justice Minister Mahoney has been fired with immediate effect. An announcement on GRTS this evening stated that Mr. Bayo and Minister Mahoney has been relieved of their duties. As usual no reasons were given for their firing.
In consequence Dr. Bayo’s firing came less than 24 hours after he made a statement during a cabinet meeting chaired by President Jammeh to welcome new members of his cabinet. In the statement Dr. Bayo said “if you are looking for a strong leader look for someone with military background” insinuating that President Jammeh is a strong leader. Dr. Bayo was sitting next to President Jammeh and the statement immediately attracted reaction from the erratic leader whose cage has been rattled from the failed alleged military coup.
Jammeh immediately sat straight and started adjusting himself in his white gown. He was the next to speak and he could not utter much from that point. He looked visibly angry and said it was time for prayers and he wasn’t going to say anything. While watching that live broadcast this reporter told a colleague he was watching with that “Dr. Bayo just shut himself in the foot”. Essentially with Jammeh’s cowardice and ego he was immediately reactionary to Bayo’s statement. What we sensed from the statement was that Jammeh interpreted Bayo’s statement as somebody complimenting military experience which is in direct contravention to what has just happened in the country. With all seriousness the statement was made in good faith but Jammeh did not sense that and it did not come through that way to viewers either.
In addition, Minister of Justice Basiru Mahoney has also been fired from his position. The justice minister did not say much at that press conference either but one of Jammeh’s ministers Fatou lamin Faye stated earlier in her own statement that the ministry of justice was more important and that his job was much harder. Jammeh immediately reacted to this statement and said he would disagree on that statement, he thinks his new ministers of Information and External affairs were very important since they represent the image of the country outside. This was the pettiest thing one could hear from a President. Apparently Jammeh knows why the ministry of foreign affairs is important to him since that is where he gets his pocket book diplomacy. Jammeh is angry, rattled and he will take his anger on his aides. Meanwhile Lamin Nyabally who was the deputy secretary general has been elevated to the position of secretary General. Dr. Bayo is so far one of the most experience technocrats to hold that position of recent years but Jammeh does not care about experience thus all the more reason people like Dr. Bayo must never agree to work for a dictator. What happens to Dr. Bayo next is anybody’s guess but if we were to go by his predecessors the road ahead is very rough for him.
Filed by Demba Baldeh