Author: Gainako

This statement was issued by a Legal Counsel from the Ministry of Justice on 23rd February 2023 at the launching of the Gambia’s National Human Rights Commission’s Advisory Note on the Abolition of the Death Penalty. Today 14th October 2023 is “World Day Against Death Penalty”, a day set aside to advocate for the abolishment of the Death Penalty across the globe. This statement is published to provide more context on the Death Penalty and The Gambia Government’s efforts to review it in line with International Standards and Best Practices. GREETINGS/SALUTATIONS Hon. Vice Chair and Commission Members of the National…

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11th October 2023 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – PRESS STATEMENT INDICTMENTS FILED AGAINST SENIOR GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS IN CONNECTION WITH 2018 GLOBAL FUNDS GRANT TO THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH 1. The Attorney General’s Chambers and the Ministry of Justice has officially filed an indictment against three senior officials from the Ministry of Health and Health Promotion and Development Organization (HePDO). The individuals charged are Mr. Muhammadou Lamin Jaiteh, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health; Mr. Balla Kandeh, Programme Manager of the Malaria Control Programme: and Mr. Omar Malleh Ceesay, Executive Director of HePDO. 2. The charges brought against these individuals include…

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President Barrow Ever Determined to Consolidate Democracy and the Rule of Law State House, Banjul, 10h October 2023: In the wake of various reactions to the President’s recent comments at political gatherings upcountry, the Office of The President (OP) would like to put the President’s remarks into context. The President addressed events leading to the fatal shooting and attacks on law enforcement officials and law-abiding citizens. There is evidence of individual citizens and some associated with a political party who shared audios and postings of hate speeches, incitement of violence and personal insults to public officials, including the President. While…

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Statement On the Recent Utterances by H.E. The President of The Republic of The Gambia By TANGO It is with grave concern that the Association of Non-Governmental Organisations of The Gambia (TANGO) put out this statement with regard to the prevailing political climate. The exchanges being put out by the political class are not beneficial to and not for nurturing peace and democracy. In December 2016, The Gambian people voted out authoritarianism and ushered in democracy peacefully. At great risk to their persons and property, they significantly changed the political landscape and remain engaged in the day-to-day running of government.…

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By Team Gom Sa Bopa Since President Adama Barrow’s statement threatening to re-arrest his critics even after being granted bail by a judge in late September 2023, people have been arrested and harassed for no justifiable reason whatsoever. Madi Jobarteh is the latest critic who was arrested this morning 9th October 2023 after Police questioned him at his house on Friday. Since Police visited Madi on Friday he has been resisting the illegal arrest and questioning which Police say is because of his “Facebook post” but failed to identify the actual Facebook Post. After stalking him, his family members and…

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NEVER AGAIN NETWORK Open Letter to President Barrow: Jammeh is a bad role Model Dear President Adama Barrow, Please allow us, with all due respect, to address this open letter to you. But before delving into the subject of our letter, please allow us to introduce ourselves.  We are the Never Again Network, a post-TRRC civil society organization dedicated to supporting The Gambia’s transitional justice process and helping ensure that Never Again will our country have a dictatorship or suffer the kinds of human rights violations it suffered under the regime of former president Yahya Jammeh. The Network was created…

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By Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) On the 27 July 2021, the National Assembly Service Act 2021 was passed into law in The Gambia. The Act establishes a National Assembly Service and a supervisory Authority, chaired by the Speaker of the National Assembly. The Act ensures autonomy for the Assembly in relation to the administration and financial management of the Legislature. This reform brings the National Assembly in line with international good practice, in particular the Commonwealth Latimer House Principles on the Separation of Powers. Although the agenda for change was driven by the Legislature, the Bill was tabled by the Executive under a certificate…

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By Tumbul Trawally, Seattle, USA, 7th October 2023, First, Congratulations to President Barrow, Secretary of Finance & Economics, Seedy Keita, and the Governor of the Central Bank, Buwa Saidy, for establishing a Capitals Market in The Gambia. I wish it had been established years earlier, but hey, “it is better late than never”. Give credit where credit is due! Now that the Capitals Market is open, the next critical step is to privatise all the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs), and have them listed on the Exchange. First, let the government hire independent Accounting firms to calculate the true Book Value of…

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By the Gambia Bar Association (GBA), 6th October 2023, Banjul, The Gambia. STATEMENT OF THE GAMBIA BAR ASSOCIATION FOLLOWING A STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC “THAT INDIVIDUALS RELEASED ON BAIL BY A JUDGE WILL BE ARRESTED” The Gambia Bar Association [GBA] is very concerned and troubled by the remarks made by His Excellency, President Adama Barrow at the opening of NPP Bureau in Jarra Soma. According to audio-video clips making rounds in the media, the President amongst other statements remarked “We will put an end to the practice of insulting others. Even if individuals are released on bail…

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CONCERNS OVER RECENT STATEMENTS OF H.E. PRESIDENT OF THE REPUBLIC AND CURRENT POLITICAL INTOLERANCE IN THE COUNTRY By the National Human Rights Commission of The Gambia, 6th October 2023, Banjul, The Gambia. As the State institution mandated to promote and ensure respect for human rights, democratic principles, and the strengthening of the rule of law in all circumstances and without exception, the NHRC continually monitors the national landscape to stay informed of prevailing issues in the country. Following recent developments, the NHRC is deeply concerned with the widening political divide in the nation. Of grave concern to us are recent…

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