By Gainako’s Banjul Correspondent
News reaching Gainako have it that President Jammeh’s proposed ‘dialogue with the people’ tour may likely have beeen cancelled again for the second time due to security threats both within and outside the country.
President Jammeh had earlier planned to embark on his tour on Thursday, May, 12th, 2016 but later postponed it to Monday, May, 16th, this year. But according to information reaching us recently, the president has been warned not to embark on this tour at this time due to security threats grooming from both within and outside the country recently.
According to the NIA Intelligence report on the recent political crisis in the country, the opposition members are still planning to continue more protests in all parts of the country, coupled with pressure from the international community on the recent political crisis in the country. The Gambia’s border closure fracas with neighbouring Senegal is also another contributing factor to the delay in this tour.
Our sources said that the president had earlier planned to use this tour to dismiss the opposition claims for electoral reforms and persuade Gambians to remain loyal to him, as the election is nearer, but he was advised not to rush on the tour as there could be unexpected incidents in the coming weeks and they could be taken by surprise.
The president, who is also the commander-in-chief of the Gambia Armed Forces has therefore ordered his military and other security personnel to ensure that they continue their routine patrols both day and night and also mount check points in various parts of the country, in case of any unexpected attack.
The Republican National Guards in the various military barracks, especially the State Guard soldiers on Quick Reinforcement Force (QRF) at the State House, have been on standby since the April 14th political unrest, due to high security threats they are being faced with in recent times. Recently some soldiers were complaining of being over used without pay and enough food. Some of them have been on standby since April 14th.
At this present moment, Dictator Jammeh is in a state of limbo as far as this tour is concerned, he is unable to decide whether or not to go.