By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) concluded a six-day training of trainers on Saturday 19th March 2022. CSVR is a South African based NGO, that bore out of South Africa’s transitional justice process. Psychologist and Project manager for CSVR, Ms Jacqui Chowles explained that she also worked for the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission’s Victim Support Unit. Now she supports the Gambia’s Transitional Justice process by training caregivers and providing subgrants to replicate body mapping initiatives. As lead trainers Ms Chowles and Ms Mariama Jobarteh of Fantanka were responsible for training representatives…
Author: Yusef Taylor
Yusef Taylor
Yusef Taylor, commonly known as Flex Dan is an editor and practising journalist based in the Gambia with a keen interest in human rights, the economy and good governance among many others. He continues to break news on the economy, human rights violations and is highly engaged in security sector reforms, constitutional reform and the transition of the Gambia from dictatorship to a democracy, the NewGambia. Yusef has been working with Gainako as a media practitioner from 2015 to date. He has a degree in Civil Engineering with 5 years of Design Consultancy experience.
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) revealed that the replacement of voter’s cards commenced today, 21st March 2022 for a week and will attract an increased fee of D200. This was announced by IEC’s Returning Officer for Banjul Mr Sulayman Joof at a public dialogue on “Citizens Access to and use of Electoral Information” organised by the Gambia Press Union (GPU) at Sanyang Community Library on Saturday 19th March 2022. Other members of the high table that addressed the gathering include the Governor of the West Coast Region, the Alkalo Lamin Sanyang, GPU President Mr Muhammed MS…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT A coalition of Gambian victims held a press conference rejecting the Truth Reconciliation and Reparations Commission’s (TRRC) recommendation to approve Sana Sabally’s amnesty request. Victims were outraged on Friday 18th March 2022 after a publication on Standard Newspaper revealed that former President Yahya Jammeh’s second in command was granted amnesty from prosecution for extrajudicial killings, torture and other inhumane treatment. MoJ’s Statement on Criminal Liability On 24th December 2021, the Gambia’s Ministry of Justice (MoJ) issued a statement indicting “all members of the Junta comprising” former Lieutenant Yahya Jammeh, Lieutenant Sana Sabally, four other Lieutenants and…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT There are 53 elected National Assembly members (NAMs) and 5 nominated members in the Gambian Parliament. All 53 seats are up for re-election on 9th April 2022 and a large share of NAMs will be contesting for another term. But how many of them will not be contesting for another term? It’s worth noting that out of the 53 NAMs elected in 2017, two of them have passed away and were given a State Funeral after a ceremony at the National Assembly. The two NAMs who died during their terms are Hon Demba Sowe (GDC) of…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia’s Inter-Party Committee (IPC) has released a statement condemning the Abuse of State Resources (ASR) just days after a letter was issued from the Secretary-General at the Office of the President requesting for Government Vehicles to be mobilised for the upcoming National Assembly campaign. The campaign period for the Gambia’s National Assembly elections is scheduled to be held on 17th March to 7th April 2022 and the President has scheduled to hold his “Nationwide Meet the People Campaign Tour from 19th March 2022 to 6th April 2022”. According to the letter issued by the Government…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) issued a press release on 14th March 2022 announcing the approval of 251 candidates for the 9th April 2022 National Assembly elections. In an exclusive interview with the IEC Communications Director Pa Makan Khan, he revealed that 427 nomination forms were collected in the run-up to the nomination process. Our reporter secured an interview with the Communications Director who gave a summary of the nomination process for the upcoming Parliamentary Elections. “The nomination process for the National Assembly Elections 9th April 2022 started on the 5th of March 2022 and concluded…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Since the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) submitted its report to President Adama Barrow in November 2021, the Ministry of Justice has published the entire TRRC report on its official website. In reaction to the report, Civil Society Organisation Fantanka has published a shadow report which focuses on the experience of women and young people during the regime of former President Yahya Jammeh. The launch of Fantanka’s Shadow Report featured a panel discussion featuring victims from “marginalised groups” and a video documentary of some of the work that has been done to complete the report.…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT On the second day of nominations for National Assembly elections, only one out of three parties submitted their nomination forms to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). According to the party leader of the Gambia Alliance for National Unity (GANU) and a representative of the Democratic Party (DP), both parties will not be putting up candidates and will be supporting President Adama Barrow’s National People’s Party (NPP) instead. The only party which submitted as scheduled on Sunday 6th March 2022 is Citizens’ Alliance (CA) which submitted a total of ten (10) nomination forms according to their Spokesperson…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Kombo South District Youth Committee concluded a three days camp at Sifoe Lower Basic School on 6th March 2022 focusing on migration and its problems. The event was supported by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) with partnership from the National Youth Council, Migrants as Messengers (returnees) and the Gambia Government. Although a total of seventy-five (75) delegates were expected from the various settlements, only fifty-two (52) youth representatives graced the occasion. According to the Chairman, Yahya Sowe the absentees were representatives from Gunjur Kunkujang, Kunkujang Mariama, Rumba, Diya, Kartong, Pacholing and Sinchu Wurry. The theme…
By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Only two out of three political parties submitted their nomination forms to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) on the first day of nominations for the National Assembly elections which started on 5th March 2022. The three parties scheduled to submit their nomination forms are the Alliance for National Re-orientation and Development (ANRD), All People’s Party (APP) and Alliance for Patriotic Re-Orientation and Construction (APRC). However, only APP and APRC submitted their nomination forms to the IEC. ANRD Submits No Nomination Forms to IEC In an exclusive interview with Gainako, ANRD Admin Secretary, Mr Momodou Jallow, revealed…