Author: 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 Yesterday, 13th October 2023, Gainako Online Newspaper published an article about a missing girl aged eight years old from Tallinding Kunjang. I’m delighted to announce today 14th October 2023, that after our publication the young girl named Isatou Drammeh was found at Abuko Police Station where she was eventually picked up by her family members. To close this case down, our medium has made enquiries to know what circumstances the girl was found in, if she was hurt in any way and if the person who allegedly abducted her has been identified or apprehended. As soon…

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By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT An eight-year-old girl named Isatou Drammeh has been reported missing from Tallinding Kunjang, near Langko Nursery School today. Family members say Isatou pictured in the photo was wearing a white blouse and a wrapper around her waist commonly known as “mallan”. According to other children she was playing with outside, around 15:00 hrs to 16:00 hrs on 13th October 2023 while playing with her friends a man approached the children, called them over and grabbed hold of her hand. It’s said that the man asked her to accompany her to the main road and in return…

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By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The United Nations, The Gambia officially launched the Human Rights 75, an initiative commemorating the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) on 10th October 2023. This also marked the start of a countdown to 75 Years since the UDHR was launched back on 10th December 1948. The event which was graced by dignitaries from Government Institutions, Civil Society and school children, started with an opening ceremony which featured musical performances from a school choir. UN Committed to Human Rights in The Gambia First to address the delegates in attendance was the UN Resident Coordinator for The…

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By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The Gambia Parliamentary Newsletter (GPN) has been reliably informed that the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) previously made available for elected members to implement projects in their constituency will be increased to D500,000 and also be available to nominated members. Since Parliament gained autonomy in 2021, the National Assembly’s Authority has been in charge of Parliament’s financial administration, making decisions on the vehicles Parliamentarians are to receive and the CDF. Since the implementation of the CDF elected members with constituents could apply to implement projects to the tune of D300,000. However, for 2023 this amount has been…

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By Yusef Taylor and Biran Gaye Looking Back: Selected Debates on Failed Draft Constitution Back on 22nd September 2020, The Gambia’s Fifth Legislature voted against passing the Draft Constitution which would have ushered in the Third Republic if Gambians voted for it in an eventual referendum. However, as faith would have it, the people’s representatives voted against passing the Draft Constitution on its Second Reading which would have laid the foundation for the raft of reforms promised back in 2016 when President Adama Barrow defeated former President Jammeh. A divided National Assembly with one-half affiliated with the incumbent’s National Peoples…

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By Yusef Taylor with input from Kalipha MM Mbye This is a feature publication on The Gambia’s Constitution which features answers by Kalipha MM Mbye, the Deputy Clerk (Legal and Procedural Matters) at the National Assembly of The Gambia. In Gainako’s continuous quest to contribute towards the Constitution building process, our latest publication aims at defining a constitution in The Gambian context and how it can be amended. This article highlights how many Constitutions The Gambia has had and how many times the current one has been amended. What is a Constitution? A constitution is simply defined as the ‘Supreme…

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By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT Women’s Association for Victims’ Empowerment (WAVE) and partners Peace Hub and Amnesty International KM Group commemorated International Peace Day earlier today 21st September 2023. This year’s International Peace Day is themed “Action for Peace: Our Ambitions for the Global Goals”. WAVE is a Civil Society Organisation which works on the Transitional Justice process with an emphasis on women victims. The organisation recently concluded a two-day community paralegal training at the start of September 2023. The group of advocates met up at Cape Point Beach where they started with a discussion with a group of women and…

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By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_Y The Gambia’s National Assembly have passed a motion to commit the Anti-Corruption Bill, 2019 (ACB) to the Reconsideration Stage on the day it was expected to be passed after its Third Reading on 20th September 2023. After the Chair of the Finance and Public Accounts Committee (FPAC) moved a motion for clause 76 on Prosecution of Offenses to be revised the Bill was committed to Parliament’s Assembly Business Committee (ABC) to reschedule it for a review. A number of other clauses were also recommended to be reviewed; however, some were rejected while others were approved for…

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By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The latest Gambia Parliamentary Newsletter (GPN) published today 19th September 2023 highlights some of the most eventful moments from the Sixth Legislature’s Third Ordinary Session of the 2023 Legislative Year. Hot on the heels of our previous newsletter focused on the Draft Constitution this edition highlights two “Matters of the Day” tabled by Parliamentarians on the shocking killing of two Police Officers and a Parliamentarian’s call for the law banning Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) to be repealed. Download the latest edition in the link. https://gainako.com/download/200771/?tmstv=1695150964 Hon Sillah Withdraws Four Motions In our previous edition, we published a…

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By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT The much anticipated Anti-Corruption Bill 2019 will be read for the third time tomorrow Wednesday 20th September 2023. The Anti-Corruption Bill went through the consideration stage on Thursday 14th September 2023. The Speaker for the day, Deputy Speaker Hon Seedy SK Njie, mistakenly stated that the Bill would be read for the third time on “Tuesday 20th June 2023” which we have been informed was a slip of the tongue. You can watch the video in the link below. https://fb.watch/n9dc-KKB4t/ After speaking to a Deputy Clerk in Parliament we have been informed that the Bill will…

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