By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
Currently, the Gambia has only one National Assembly Member (NAM) from the Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) community. This is Nominated NAM Hon Ndey Yassin Secka, unfortunately, she will not be contesting for another term. Our reporter’s inquiry with the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) has confirmed that only one candidate from the PWDs community and 19 women will be contesting in the upcoming 9th April 2022 Parliamentary Elections.
The only PWD candidate named, Mr Lamin Manneh from Sukuta granted an interview to Gainako Online News. Mr Manneh will be contesting for the Sanneh Mentereng NAM seat currently occupied by Hon Baba Galleh Jallow who defected from the United Democratic Party to the President’s National Peoples Party (NPP). Hon Jallow will be seeking another term via an NPP ticket.
During our interview with Mr Manneh, he explained that he will be contesting as an Independent Candidate. Mr Manneh says he was born and raised in Sukuta. His mother is from Sukuta and his father is from Brufut which are both within the Sanneh Mentereng Constituency.
Manneh says that he contributed “immensely” towards the passing of the Disability Bill through his advocacy work in the PWDs community on radios programs and more. Manneh recalls how he held programs in four different radio stations. According to his narration, his efforts in securing scholarships for both abled and disabled persons has reaped rewards with one of them now a practising Doctor.
Although he is physically challenged and wheelchair-bound, Manneh completed further studies and worked in State House. According to his biography Mr Manneh completed his basic education in 1985, obtained a certificate in Communication from the British Telecommunications School in Banjul in 1987 and secured a HND in Communication from MDI. Mr Manneh’s biography states that he also studied Human Resource Management.
“Do not see me as a physically challenged person, or a disabled man. I believe in one thing disability is not inability and I believe, together we can make a difference” says the indefatigable Manneh. He reminded our reporter that “no Parliamentarian or government civil servant is doing their work with their leg but they are using their brains and hands to work and that’s exactly what I have”.
Mr Manneh’s biography impresses that he is “considered as the first handicap to” encourage PWDs to drive which encouraged other PWDs to take up the wheel.
With regards to work experience, Mr Manneh says that he worked at the country’s National Telecommunications Network, Gamtel as a Communication Officer at Quadrangle. He also worked at the State House and says that he has “working experience with all three regimes in the Gambia”.
In his view, equal access to education and the budget [national cake] is key for all Gambians including PWDs. “No matter am on the wheelchair, I was the head of Digital Satellite Communication doing monitoring and evaluating all Communications coming into State House” until when he retired in 2019. This gives him the confidence that there is no office that he cannot occupy and deliver.
In his advocacy work, Mr Manneh “was the founder and secretary-general of (NODO) National Organization for Disables and Orphans” and is “also serving as the Chairman of (DPO) Disabled People Organization”. That’s not all. Mr Manneh is also “the Secretary-General to (GFD) Gambia Federation for Disables” where he heads “(DAU) Disability Advocacy Unit”.
Mr Manneh believes that with his experience as a Civil Servant and Civil Society advocate he will be able to provide his quota in National Building. In his view, the Sanneh Mentereng ward is being completely neglected because they don’t have the right representation in Parliament.
According to the Civil Society Advocate he is the first PWD to participate in politics directly. He believes that he knows the problems of Sanneh Mentereng ward. When voted as the Sanneh Mentereng NAM Mr Manneh promises to unite the community and address tribalism. One of his main focus is also to eradicate segregation, particularly between abled and PWDs. He plans to engage the Village Development Committees to address their challenges in order to provide better services to the people of Sanneh Mentereng.
Mr Manneh bemoaned the cost of living which he believes cannot be compared with the cost of living in the first republic. He pledged to continue his human rights advocacy and to lobby for funding for health centres in his constituency.