The leader of the Gambia Democratic Congress, Mamma Kandeh, said the appointment of ‘convicts such as Ousainou Darboe who has unsuccessfully exhausted all legal appeals to clear his record of criminal conviction’ is ‘unconstitutional’.
GDC said this in a statement issued on Tuesday on range of issues affecting the country.
Below is the entire statement:
The Gambia Democratic Congress party and its leader honorable Mamma Kandeh wish to put to task the government of the gambia on current and partinent issues affecting the gambia and her citizens.
First among the issues is the recent cabinet reshuffle. In as much as section 71 and 72 of the constitution has given the president the powers to appoint and relieve cabinet members this should however be done with certain sensitivities in mind such as being gender and competent sensitive.
The porfolio of women affairs is best administered by our highly educated and competent women who constitute over 50% of our population. There currently are only two women in cabinet out of 18 ministries this show serious setback of recent gains in women empowerment and gender equity.
The reshuffle is also a betrayal for those that sacrificed their whole and wealth by appointing ministers from the previous government to your cabinet when you are on the record during your first press conference saying you have enough talent and manpower in the coalation to help you run a government that will mirror the New Gambia.
Your inconsistancy and betrayal of the ideals and aspirations of the new gambia are so apperent and i will leave it to the Gambian people to judge. The appointment of Mamburry Njie as finance minister while still lingering in and out of the Janneh Commission is a total disregard to the judicial process. I am urging government to respect the judicial commission they themself constituted by recindìng this appointment.
We remind the government that there hundreds of highly educated and competent Gambians both here and abroad to serve as finance minister.
I am of the view that the appointment as vice president of convicts such as Ousainou Darboe who has unsuccessfully exhausted all legal appeals to clear his record of criminal conviction as unconstitutional
We are not aware of any presidential pardon or an amendment to section 62 clearing for the appointment to cabinet of individual with record of criminal conviction.
On the issue of security or the lack of it, i and the rest of the Gambian population are being increasingly worried especially after the recent murders in tanji and brikama and the reported storming of the brikama police station by civilians is sliding our country further in the slope of insecurity and lawlessness.
Recent events at the janneh commission and the corruption allegations are further eroding the minute confidence gambians had in you anti corruption drive if it ever was.
On the current and ongoing land and environmental disputes from sanyang, kartong, gunjur, taneneh, faraba and areas of niamina am calling on the government to swiftly constitute a land commission to solve and avert land disputes emanating from confisication of farm lands used by some families for over seven decades.
Of recent, The Gambia is experiencing an unprecedented rise in diesel and petrol prices nearing 55 dalasis per liter much higher than our neighbouring countries. There has not been a decrease in the price of rice, oil and potatoes as promised by the Barrow government during political campaign.
In conclusion, i am urging the Government to prioritize the security of our Gambian citizen and residents, address land issues, drop all charges against the innocent Gunjur environmental activist.
We also need justice for the Faraba victims with the view to prevent future incident.
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