Ebou Secka


>From: Joe Sambou <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: The Gambia and related-issues mailing list <[log in to unmask]> >To: [log in to unmask] >Subject: Banjul Mayor Elect Snubbed >Date: Mon, 13 May 2002 20:06:53 +0000 > >Buharry, it seems like our fears were reasonable and the chickens >have come >home to roost - APRC at its best. Many on this list have stated >that one >cannot be independent in thought and work in Jammeh's cabinet, and >the happy >camp labeled us as disgruntled and sore losers. Well, why is Mafy >dodging >Pa Sallah? This is the same Mafy that Pa Sallah mentioned on the >eve of his >victory as a very good friend. Although my political leaning is >opposed to >Mafy's, I however, expected him to respect the people's wishes, >remember, >like he used to tell opposition supporters on the L, after the >Presidential >elections. Having lived outside of the Gambia and exposed to better >governance standards, I also expected for him to at the very least >meet with >Mr. Jeng to begin the transition process. Please read on. > >From the independent > >Banjul’s new Mayor yet to assume office > >The handing over of the Banjul Mayorship is being mired in mystery >as >reports speak of unexplained delays and intolerance for Mayor-elect >Pa >Sallah Jeng. Pa Sallah Jeng who as an independent candidate caused a >major >electoral upset by claiming the city’s Mayorship in the April 25th >local >government election has been left desperately contemplating when he >would to >be sworn-in and formally handed over the city’s mantle of >leadership, which >he claimed from an APRC candidate, tipped as favourite for the post. >Reports >suggest that since Jeng was elected, a state of isolation and >indifference >has been applied on him by the relevant authorities who should >facilitate >the transition process. > >Reports described how Jeng has been placed in a ‘situation of twist >and turn >like a common job seeker’. ‘This is undone. He won the city and he >is the >Mayor. So why all this delay and isolation. There are a lot of >things that >he has to do and they are definitely wasting his time. This is >sabotage’ an >angry supporter of the Mayor-elect protested. When contacted on >Thursday >Jeng explained that he had visited the Department of Local >Government and >Lands over his assumption of office but was told that the Secretary >of State >Manlaffy Jarju had traveled out of the country. According to him, >upon SOS >Jarju’s return, he again tried to meet him but was told upon arrival >at the >department last Thursday, that it was impossible for him to meet the >SOS at >that moment. > >He said he was told that SoS Jarju was quite indisposed to meet him >because >he was engaged in a closed-door meeting. As I speak with The >Independent >now, I am expecting a call from them to inform me of when to visit >Jarju’ a >dejected-sounding but calmly mannered Mayor Jeng said last week. >Asked how >he felt about the whole situation, Jeng said, ‘I don’t want to feel >aggrieved at this point. It’s good to be patient, so I will not make >an >issue out of it at the moment but whatever the outcome of the >meeting, the >people will know’. > >The out-of-office Mayor said he has been rescheduled to meet Jarju >tomorrow >Tuesday May 14. According to him, the SOS had earlier told him that >he was >on his first day at work after a travel, and could not therefore >have an >audience with him. Meanwhile as he stays in the wilderness there >have also >been reports of some confusion in the running of Banjul market. When >he was >asked about the issue, Mayor-elect Jeng said he was just being >hinted on it >by somebody and lamented that he could not take action because he >was not >yet in office. > >Honourable Halifa Sallah the National Assembly member for Serrekunda >Central >when contacted over the abnormality of the Banjul Mayorship handing >over, >posited that ‘in making laws one has to indicate very clearly when >certain >actions should take place. For example, when one deals with the >executive, >the constitution says that the president assumes office two months >after >elections’. In the case of the Local Government Act Halifa recalled >that it >was gazetted on April 23 and few days before the election it reached >the >National Assembly under a certificate of urgency. > >He said the Bill was not properly scrutinised to ensure that there >was a >proper provision for a smooth political succession. He said there is >no law >stipulating that a Mayor or councilor should assume office at a >given time. >He further said there must be an amendment to the act for the first >sitting >of the council after a local government election. He said on the >other hand >an administrative decision for the inauguration of the council >should be >taken as a matter of convenience. > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ >Send and receive Hotmail on your mobile device: >http://mobile.msn.com > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ > >To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the >Gambia-L Web interface >at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html >To contact the List Management, please send an e-mail to: >[log in to unmask] > >~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~