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The United Democratic Party (UDP) is in a state of mourning after one of its high powered members answered God’s call. Alhaji Karamo Fatty, who was the party’s chairman for the North Bank Region and also for the Central Badibou Constituency, passed away Wednesday, the 30th March 2011, in his home village of Salikene.

The United Democratic Party delegation to the funeral was led by the Secretary General and Party leader, Alhaji Ousainou Darboe and accompanied among other members including the Party’s Senior Administrative Secretary, Alhaji Ebraima Manneh, Campaign Manager Mr. Lamin Dibba, Vice chairman Alhaji Ngansunding Keita and members of the Party’s Elders’ Committee and National Executive Committee.

In a flurry of speeches after the funeral, the various speakers homed in on the deceased’s selflessness, altruism, hardworking and his devotion to Islam.

Lawyer Ousainou Darboe stated that Alhaji Karamo's passing is not only a loss to the people of Salikene and Badibou but also to the UDP. ‘We at the UDP will miss his candour, his straight talking and fearlessness. He was one of the guiding lights of the party since its inception in 1996 and for this he suffered all types of trials and tribulations’ Darboe told the mourners. He also recalled how in 1996 Alhagi Karamo was arrested and detained in Jangjangbureh and again in 2001 following the death of the National Assembly member for that Constituency, the late Hon. Abou Karamba Gassama.

These trials and tribulations did not deter Alhaji Karamo’s steadfastness and loyalty in the UDP. Rather, he upped his efforts and activities as UDP Chairman of NRR and the Badibou Central Constituency. He was also a member of the party's Central Committee, of which he worked tirelessly.

The eloquence and affable of the late Alhagie Karamo will be sorely missed by all at the UDP.
For some of us whose homes he visited, we will miss his croaky voice and imposing stature and patent grey beard.

A mammoth crowd of mourners poured in from surrounding villages and towns including Farafenni and Kerewan as well as from Banjul and the Kombos, and accompanied the remains of the deceased to its final resting place in the town cemetery, where he was interred on Thursday, the 31^st March 2011.

May his soul rest in peace.

(Reporting by Ebou Manneh, Senior Admin. Secretary, editing by Femi Peters Jnr.)