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| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Momodou |
Posted - 09 Aug 2021 : 10:43:33
By Mayor Talib Bensouda
KMC is under siege this morning! The PIU who are good partners to the council have communicated that they are under directive from the Executive Branch to install the CEO in her office who has been put on leave via council resolution after confessing to her crimes … this attempt is to install the CEO by the use of force therefore Usurping the decision of the council!
This is a new low in our country and demonstrates why councils cannot function and how The Minister of local government continues to undermine councils autonomy. Sections of the law allow for dispute resolution between local and central government however this demonstration of brute force is an example of a dysfunctional society where rule of law doesn’t prevail.
Today for the first time in history I saw national police shove and push against Municpal Police. A great shame orchestrated by the Executive … we have called an emergency general council this morning however we will continue to exercise our powers which are directly drawn from the mandate of the people.
I call on the President of the republic who is head of the executive Branch to withdraw the police from council grounds and respect the decision of the council!
I will continue to keep all updated as the matter unravels. I urge all residents of KM to continue to keep calm as the council tries to resolve the situation amicably. |
| 3 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Momodou |
Posted - 11 Aug 2021 : 08:11:55
MINISTER DENIES ORDERING POLICE TO KMC
AUGUST 10, 2021
By Omar Bah & Aisha Tamba
https://standard.gm/minister-denies-ordering-police-to-kmc0/
The minister of local government, Musa Drammeh has told The Standard he did not order the Police Intervention Unit to the headquarters of the Kanifing Municipal Council.
Yesterday morning, more than a dozen PIU officers invaded the KMC reportedly on the orders to escort and facilitate the entry of suspended CEO Sainabou Martin Sonko. The presence of the police caused agitation and widespread condemnation among members of the staff of the municipality, the civil society and political leaders.
The police later withdrew amid strong resistance from KMC councilors and staff who expressed support to the decision by the council to suspend the CEO until investigations into her alleged financial misconduct are completed.
Asked to comment on widespread allegations that he ordered the police to the KMC premises, Minister Drammeh said. ”I did not speak to anybody from the office and did not order police to anywhere. How can I order police and not the Minister of Interior? I think the best thing is to ask the police. I understand they went there as preventative measure and they have right to that. They don’t need anybody’s permission to carry out a preventive move.”
Meanwhile, last night, the police issued a statement on the matter which reads: “The Inspector General of Police wishes to clarify unequivocally his office has not deployed its personnel to the Kanifing Municipal Council for any special mission, let alone to forcefully install the CEO as insinuated by certain individuals.
However, on Monday 9th August 2021, a section of the Police Intervention Unit was on normal routine patrols when they got credible intelligence that there is a situation at the KMC which has potential to degenerate into a conflict. As a proactive strategy in line with intelligence led policing, surveillance and monitoring was conducted to de-escalate the situation.
The public is assured that the GPF is cognisant of its constitutional mandate embedded in the 1997 constitution of the republic of The Gambia. It will uphold same in all its operations while ensuring that democratic and peaceful means of dispute resolution is adhered to in accordance with relevant laws of the land”.
With the presence of the police, scores of KMC staff stood in front of the Council’s compound and shouted ‘our money’.
But Mrs Martin Sonko said the protesting staffers are not members of the staff welfare and they are not contributing to the welfare.
The tension at the council started after its CEO Sainabou Sonko was suspended after it emerged she allegedly illegally took a D12 million loan on behalf of council staffers. The decision to suspend Mrs Sonko and the council finance director was reached at a council meeting of elected representatives led by Mayor Bensouda.
But a few days later, the Ministry of Local Government in a letter addressed to Mayor Bensouda, said the action of the council to suspend Mrs Martin Sonko was illegal and ordered for her to be allowed back.
However, when Mrs Sonko returned to the council last week she was barred from entering the premises by the KMC security officers.
Yesterday, the suspended CEO returned to the council accompanied by scores of PIU officers who were there to forcefully return her to work. A brief brawl ensued between the Police Intervention Unit personnel and agents of the KMC police.
Scores of KMC staff stood in front of the KMC compound and shouted ‘our money’.
But Mrs Martin Sonko said the protesting staffers are not members of the staff welfare and they are not contributing to the welfare.
GFA
Meanwhile, the Gambia For All party has warned that the escalating corruption saga at the KMC is tarnishing the country’s international reputation.
“Both parties involved are reminded that the issue of official corruption is the number one concern of the majority of Gambians. It has gotten so serious that it is beginning to tarnish the country’s international reputation, and thereby affecting our relations with key development partners,” GFA said in a statement.
Mai Fatty
The Gambia Moral Congress leader, Mai Fatty said he supports KM Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda’s stance in the council corruption saga.
The former Interior Minister, who was there to show solidarity, urged the ministry to allow fair investigations to proceed.
“I would crave the indulgence of the officers impugned to stay away until the investigations are fully completed. That is what will serve the interest of The Gambia, that is what will serve the interest of KMC. All of us public officials including the mayor and I commend the mayor’s fight against corruption. And I support his stance to fight against official corruption,” he said.
Youth councilor
Meanwhile, the KM youth councilor Kemo Bojang has announced that he has proposed for the Council to sue CEO Sainabou Martin Sonko and local government minister Musa Drammeh for interference.
“I have moved a motion in our emergency general council sitting for the CEO to be sued for trespass after trying to enter council 3 times even after suspension and also the minister be sued for costing the KMC and Gambia millions after disrupting a whole day’s work,” he wrote on his Facebook page. |
| Momodou |
Posted - 10 Aug 2021 : 07:56:31
KMC Condemns Return Of CEO Sonko to Work
Foroyaa: August 9, 2021
Burning Issues
By Makutu Manneh
https://foroyaa.net/kmc-condemns-return-of-ceo-sonko-to-work/
Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda and councilors of the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) have condemned what they called the forceful installation of the Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Sainabou Martin Sonko, into her office on Monday morning by paramilitary officers.
This development followed the ongoing deadlock amid KMC and the ministry of lands.
This has caused chaos in the council as it paralysed the daily activities of KMC. The garbage collection trucks were assembled in front of the council’s premises and staffs of the council were seen roaming and complaining while others were standing in dilemma.
There was tight security at the KMC gate. The municipal police were seen outside and within the council’s compound.
“7am, I came to work and found two pickups of paramilitary officers at the KMC gate, when I asked the KMC commissioner of police what they were doing here, he said according to the commander in charge of the officers they have received an executive directive to forcefully install CEO Sonko in her office,” said Mayor Talib Bensouda.
On Monday morning, Mayor Talib Bensouda took to his official Facebook page to announce his-led council had been besieged. He further wrote that forcefully putting the CEO into her office by PIU personnel was usurping the decision of the council. Bensouda said such action demonstrates why councils cannot function and how the ministry of local government continues to undermine councils’ autonomy.
The council’s staff association president Modou Njie said they converged that morning and decided to go on a sit-down strike because they believed that their lives were in danger.
“As staff of the council, we reported to work and found paramilitary with their full gear at the gate. We called for an emergency meeting. We wanted to go on a sit-down strike because we believed our lives were in danger and which authority sent the PIU should have used another mechanism,” he said.
The mayor and his councilors said they are not denying the investigative team from the ministry of local government entry, but the CEO and co who are currently on leave through the council resolution. However, before the council ended its general council meeting, a team of the investigation team from the ministry of local government arrived.
President of Gambia association of local government authorities, Landing B. Sanneh, President of Gambia Bar Association, Salieu Taal, and President of TANGO, John Charles Njie, were present at the council to show solidarity with KMC. The councilors want those accused of corruption at the council to adhere to the council’s resolution until the investigation is concluded.
Meanwhile on Monday 26 July 2021, Mayor Bensouda held a press conference where he dilated on the discovery of an alleged financial fraud involving KMC CEO, Mrs. Martin Sonko and Dr. Alieu Keita, Director of Finance.
He said it was discovered that Mrs. Sonko was involved in illegal transactions without lawful authorization to the tune of D12 million and that the money was used to acquire a property. |
| Momodou |
Posted - 09 Aug 2021 : 10:48:22
To Invade KMC by Force is an Act of Abuse of Power by the Executive
By Madi Jobarteh
The deployment of armed police to the KMC to forcefully install the CEO who has been put under suspension by the General Council for alleged corruption is a clear indication of abuse of power and dictatorship by the Executive. The Executive cannot dictate to the local governments how they should govern themselves especially when an area council is acting within its lawful powers.
All residents of KM, all citizens of the Gambia, CSOs, political parties and businesses should condemn this act of dictatorship by the Executive without delay. The National Assembly should summon the Minister of Lands, Regional Governments to tell him that he is overstepping his bounds.
The Executive should be told to uphold democracy and good governance principles by resorting to the Courts to address differences. But by sending the armed police to impose their will means the Executive has taken the law into its own hands in total disregard of the due process. This tantamount to dictatorship, abuse of power and interfering with local governments.
The KMC General Council has taken a decision which they think is lawful according to the Local Government Act. If the Executive thinks their action is unlawful according to the same law, the only place for the Executive to establish who is right or wrong is the Courts. But the Executive cannot determine on its own that it is right as if they are the Courts.
Hence a Government that is committed to democracy and good governance would have gone to the Courts first to get a declaration and an order in its favour to have the CEO installed, if it thinks it is right. If the Courts decide otherwise, then the Executive must also respect that decision as well.
The Gambia is not supposed to be a dictatorship. The Gambia is not a monarchy. Pes. Adama Barrow is not a king or emperor of the Gambia. Minister Musa Drammeh is not a sultan, duke or baron of the Gambia such that he thinks he has the powers to impose his will on public institutions such as KMC as if such institutions are his fiefdom or personal property. That Yaya Jammeh kind of thinking must be condemned, smashed and buried for good.
This action by the Executive is unconstitutional, illegal and contravenes every aim and objective of the national decentralisation agenda and the overall good governance of the Gambia.
I urge KMC to immediately take the Executive Court to seek a declaration that the deployment of PIU into KMC is illegal and should be removed. I urge the National Assembly to convene an extra-ordinary session to discuss this matter and to pass a motion of censure on Minister Musa Drammeh to sack him from office for violation of the Constitution, abuse of office and gross misconduct. Musa Drammeh must be told that he does not own the Gambia.
For The Gambia Our Homeland
Related Topic: https://www.gambia.dk/forums/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17730 |
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