By Olimatou Coker
Fatoumatou Jammeh-Jeng, a young activist, has declared she will run in April’s National Assembly elections for Serekunda constituency.
Disclosing this to The Standard, Mrs Jammeh-Jeng said democracy should not only stop at empowering women with a right to vote but include a right for them to be voted for and be elected into public office.
“I have an interest to serve my community Serekunda which is very dear to my heart because that is where I was born and grew up. When you observe the trend of politics in the community, you will discover a lot of grassroots issues that can only be addressed when they are exposed and highlighted. This includes lack of good roads, unemployment, sanitation and security among others,” she said.
She noted that to overcome some of these challenges, Serekunda needs to have facilities like streetlights for security purposes, community policing and random security patrols.
“I think from my experience and orientation, I have what it takes to execute the three main mandates of an MP which are law-making, oversight and representation. I have the capacity to formulate plans and suggest solutions to all the issues in my constituency”, she said.
She said she wants to use her candidacy to inspire and enlighten young Gambia women to be part of the governing and decision making processes in The Gambia.
“There is an old adage which says older people declare war but it is the young who must fight and die. So lets get up, go out and take up our responsibilities and grab our rights,” she noted.
Mrs Jammeh – Jeng attended t SOS Herman Gmeiner Technical Senior Secondary School and the University of The Gambia. She also has a bachelor’s degree in science and logistics management at the regional maritime university in Ghana. An active member of Young African Leadership Initiative, Mrs Jammeh- Jeng is also member of African Women in Maritime, co-founder of Gambia First as well as a founder and CEO of Single Mothers Scheme.
