By Lamin Cham
Despite widespread assumptions that as the godfather of President Barrow he is the de factor leader of the country, Ousainou Darboe, leader of the United Democratic Party has told the BBC that he has never dictated anything to President Barrow.
Barrow resigned from the UDP to contest on a coalition ticket in the presidential election last December.
However many analysts and ordinary Gambians have said his closeness and fatherly respect for Darboe, the founding leader of the party, suggests he Darboe is influencing the presidency.
But speaking to the BBC Focus On Africa broadcast live from Banjul yesterday, Darboe denied ever dictating to the President.
Asked on the basic bread and butter concern of Gambians ever since the new government took power, example the power crisis, Mr Darboe said Gambians must be a little patient because the present government does not take impulsive or abrasive actions without proper checking.
“And we will not allow dubious companies to bring heavy fuel here at the expense of the country,” Darboe said.
Also speaking in the same programme, the Minister of Justice Ba Tambadou revealed that the type of Truth and Reconciliation Committee being prepared by the government will be tasked to take a comprehensive look at the issues of human rights abuses over the past 22 years.
“Justice is a hot topic in the Gambia now given the scale and gravity of the alleged cases of rights abuses. That’s why the type of TRC we are setting up will include compensations for victims based on their need and circumstances. This could involve not just monetary compensations but the provision of scholarships for those who lost their parents as victims of the past regime for example,” he said.
