By Tabora Bojang & Mariama Jallow
The National Assembly yesterday officially declared two sitting legislators expelled by the opposition Gambia Democratic Congress as independent. It comes after the party wrote to the clerk of the National Assembly informing the House of its decision to expel Salifu Jawo of Jokadu and Kebba Jallow of Jarra Central.
The party accused the lawmakers of being unpatriotic over their alleged shifting of allegiance to President Adama Barrow, an archrival of GDC leader Mamma Kandeh.
The Speaker of the National Assembly, Mariam Jack-Denton, said the Assembly accepted the party’s communiqué on the two expulsions.
She informed the expelled lawmakers that their seating arrangements will henceforth be changed to distinguish them from GDC to independent National Assembly Members.
Shortly after the session, one of the expelled NAMs, now independent Salifu Jawo, renewed his criticism of the GDC leader Mamma Kandeh, accusing him of interference in his parliamentary work.
“I don’t care about Mamma Kandeh. I only care about the people of Jokadu whom I am representing here in Parliament,” Jawo stated.
He warned that the GDC will die a natural death over what he called “mass defections of supporters” because Kandeh is “not leading” as expected. “He [Kandeh] is going to see fire in the coming elections,” Jawo warned. Also commenting on the matter, Kebba Jallow of Jarra Central said the expulsion did not come as a surprise, likening Kandeh’s leadership style to former president Jammeh’s “dictatorship.”
“I have always been attributed to be supporting development programmes brought to the House which the GDC considers as President Adama Barrow’s development agenda, not knowing members are free from party affiliation when debating on national issues. We are here to represent all Gambians, not one party’s agenda,” he stated.
