Gambia: Rohey Malick Lowe, Bjl Mayoral aspirant

With Alagie Manneh

Beginning this week and given the crowded field of contestants aspiring to become Mayor in Banjul and the KMC, The Standard will begin the countdown to the crucial local government election with regular unveiling of candidates and their programmes.

To be called the Mayors’ Podium, the column will bring updates on personalities, processes and information on the election until a mayor is elected in both Banjul and Kanifing.
In this maiden edition, we introduce Rohey Malick Lowe, the first woman to aspire the office of Mayor of Banjul courtesy of ‘Team Rohey’ her campaign group.

For the first time in the history of the Gambia, a woman is aspiring to become mayor of the capital city. While many may be tempted to think this may have to do with the ever growing wind of change and new found democracy, or just chaff in the wind, it is very fair to state that Rohey Lowe’s aspiring candidature to head the Banjul City Council is already making waves around the capital and causing politicians and pundits to sit up straight.For the first time in the history of the Gambia, a woman is aspiring to become mayor of the capital city.

While many may be tempted to think this may have to do with the ever growing wind of change and new found democracy, or just chaff in the wind, it is very fair to state that Rohey Lowe’s aspiring candidature to head the Banjul City Council is already making waves around the capital and causing politicians and pundits to sit up straight. For a start she has the history; she grew up a mayor’s daughter.

Her father the late Alhagie Malick Lowe was the most pragmatic in Banjul’s history who historically built the modern Albert Market from the cluster of stalls abandoned by the colonialists. But even if this is not an advantage for a head start, the woman’s own lion hearted and self driven die-hard spirit is enough to catapult her to a potential threat to this male dominated crowded Banjul mayor arena for next April.Rohey, in her forties, is a forceful character who never abandoned or quit a job unfinished.

“In this desire to take the BCC Rohey simply wants to wake Banjul up, and direct the city and its inhabitants to catch up with the dynamic opportunities that’s are abound and are accessible bring the back to relevance as a capital. Her cardinal principle is Banjul for Banjulians and with this she means that the primary beneficiaries of all the goodies that Banjul produce, in terms of jobs, business opportunities and other economic and educational benefits should  first benefit Banjulians,” said Macoumba Sanneh, campaign manager of ‘Team Rohey’.The Campaign says Rohey is determine to give Banjul a facelift and that encompasses all areas, education, health, infrastructure, employment, all delivered through her youth and women empowerment scheme.

A Rohey Lowe BCC, her Campaign says, will empower and expose youths and the women to business opportunities such as exporting and importing of edible, cosmetics and other Banjul products such as fish, pottery, jewelries to and from the region; revive culture and other products such as festivals to make Banjul an attractive sight seeing spot for tourists: help revive the school feeding programme and facilitate scholarship programs for Banjul students as well as introduce a proper  birth recording system at the Council with  a strong follow up procedure that will ensure all children reaching school going age are traced and sent to school; religious festivals will be given more support and meaning and the BCC will support Banjulians of any faith  who wish to go for religious festivals outside The Gambia example Magaals at Touba or Christian festivals.

According to Team Rohey, when elected, Rohey will also put together all competent Banjul citizens with knowledge in sports to revive the strong sporting culture of the city; BCC under Rohey will reintroduce the then popular street pumping and mass oral vaccination of children against worms call Nandal, to enhance sanitation in the city and guarantee the well being of the children.

”According to Team Rohey, the woman aspiring to take the BCC is a mixture of both a firm and assertive character and a very compassionate person passionate about charity and other humanitarian causes she believed in.”She paid for all my school fees at university and I know of others at other schools,” a first ear student at UTG remarked. A respected Imam who presided over a local mosque in her community in Kotu spoke of her on numerous occasions Rohey handsomely donated to repair works and other needs of the Mosque.

Though Rohey ‘s team has not yet disclosed which party she will run for, (her Team- Rohey entourage consists of supporters of different parties) she is known to be a respected admirer of the United Democratic Party UDP. “As for which party or ticket she will go for, that will come later; what is important is the character and suitability of the candidate and Rohey Lowe surely fit the bill not just as the first woman mayor of Banjul but a worthy servant confident of attending to the needs of the people of Banjul,”campaign Manager Macounba Sanneh concluded.

Personal DataRohey Malick Lowe

Education1976 to 1983

Campama Primay School          St Joseph’s High School

 1983-88   Campus Nykoping College Sweden 2012- 15 Selected as  member of the Nykoping  Municipality.

2015        Awarded for contributions to child-  care and education Nykoping  Municipality.

2015-17   Studied International Relations – University of Dalama, Sweden

Professional experience

1988                  Receptionists- African Village Hotel

1990                  Controller Novotel Kombo Beach

1993/96             Travelled abroad

1996                 Started business and politics

1997                 Established business, Wakuer Rohey

August 2017   Announced interest to run for Mayor of Banjul and will not take salary.