By Omar Bah
Hundreds of Kassa Kunda residents yesterday mobilised themselves to show solidarity with the dismissed village alkalo.
Alkalo Cherno Sabally was dismissed last week by the West Coast Region Governor’s office.
Yesterday, the villagers called a press conference at the village school grounds demanding the government to immediately reverse the Governor’s decision. The governor’s letter, seen by The Standard didn’t give reasons for the sacking but the alkalo said when he was invited by the Chief about his dismissal, he was told that Sana Sabally and others requested for him to be removed because he is blind.
Addressing journalists yesterday, the dismissed alkalo, Cherno Sabally said the governor’s office has no justification to dismiss him because he is still mentally capable to exercise his duties as alkalo.
He thanked the villagers for standing by him and assured them that he is behind them and would do whatever they advised. The alkalo said he has been serving for six years with his blindness but never had issues.
All the villagers who spoke at the meeting said they are behind the alkalo and will do everything humanly possible to defend him.
“We have a very good relationship with the alkalo of Kassa Kunda. He is always careful with details and he has never discriminated against the Manjago community. Whenever you come to him about a plan to sell a land, he will ask you about details of the land and to ascertain that you own the land about to be sold,” Muhammed Mendy, a member of the Manjago community, said.
The village youth and sport president and VDC spokesperson urged the government to address the issue and avoid creating conflict in the village that has been known for its unity.
The Standard enquired from friends and associates to locate and get Sana Sabally’s version but the former AFPRC junta vice chairman is said to be out of the country.
