The Office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) last evening issued a statement suspending all permits granted to political parties for the conduct of political activities until further notice.
According to the release, “The decision to suspend all political activity permits has been taken following violent incidents in Mankamang Kunda in Upper River Region (URR) and Busumbala in West Coast Region (WCR) on 8th and 10th January 2018 respectively.
“The Office of the IGP urges the general public to comply with this directive and warns all to desist from any form of violence. The Gambia is a democratic country where all are free to support any political party of their choice.
“The Office of the Inspector General of Police further informs the general public that investigations are underway regarding the two incidents and anyone found to have run afoul of the law would be dealt with according to the full force of the law,” the statement concluded.
The Standard has been informed that the suspension of permits for mass political activities has effectively truncated plans for the Kombo and Banjul meetings of the APRC ongoing countrywide tour.
The suspension will also affect this weekend’s planned mass rally by the UDP in Brikama as well the party’s ongoing North Bank regional tour.
