By Omar Bah
A retired Gambian-US military officer has written to Ecowas urging the regional body to advise the Gambia Government to reconsider its inquiry into local councils.
Sergeant Major Ebrima Manneh said the commission may be legal but it indicates the resurgence of the old dictatorial tendencies using the government systems, mainly the judiciary and security forces to target opponents.
In his letter seen by The Standard, Major Manneh wrote: “I want to utilise this opportunity as a stakeholder to express the concerns and distress of the Gambian citizens who feel that the groups targeted by the commission are effectively working and serving the interests of the people. The citizens consider the moves by the government unfair and a mere witch hunt. The citizens further express that the government of the Gambia remained silent on many allegations of corruption at higher level and involving far more colossal amounts. The Gambians and stakeholders request your intervention to prevent this and other poor governance practices from derailing democratisation and stability in the sub-region and Africa. After ending 22 years of brutality and dictatorship, the people deserve to live under the rule of law instead of returning to a rule by law, which promotes injustice, derails diversity, and is a setback to warranted reconciliation after the dictatorship”.
