By Omar Bah
Talib Bensouda’s Unite for Change Movement has firmly dismissed allegations circulating on social media and opposition-linked platforms suggesting that his political campaign will receive foreign funding from Lebanon and Morocco.
A few weeks ago, a vocal member of Bensouda’s camp, Lamin Camara, openly claimed that Bensouda is a nephew of the Moroccan king and has wealthy backers including Lebanese.
Contacted for comments on the issue by The Standard, Mayor Bensouda referred us to Kemo Bojang, a founding member of his political movement.
Bojang, a municipal councillor from Bakau who quit the UDP over the weekend stated: “We are fully aware of what the electoral laws of The Gambia state regarding foreign financing and interference in our politics, and we remain committed to being law-abiding citizens who uphold those rules. At the same time, we must also be careful not to encourage or promote xenophobia in our political discourse”.
He said their movement is open to “all Gambians regardless of heritage, background, or family roots” and that once “you are Gambian and you believe in this cause, your support, whether in cash, in kind, or in person, is both welcome and valued”.
A source close to the Moroccan embassy in The Gambia told The Standard: “It [Camara’s claims] are not true. We have no contact about that. Morocco’s foreign policy is based on non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, especially when it comes to their internal elections”.
