Gambia’s President-elect Adama Barrow is set to swear in today at the Gambian embassy in Senegal’s capital, Dakar, as last-ditch mediation efforts by regional leaders to convince embattled President Yahya Jammeh to step down ahead of the inauguration failed overnight.
Meanwhile, media sources indicate that after Barrow’s swearing in, ECOWAS troops led by soldiers from Senegal will descend on the tiny West African state and seek to install Barrow who won a December 1 election against President Jammeh.
Jammeh lost elections last month, but wants the results annulled citing errors in the electoral process, and has since filed a case with the Supreme Court.
However, Edward Anthony Gomez, the lawyer who filed the case, has fled Gambia for neighbouring Senegal, and implored Jammeh to relinquish power.
FINANCES TO BE PROBED: Former Gambian leader Yahya Jammeh
Seven international journalists planning to report on the inauguration of Gambia’s president-elect Adama Barrow were denied entry to the country on January 16, prompting reaction from journalist lobby group, the Committee to Protect Journalists.
“The legitimacy of the Gambian government strongly depends on the press being allowed to report on the country’s political transition,” said Peter Nkanga, CPJ’s West Africa representative, adding: “We call on authorities to allow all journalists to freely cover events in Gambia.”
Immigration officers denied entry to four journalists from the Chinese CGTN television station, based in Nairobi, Kenya; two Swedes from the photo agency Kontinent; and a Senegalese photographer from Agence France-Presse, who had all flown in from Dakar.
Officials questioned the journalists, who had stated their profession on a form when they arrived, before sending them back to Senegal three hours later on the grounds that they did not have accreditation.
“They said we didn’t have our accreditation although we had applied for one before travelling to the country. We were told to come and pay in person,” one of the journalists, who requested anonymity, was quoted as saying.
Gambia is experiencing a tense political transition after the outgoing president, Yahya Jammeh, refused to concede defeat in December elections.
Jammeh has declared a 90-day state of emergency, citing ‘the unprecedented and extraordinary amount of foreign interference’ in the elections, which he lost to opposition leader Adama Barrow.
The regional group, Economic Community of West African States, has pledged to uphold the election result, and said it has troops on standby should Jammeh refuse to step down.
Since the election, Gambia has expelled at least five other journalists, while two Gambian journalists, who asked to remain anonymous out of concerns for their safety, told CPJ the mood in the country is tense after the resignation of several government ministers and the vice president. Thousands of civilians have fled Gambia, amid possible military intervention by African governments.
THREATENED TO BLOCK AID DELIVERY IN REBEL-HELD AREAS: South Sudan presidential spokesperson Ateny Wek Ateny.
About a dozen officials of the SPLM-In Opposition faction allied to former South Sudan First Vice President Riek Machar defected to the Juba government this week.
The officials, who include a major general, former Unity state lawmakers and members of South Sudan’s transitional national assembly, said they left Khartoum Thursday to join the national dialogue that President Salva Kiir initiated last month. Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny said the government will receive any former rebels who return to the capital for the sake of peace.
Ten politicians and army generals loyal to Machar say they joined current First Vice President Taban Deng Gai to implement the country’s fragile 2015 peace agreement. Deng was appointed by President Kiir after Machar fled Juba following a surge in deadly fighting in July. The group was led by Sebit John Magok, Deputy Chairman of the SPLM-IO’s committee for roads and bridges.
“We came because we believe in peace, and we came to work for it so we can bring our people out of war through rebuilding the national reconciliation which has been destroyed in the past three years,” Magok said.
SPLA-IO Major General George Rweng Kot, who was based in Bentiu, said he believes Kiir and Deng are trying to restore peace.
“We left Machar and came to General Taban so that we can implement the peace agreement. We believe that the call of the president is right and whoever doesn’t support this call is not a South Sudanese,” Rweng said.
SPLA-IO Deputy Military Spokesman Dickson Gatluak said from Ethiopia that his group is not aware of any defectors who have joined Deng and argues the group that arrived in Juba has always been part of the government.
“We [SPLM-IO] have nobody left in in Juba; we have no politician who had joined Taban [Deng Gai] because we have no SPLM-IO in Juba. Our chairman [Machar] is in South Africa. We are in Addis Ababa and our generals are in their location [in South Sudan],” Gatluak said.
Gatluak said Machar loyalists will only return to Juba after the 2015 peace agreement is revived, which he says won’t happen under Deng.
Ateny, who received the group on behalf of the Kiir Administration at Juba International airport Thursday, said the former SPLA-IO group is back in the capital because they want peace.
“They are accepting the amnesty the president has extended for those who have taken arms against the republic of South Sudan in order to come and participate in the process of peaceful resolution to the conflict in the republic of South Sudan through national dialogue, which will be a wide forum for the people of South Sudan,” Ateny said.
Last year, Kiir offered amnesty for all armed opposition groups trying to topple his government if they would lay down their arms, renounced violence and return to Juba.
On the other hand, last Friday a senior member of the ruling SPLM party had defected to join Machar’s rebels. Lokai Iko Loteyo, the former chairman of the SPLM in Kapoeta North County, said he joined Machar’s SPLM-In Opposition to bring change in South Sudan.
“But there’s no prosperity now in South Sudan, no equality, no justice; there’s nothing,” Iko said.
NO LONGER AT EASE: Embattled President Yahaya Jammeh and his former lawyer Edward Gomez
A lawyer who represented Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh in his attempt to overturn the results of last month presidential election at the Supreme Court has called on him to relinquish power in the interest of peace and love for Gambians.
Edward Anthony Gomez who fled the Gambia into neighbouring Senegal after mounting fear and rapidly increasing tension, said Mr Jammeh should accept that everything except God’s Kingdom, comes to an end and should not allow his legacy to be described as one where ‘pen of the sword dipped in innocent blood writes its history on the rough page of tyranny’.
Gomez’ letter to Jammeh
In a letter to Mr Jammeh, Mr Gomez wrote: “On Tuesday 17th January 2017, my son and I took a crucial decision to seek sanctuary in the sister Republic of Senegal. This was found necessary due to the mounting fear and rapidly increasing tension at every passing moment.
The general perception is that after midnight on 18th January 2017, the mandate of President Yahya Jammeh would expire and President-elect Mr Adama Barrow would be sworn-in as president, in line with the dictates of our constitution. Any attempt to interrupt this ceremony, it is clearly understood, opens the Gambia to attack from Ecowas forces.
As a legal practitioner representing President Jammeh and the APRC the party in the ongoing petition filed on his behalf at the Supreme Court of the Gambia, I have to admit that I was working under tremendous pressure and coercion. All the lawyers with established practices in the Gambia refused to be associated with the said petition. As a retainer for the ruling APRC party, I could not refuse the brief on professional grounds, despite my apprehension.
Having fortunately eluded the 24 hour military security around me and my family, I managed to arrive in Senegal where I now gained safety, respite and mental stability. In my present situation, I humbly and respectfully advise President Jammeh as the champion of peace he has been known to be to peacefully step aside in the interest of peace and safety of the Gambian people.
Everything, except God’s Kingdom, comes to an end. I advocate for a peaceful end rather than a violent and gruesome end. Please in the name of Most Merciful God do not allow your legacy to be described as one where “pen of the sword dipped in innocent blood writes its history on the rough page of tyranny”.
Remember, your Excellency, that life is short and we take nothing with us at the end of it. Our reward lies in our faithful worship and good deeds.
‘Vox populi est vox dei.’ The voice of the people is the voice of God. Please step aside in the interest of peace and love of your compatriots.”
Continental superstar Eddy Kenzo has declared that he is to give a platform to other Ugandan artistes, and offered collabo opportunities to over 20 local artistes this year. It actually turns out that his wife Rema Namakula is among the 20 artistes to benefit from this offer.
According to a source close to the couple, Eddy Kenzo will be working with Rema on a collaboration that people have been yearning for and the song is being recorded at Bang Records in Makindye.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) has cleared the way for all interested party members who want to vie for the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), to pick nomination forms at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi.
According to a communication from the FDC Working Committee, nominations will take place between 24-25 January and on 17 February, grand campaign and voting will take place. EALA slots are shared on numerical strength with each member state’s dominant party getting more slots than the parties with few MPs.
Ms Doreen Nyanjura, the LC5 Woman Councillor Makerere, who is also the KCCA Councillor at Makerere has pledged her full support for the FDC iron lady Ingrid Turinawe, the party’s Secretary in Charge of Mobilisation and also Minister for Internal Affairs.
‘My EALA candidate Ingrid Turinawe has picked her nomination forms from the FDC Electoral Commission. She will be nominated on 25th January 2017 at 1:00pm; FDC EALA elections will take place on 17th February 2017. We are broadening the struggle,’ Ms Nyanjura posted on her Facebook page.
EALA elections are meant to take place at least two months before the term of the current EALA expires mid this year.
Two senior judges and two city law firms are embroiled in a rift, with one of them said to have solicited for a bribe to enable six people he sentenced to death for murder to access records of the proceedings in order to be able to appeal the sentence.
The Chief Justice’s letter to the PJ
The rift that has also drawn in the Chief Justice Bart Katureebe involves Principal Judge Yorokamu Bamwine, lawyers from the law firm Munungu, Mushabe and Company Advocates and city lawyer Frank Kanduho of Kanduho and Company Advocates on one side, and Justice Joseph Murangira of the High Court, on the opposite side.
The PJ’s letter to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC).
According to a November 28, 2016, referenced PA/JA.17 letter by Principal Judge Bamwine to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Justice Murangira was accused by the lawyers from Munungu, Mushabe and Company Advocates and lawyer Kanduho, of being behind the initial disappearance and subsequent re-surfacing in 2016 of the records of proceedings, judgments and file in criminal case No.102 of 2005 against Moses Byansi, Jackson Kashaija, Misaki Tumuhairwe, Nathan Kirungi, George Lwali and John Rurungulu, and soliciting an unspecified bribe to enable the convicts access the court records.
At the time the six, who were sentenced in 2008, were represented by Munungu, Mushabe and Company Advocates and in the letter PJ Bamwine says lawyer Kanduho of Ms Kanduho and Company Advocates, refused to act as a conduit to transmit the said bribe to Justice Murangira, a development that prompted the PJ to write to Justice Murangira seeking clarification.
‘In July 2011 my office received a complaint from Munungu, Mushabe and Company Advocates dated 14th July 2011, in which they indicated their clients were convicted of murder and sentenced to death by Hon. Justice Murangira who had since denied them certified copy of the proceedings and judgment’.
Apparently, in replying the PJ’s letter, Justice Murangira refused to respond to the accusations by Kanduho.
‘I make reference to the above matter and to your letter of 25th November 2016. I am happy that the file has re-surfaced. Even then its recovery after eight years gives no credit to the judiciary. Coupled with Counsel Kanduho’s assertions that the file disappeared after refusing to succumb to your demand for a bribe in the matter, we are left with no option but refer the matter to the Judicial Service Commission for investigation and possible administrative action’ the PJ wrote and attached Kanduho’s letters dated August 17 and November 14 last year.
‘Since in the letter under reference you have opted not to comment on the said Counsel’s serious allegations, you may be pleased to offer the same to the Judicial Service Commission, if so invited, copy to me for records purpose only,’ the PJ added.
In the same letter the PJ also said Justice Murangira had been accused of complicity in the disappearance of records of proceedings in criminal case No.120 of 2006 against a one Joseph Ekusai.
Earlier on November 25, CJ Katureebe had written to Justice Bamwine, offering advice and guidance on how to proceed with the matter, which the PJ had raised in a November 18 letter.
‘There are two aspects to this, first is the issue of the disappearance of the court file and the fate of the convicted individuals who want to appeal the High Court decision,’ the CJ wrote.
‘Second is the issue of allegations that have been made against the Hon. Justice Murangira. I note you have previously drawn his attention to these allegations and he does not seem to have responded. It is my considered view that these are serious allegations that deserve further inquiry,’ the CJ wrote in response to the Principal Judge’s letter of November 18.
By press time it was not possible to establish what options the JSC would pursue in regard to the matter.
The United States has warned the embattled Gambian president Yahya Jammeh, saying he is losing opportunities to peacefully handover to President-elect Adama Barrow and avoid the consequences of his actions.
Jammeh’s tenure ends Jan. 19, the same day that Barrow is expected to be sworn-in as his successor.
Both the African Union and ECOWAS have said that Jammeh will cease to be recognised as Gambian President from the date.
Spokesperson of the U.S. Department of State, Mr John Kirby, said at a press briefing on Tuesday that Jammeh was putting his legacy and The Gambia in peril.
“President Jammeh is losing opportunities to respect the will of the Gambian people and to peacefully hand over power to the president-elect, which is supposed to happen on Thursday.
“Doing so would allow him to leave office with his head held high and to protect the Gambian people from potential chaos.
“Failure to do so will put his legacy – and, more importantly, the Gambia – in peril, and we have been clear about this,” he said.
According to him, the accusation by Jammeh of external interference in The Gambia’s internal affairs is not tenable.
“I don’t know what interference he’s referring to, but we obviously want to see The Gambia succeed.
The UK and Dutch governments have urged their citizens to leave The Gambia.
“And we want to see the president-elect properly installed and to have in place a government, which is responsible for and responsive to the needs of the Gambian people.”
The U.S. had on Friday, indicated support for ECOWAS to take all necessary action on Jammeh if he fails to handover to Barrow.
The U.S. had regretted that Jammeh’s action had made the situation in The Gambia to become “very uncertain”.
“We call on President Jammeh to listen to his own people, to listen to the Gambian people who have clearly called on him to accept the results of the Dec. 1 election.
“And to again agree to what he already agreed to, which is a peaceful handover of power to President-elect Barrow.”
However, despite the warning by the US, Gambia’s parliament has extended Yahya Jammeh’s term, which is due to end on today, Thursday January 18 following his defeat in elections, by 90 days.
It also approved his decision to declare a 90-day state of emergency in the tiny West African state. Meanwhile thousands of UK and Dutch tourists are being evacuated from The Gambia. The country is popular with European holidaymakers because of its beaches.
INNOVATIVE YOUTH: Members of one of the startup teams celebrate their victory after their team “Snap HMIS” won in the Up Accelerate Program cycle 1 today at the Outbox offices.
The Up Accelerate programme has today selected four winning young start-up teams which will be supported with US$10,000 (about Shs35m) to develop their promising ideas into transformative solutions to tackle persistent sexual and reproductive health bottlenecks in Uganda.
Up Accelerate is a UK Aid-funded program launched last November, and seeks to empower young micro-entrepreneurs to turn their business ideas into healthcare start-ups that address persistent sexual and reproductive health challenges. The initiative is implemented by Outbox in partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and supported by the Ministry of Information and Communications Technology and National Guidance.
A total of sixty-two (62) teams submitted their solutions to the program and following public voting and shortlisting by an expert panel of judges, ten (10) semi-finalists were invited to present their solutions at today’s pitch day event.
(Seated left to right ) The panel of judges , Mr. Peter Kahiigi, Dr. John Charles Okiria, Ms. Neema Iyer, Ms. Arigye Maraba Munyangabo, Mr. Nevin James Bradford, Dowson Kalemba and Outbox Team Leader, Richard Zulu (standing extreme right) pose for a picture with the four (4) innovative teams (standing) who won in the Up Accelerate Program Cycle one.
The four (4) winning teams, selected by a panel of 7 independent judges, are: Snap HMIS –a mobile application that helps hospital data clerks compile health management information system (HMIS) reports accurately and in real time; Teheca – a mobile app that enables one to find the closest and most qualified caretaker that best suits their care needs from a pool of qualified caretakers; Drug Dash – an information system to help health centres and distribution centers manage essential medicines and health supplies (EMHS) stock levels through analytical dashboards that support quick decision making and, IDrain –an improved chest drainage system which removes the pleural effusion contents of mothers.
The selected finalist teams will be supported with business development and mentorship, and also receive undergo intensive mentorship for a period of four (4) months to turn their ideas into sustainable, market ready products or services.
The solutions presented included among others an alternative insurance scheme for deprived pregnant women to access healthcare services, a new IT-based data collection solution to improve quality of health records at facility level, and a health commodity dashboard to enable civil society organizations analyze health commodity data to support decision-making.
“We were impressed by the response and level of engagement of young people despite the complexity of the problem areas within which we wanted them to propose solutions. The amount of conversation, feedback and effort exhibited during the application period is testimony to the demand of programmes like Up Accelerate among the young people in Uganda,” said Richard Zulu, Outbox Team leader.
He added: “We applaud the finalist teams and assure them of our total support throughout the upcoming four months. We have lined up a team of experts to train and nurture them as innovative models to address sexual and reproductive health challenges in Uganda.”
A representative of the selection panel, Dr. John Okiria, applauded the innovative thinking demonstrated by all the solutions presented at the pitch event. “Ï congratulate all the innovators and must say it was a task to make a selection because they were all good ideas. The panel of judges that I was a part of made informed and impartial judgement because of the expertise we all hold. Some of the key factors we considered to make the selection of the 4 winning teams were how feasible the innovation was; how easy it would be incorporated in the current system; and was it a ready-to-be consumed product for the target market,” he said.
Speaking at the function Miranda Tabifor, the acting UNFPA Representative said: “UNFPA is proud to support this initiative to empower young people by giving them the information, tools, and platforms for collaboration to become even more influential, productive actors in society.”
According to the Ugandan Bureau of Statistics, over 26 million people in the country are below the age of 30 years; thus little can be achieved if the potential of young people is not harnessed.
