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By Musa Bassadi Jawara Mr. Tambadou, you forwarded your “Open Letter to Mustapha K. Darboe” dated May 18, 2026 to me directly. In the spirit of transparency and public accountability, I respond. The nation is entitled to more than one voice when matters of justice, reputation, and public trust collide. This is that response — professional, academic, and unflinching. The issues you raised in your letter, in their entirety, are presented as conclusions of fact. With respect, th

By Dave Manneh Securing Futures: Land Rights Action Collaborative (SFLRAC) One year ago, I wrote "Beyond Jammeh's Shadow: Elite Capture, Land Dispossession, and State Assets Underselling in the Supposed New Gambia." That piece argued that Mustapha K. Darboe's investigation in The Republic exposed more than a scandal over stolen luxury goods. It mapped a system that moves public and communal wealth into the hands of a connected elite, the same elite that flourished under Yahya

By Musa Bassadi Jawara | Bintou’s Point, Kerewan Since the death of Honorable Mbemba Jatta’s passing on Monday, I took time today to visit with the family in Gunjur. I’ve not been in Gunjur for over a decade, and the earth under my feet remembered me before I remembered the turns. The remains of the late Hon. Mbemba Jatta will be laid to rest at the Gunjur central cemetery on Saturday, 16th May 2026 I wanted to take time and travel to Gunjur this Wednesday May 13 and visit wi

By Musa Bassadi Jawara, Bintou’s Point, Kerewan I was informed within moments of his demise in New York, United States at my vantage point in Bintou’s Point, Kerewan. News travels fast in this age, but grief travels faster. It pierced the quiet of the compound and settled on my chest like the harmattan. Late Hon. Mbemba Jatta, Former Minister of Trade, Environment & Labour Under former President Sir Dawda K. Jawara Upon learning the sad news my initial reaction translated in

Sometime back, after finishing the poem “Journey to the Hereafter,” I shared it with a number of friends before publishing it on Facebook. The responses I received were telling: “Are you leaving for eternity?”, “No, don’t bring this kind of poem to me. Please, let us know if you are ready to go!”, “. . . And stop writing these types of writings 😢. Write about money—that’s what I want to see 😂”. Others joked that the poem sounded like I was “giving warning shots” before depa

A Response Essay | What Did the Workshop Actually Validate? | By Dave Manneh, Securing Futures: Land Rights Action Collaborative (SFLRAC) On 12 April 2026, What If We Stop Performing the Lie? (the third essay in The Architecture of Predation trilogy) asked what happens when communities refuse the performance the state requires. Seventeen days later, the NaNA Conference Hall offered not an answer but an illustration. The architecture, dressed in the language of reform, had l

The National Water and Electricity Company (NAWEC) has officially launched its self-service mobile application, marking a significant step in its digital transformation drive aimed at improving service delivery and customer convenience across The Gambia. The NAWEC self service app Introduced in April 2026, the mobile app allows customers to purchase Cash Power, pay water bills, and manage their utility accounts directly from their smartphones. In a major boost to its function

By Dave Manneh, Securing Futures: Land Rights Action Collaborative (SFLRAC) | 13/04/2026 In December, I described the Gambian state as predatory by design, built to break us. In February, I exposed its survival mechanism: ritual compliance. Citizens perform legitimacy daily without knowing it. Both pieces asked diagnostic questions. This piece asks the necessary third. If the architecture depends on our performance, what happens when we stop feeding it? Three Refusals That S

By Maa Touray | Why Seeking a Third Term Could Be President Adama Barrow’s Worst Political Decision President Barrow is bidding fo a third term as PORG and second under the NPP | Photo credit: State House A decision by President Adama Barrow to seek a third presidential term may prove to be the most consequential political decision of his political career. At first glance, such a claim may appear exaggerated. After all, the president currently enjoys political advantages and

COALITION BUILDING – A Vindication of My Position By Hon Momodou Charreh Gibba Elections are not a single event, but a continuous process that unfolds across an entire electoral cycle. One of the most critical stages in this process is voter registration, which lays the foundation for a free, fair, and credible election. Hon. Momodou Charreh Gibba My position on coalition building ahead of the 2026 presidential election remains firm and unchanged. While some may view my stanc

As we journey along the uncertain and often chaotic road of life, we tend to overlook the inevitability of death. Though we know it is certain, we often live in quiet denial of this reality. Indeed, “we belong to God and to Him we shall return.” Yet, the pain of loss and its many consequences can be deeply paralysing. Even so, our faith teaches us not to allow grief to consume us forever. The passing of my dear childhood friend, Lamin Famo Darboe, is a painful reminder of jus

Gunjur is no longer just organising football - it is beginning to redefine how grassroots sports should be structured, managed, and sustained

By Buba Touray - BE REEL Gambia It is with deep concern and sorrow that we report an unfortunate incident affecting one of our hardworking young farmers, Mr. Alieu Janneh, whose garden was recently targeted by thieves. The perpetrators made away with his power tiller at a time when it was most needed, dealing a significant blow to his farming activities. Mr Omar Janneh at his farm where his power tiller was recently stolen This shocking development has sparked concern within

It has been a difficult campaign for Gunjur United in the Gambia Football Federation Division Two. After 12 matches, the Coastal Boys find themselves second from bottom with just nine points, a position that has sparked concern, frustration, and intense debate among supporters back home. Gunjur Utd sits on second from bottom of the GFF Second Divison with 9 points. | Photo credit: Gunjur Utd Only Serekunda FC sit below them on eight points, leaving Gunjur United firmly entre

What If the Machine Survives Because the Ritual Demands Performance? The Architecture of Predation in The Gambia By Dave Manneh, Securing Futures: Land Rights Action Collaborative (SFLRAC) Sunday, February 15, 2026 In December, I diagnosed The Gambia's state as a predatory system. That analysis established what the architecture is: a machinery that fuses presidential authority with sacred kingship ( Mansayaa ) and mystifies theft through statutes like the State Lands Act 1991

The Gambia’s Democratic Crossroads: How Barrow Squandered the Authority That Made Him By Dave Manneh Mandinkas have a concept for the kind of authority Adama Barrow once had: fang majiyo aniƞ horromo niƞ boo-ñaa : the quiet legitimacy that accrues to someone humble, respectful, sociable. This is not the theatrical magnetism that Western political theory calls charisma. It is authority grounded in character rather than spectacle, earned through conduct rather than claimed thro

What If the State Is Not Broken, but Built to Break Us? The Architecture of Predation in The Gambia By Dave Manneh, Securing Futures: Land Rights Action Collaborative (SFLRAC) At a moment of widespread disillusionment, we must ask the harder question: Why do we excel at blaming our leaders? The record is familiar. Jawara was complacent; Jammeh, brutal; Barrow, a squandered promise. This blame holds truth, yet risks missing the real target. What if the failure lies not in

Sanna Manjang's Prosecution is Not a selective Justice as argued by others.. By Lamin E Fatty Unlike Sanna, the co-conspirators for the crimes he is charged for today, have made themselves available to a quasi judicial proceeding, some of them have voluntarily disclosed evidence/facts that may not have been known by the State or the Commission (due to limitless challenges present at the time). some have gone beyond the convenience of just narrating what they knew or can remem

The Gunjur Central Mosque stands as more than a place of worship — it is a living monument that embodies the spiritual, cultural, and...

As President Adama Barrow allegedly pledges to construct a new mosque in place of the decades-old Gunjur Central Mosque, many in the...