By Alhassan Darboe, Omar Diamond Darboe UDP KOMBO SOUTH CHAPTER IMPLODES AS THE PARTY FIGHTS FOR SURVIVAL

The UDP Kombo South Chapter has disintegrated into two rival political factions as a result of a fall out from the recent district party congress which saw the election of two rival district executives in Sanyang and Gunjur respectively. Speaking to GunjurNewsOnline, the ward councilor for Sanyang, Kombo South district; Momodou Bojang had this to say about what is causing the divisions in the party that got it fighting for its soul. “The delegate congress was not conducted well in accordance with UDP adopted 1997 constitution. The Kombo South member of parliament KKB was playing a mini dictatorship over a congress he should have no business trying to control. The criteria for the selection of delegates to the congress is clearly spelt out in the 1997 adopted constitution of UDP that the delegates can go up 3-7 reps, so it is left with the delegates themselves to choose their representatives. Some delegates left the selected venue in Sanyang to go to Gunjur due to disagreement over delegates criteria for the election which was imposed by Kebba K. Barrow, the MP for Kombo South. 

Also speaking to GunjurNewsOnline, Buba Gitteh who is still insistent on being the Chairman of UDP Kombo South Chapter said: “these misunderstanding during the congress is caused by Yusufa Cham because he is biased, dishonest and under the dictate of selfish individuals who are trying to disorganize Kombo South UDP chapter”. Gitteh went further to accuse the current MP of Kombo south KKB for opportunism and favoritism. “People like KKB were never interested in UDP until after we kicked out Yahya Jammeh when he rejoined UDP to become MP for Kombo South. For Yusupha Cham he is lobbying a position in the regional executive which is why is trying to disorganize Kombo south for his selfish interest”. Momodou Charreh Jibba, the councilor for Gunjur ward wrote to shed more light on what really happened at the congress that is threatening to split votes for UDP in the biggest electoral constituency in the country. “K. K. B as the sitting member of parliament for Kombo South constituency, is the only one who has the mandate to call for the congress, fix the venue and observe the process while the regional chairman moderates or conduct the due process. The Hon. Yusufa Cham in his capacity as the regional 1st vice chairman of WCR was assigned by the executive committee of the UDP to conduct the Kombo south congress. Yusufa Cham requested the 3 wards to submit their lists of 40 delegates. Gunjur ward and Kartong ward all submitted their 40-man delegates. To our surprise and dismay, Sanyang ward produced over 60 people, claiming that their ward is too big, and they cannot produce only 40 people. This was the argument between Yusufa Cham and the chairman of Sanyang ward. The Hon. MP (K.K.B) intervened and instructed that each ward must produce only 40 delegates as indicated in the letters to the 3 councilors. The councilor of Sanyang ward rejected the idea of having equal number of delegates and consequently the whole process was disrupted by angry delegates” Weighing in on the matter, Yanks Darboe, a UDP big wig in diaspora has this to say about the drama unfolding within the UDP in Kombo South: “I have not had the benefit of knowing the facts of the dispute within the UDP Chapter in Kombo South, but any such dispute would be unfortunate! For there are proper avenues to pursue any complaint or grievance within the UDP party hierarchy, which could have been explored before reaching to such disputes or dividing into different factions. The differing parties should refrain from escalating the tensions or widening the divide and seek the intervention of the party’s leadership to address the dispute amicably! Kombo South is too important to the UDP and cannot afford to have a rift within the Chapter in the region”