Photo: Hon. Kebba K Barrow - Kombo South MP and Majority Leader
The National Assembly Member for Kombo South and majority leader of the National Assembly, Honourable Kebba K Barrow, has publicly issued a threat to the family of US-based Gambian journalist Sainey Darboe for an article published on the recently launched @Gunjur – The Voice of Dabanani Web Platform. In a public speech delivered in Gunjur earlier today, he denied having knowledge of the environmental damage occasioned by a Chinese company believed to be part owned by his close associate Alhagie Conteh . The NAM then singled out the brother of the journalist Omar Darboe, saying:
"Tell Sainey Darboe not to tell lies about me .Tell Sainey Darboe people in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. Tell Sainey Darboe to stop attacking me on social media. Tell him to stop attacking me. You make sure you tell him". In a heated community meeting at Gunjur beach, as part of the GRTS Face the Nation TV Show, the recently elected politician was warned he would be voted out by the people for failing to represent them in their time of need. In the interest of full disclosure, Lamin Jammeh, a UK based Environmental activist said: "KKB claims he was not informed about this environmental issue, but I can tell you that a letter was sent to him and all the relevant authorities and I have a copy of the letter to rebuff his claims. I have the copy of the letter hand delivered to KKB".
Photo: Environment Task Force Letter to Hon. Kebba K Barrow
A witness who attended the meeting but declined to be named for fear of retribution, said: “Badara Bajo, an environmental activist and Executive Director of GEPADG, has said on stage that “we can vote him out as Gunjur voted him in”. “The Member of Parliament Kebba K Barrow then shouted out how he has a huge following and support. He was really really cross". The Minister of Fisheries was pummelled with such a multitude of questions that he walked out of the meeting .Golden Lead Factory earlier denied culpability in the environmental damage charge despite a preponderance of evidence, only to later settle outside of court with the government in a secret deal. Reacting to the attack by the NAM for Kombo South and Majority Leader, Sainey Darboe said: “I am not going to dignify with response an attack by a desperate politician in state of moral and ethical detumescence .KKB has witnessed the suffering of his people with callous indifference. My article on his corrupt dealings is the tip of a very submerged iceberg".