As the Kanifing Municipality mayoral race heats up, independent candidate Bakary Badjie has hit out at the United Democratic Party’s (UDP) flag bearer of taking donations from an Australian oil company FAR Limited, .
“It is UDP candidate who is being financed by FAR Ltd,” Bakary Badjie told reporters in an effort to clear air over reports indicating that some candidates are backed by international corporate entities.
Badjie’s statement comes on the heels of mounting controversy surrounding allegations of interference with Gambian politics by FAR Limited. The oil company has exploration rights on two Gambian offshore blocks (A2 & A5), and is expected to start drilling late this year. Media reports have it that FAR Limited partner with Talib A. Bensouda’s Foundation, GamSense to donate 100 trash bins to 10 community markets in the Greater Banjul Area. The move is seen by Bensouda’s opponents as a ‘disguised way’ of funding his electoral campaign.
Badjie further stated that it is wrong for international businesses to involve in domestic politics.
“It simply means that we are mortgaging our municipality to people who are only interested in making money, and not necessarily taking care of the people,” he voiced out.
Talib Bensouda
Advertisement New
In a similar vein, lawyer Assan Martin, another independent candidates vying for KMC mayorship, expressed his disapproval of FAR Ltd’s alleged interference with Gambian politics.
Advertisement New
“We will not allow Gambian democracy to be tainted. We’ll not compromise any inch,” he added.
Martin said they are ready to expose any institution that is involved in that.
Another mayoral hopeful, Bubacarr Senghore added his voice to the chorus of recriminationssaid oil companies have better place to put their money than to involve in domestic politics.
“They should not interfere with Gambians. We need a level playing field,” he pointed out.
Responding to the criticisms, Talib Bensouda said admitted that his foundation, GamSense, has received donations from ‘a good number companies’.
“GamSense is a one-year old institution, and I have been running it before I entered politics. So I don’t think there is a conflict there,” he said.
Bensouda went on to say that that GamSense projects with Far Limited were going on well before he won the UDP primaries.
“These are allegations. They are not facts. The donations were not about my campaign. They were about the Gambian people and the communities.”
Advertisements Advertisements bottom Advertisement New We make podcasts that brings out the truth about the Gambia!...
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.