By Lalo Jaiteh
Members of the 3 years Jotna Movement has described The Gambian President Adama Barrow and members of the Gambia Supreme Islamic Council (SIC) as the real troublemakers in the country.
They made the description at Busumbala, where the movement held another sensitization meeting with The Gambian people to dismiss the allegations emanating from the presidency and the Supreme Islamic Council that suggest members of the movement as trouble makers bent on fanning trouble in the country.
Abdou Njie, Chairman 3Yrs Jotna Movement said that: “We have been hearing people describing us as trouble makers but we want to make it clear that if there are trouble makers in the country they are President Barrow and the Supreme Islamic Council.”
He said it is President Barrow who is the key trouble maker by wishing to overstay on to power against the will of over a million Gambian who are simply asking him to step down as agreed with the Gambian People, adding that if there is another trouble makers they must be the SIC who are crossing the country and branding us (3Yrs Jotna Movement) as troublemakers without telling President the hard truth.
“What we request from the President is very simply; please step down as agreed by the MoU of the coalition 2016. All we want is to ensuring that our president honor his own words and give the country a break and if he decided not to do so then he is the real trouble maker”, Njie disclosed.
Chairman Njie, challenges President Barrow to go back to his own audios and videos and listen carefully to his own words as to the promise he made to Gambians in the build-up to 2016 Presidential election, arguing that failure to honor the agreement will reduce the credibility of the President and makes him a laughing stock among the dignified people of the Gambia.
“I was among those who went on campaign with President Barrow for fourteen good days and if he can remember very well he said in every Bantaba (platform) we visited that he will run a transition government and will step down after three years and go back to his business. If he can forget his own words we the women should not play by his cards and we must come out to fill the streets anytime we are call to do so and remind him of his own promises”, said Binta Jammeh a member and native of Busumbala.
She added: “We Gambian women must not allow President Barrow to fool us, he has already shown us who he is by not honoring his own words. We were promised that bag of rice will come down after election it never happen, feeding, electricity and water are still a burden to most families, and how can we the women allow such a run to continue beyond December”?
Musa Ceesay, also member of the movement dispels statements that attribute the movement members as trouble makers and as people who want to burn the country into flames.
He said such statements are false, exaggerations and lack of understanding by people bent on engaging in smear campaign meant to disregard the 3 years Jotna Movement.
“Am appealing to members of the SIC to please eat their money and give the Gambian people a break. These are the people who approved everything done by Yahya Jammeh in this country for the past 22 years and we are seeing them coming out again trying to promote bad governance in the country again,” said Ceesay.
He pointed out that other troublemakers in the country are those fueling President Barrow to use the security forces against the 3years Jotna members come December, arguing that most of those advising the President to do evil to the 3years Jotna movement members are the real trouble makers in the country who are only interested in their pockets than the interest of The Gambian People.
However on Friday, the Supreme Islamic Council reacted in their official Facebook page saying that: “With regard to the spread information and ill allegations about the Council’s Annual Nationwide Tour”
GSIC explained that: “This is an annual activity that happens once every year. It has nothing to do with the political situation of the Nation. It is just coincidence that year’s topic is about “Peace”. It is NOT ideal that the Council can spend Millions of Dalasis in a Four (4) Days Nationwide Tour. Even President Barrow, we think will NOT allow for that under these circumstances. If there is any expenditures on allowances for the team, that will not be more than Three (3) to Five (5) Thousand each”
“We call on the public to be aware that the Council has been carrying out its activities without any funding from the Government. The Gambia Government has never given a Dalasi to the Council. The Executive of the Council contribute (from personal accounts) to pay staff Salaries monthly and to help the needy,”
“We assure the General Public that, the Council is not here to mislead the Nation. All our activities are upon the authentic teachings of the Beloved Muhammad ﷺ.The Council is always open for any inquiries and concerns
