By : Fatou Krubally
Rohey Malick Lowe, the sitting Mayor of Banjul City Council since 2018, testified before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on Tuesday, 13 May, stating that the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) holds full control over council finances, not the elected mayor.
Testifying with a six-page statement dated 5 March 2025—which was tendered and admitted into evidence Mayor Lowe answered questions from Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez on a wide range of issues including councillor nominations, development plans, council committees, and legal frameworks guiding BCC operations.
She told the Commission that although she nominated four councillors representing youth, women, business, and social groups she could not recall the specific nomination process. She later stated that, for example, the youth representative was selected by the youth of Banjul. The Commission requested documents to support these claims, including letters of nomination and confirmation from the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government.
On council structure, Mayor Lowe said BCC comprised 13 councillors in 2018 nine elected and four nominated. She mentioned that the General Council typically met monthly, and listed four committees: Finance, Establishment and Appointment, Youths and Sports, and one she could not recall. However, no records were provided regarding how committee members were appointed.
She added that a Strategic Plan and Action Plan were developed in 2018, but she could not recall their duration or implementation status. The Commission directed her to submit copies.
Mayor Lowe also admitted to having limited knowledge of the Finance and Audit Act and the Financial Manual, saying she relied instead on the Local Government Act and “good practices” of former mayors, including discretionary donations and scholarships. “I do not concentrate on them too much because they deal with finance, administration and audit,” she said.
The most revealing moment came when she declared, “The CEO has the exclusive powers to make expenditure. He can choose not to adhere to my advice.” She described her role as merely advisory and said the CEO could override her entirely.
Lead Counsel Gomez reminded her this contradicted the Local Government Act, which grants mayors oversight powers. “You have power too,” he said. But Lowe responded: “I do not think mayors in The Gambia have power… The mayor cannot spend anything.”
Her testimony underscored a recurring theme in the Inquiry: a disconnect between political leadership and bureaucratic control in local government.
