By: Kemo Kanyi
The United Democratic Party’s deputy secretary for external affairs, Lamin Manneh, said he believes disciplinary action should be taken against Fatoumata Jahumpa Ceesay (FJC), Gambia’s ambassador to South Africa, for what he describes as insult against Gambians.
Mr Manneh’s reaction on a local radio station on Monday followed Gambian ambassador’s remarks on the UDP, which she later apologised for her remarks against the militants of the party.
UDP’s deputy secretary for external affairs said he wrote to the minister of Foreign Affairs and also copied the permanent at the ministry, recommending that the ambassador should be recalled on subject to disciplinary action. Commenting on the apology made by the ambassador after a leak audio remarks on UDP, Mr. Manbeh said, “That doesn’t count. I don’t accept that apology. He outlined that it is not the first, second, or third time,
“You can’t accept an ambassador sitting there and calling hundreds of thousands of Gambians the names she called us. You sit there and insult a whole community. That’s unacceptable,” Manneh further added that it’s unacceptable to insult a whole family, let alone a neighbourhood, village, or country.
UDP goes across every segment of the Gambian population,” he arguably maintains. Recalling FJC’s similar action against the UDP’s party leader during the Jammeh regime, he pointed out Jammeh, in spite of all his flaws, when she went with him (Jammeh) on a tour and she went on the podium and insulted Ousainou Darboe, Jammeh got her off the podium and sent her back to Banjul.
Lamin Manneh accused President Adama Barrow of pointing to his sympathizers that UDP are their enemies, so let’s just fight against them, stating the likes of Mrs. Juhumpa will do all it takes to appease the leadership. He emphasized, “So that’s enough for them. They wouldn’t think anymore. “These are the people who would put away their dignity and everything just to belong. Just to be able to reap some of the benefits of power. These are the people who will not speak the truth to power. These are people who will tell you exactly what you want to hear.
He added that since his delivery of the letter to the Foreign Affairs Ministry, he has yet to receive any response, stating that he hopes the ministry will respond in due course.
