Well done to President Ernest Bai Koroma who has become the first head of state in Sierra Leone to declare his assets to the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission. Under a new law, the president and other public officials must declare their assets and update them annually, and when they leave office. This new law and the adherence of the president to it, are signs of great political maturity and should be emulated by all African leaders. For too long politics on this great continent has been blighted by the shadow of corruption. If laws of this kind are brought into force then we could find ourselves on the cusp of a new era in African politics. “What we are doing today is unique not only within this whole region but even in Africa,” Mr Koroma said. He told the BBC’s Focus on Africa programme that his assets included properties, vehicles, interest on shares, and a few other items. Asked to estimate their worth, the president only indicated his assets would be valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars - not millions. It is imperative that all politicians declare their personal assets so that they can be above suspicion. Money and politics mix all too often with negative consequences for the ordinary man and woman on the street and the country as a whole. We must follow the example set in Sierra Leone and pass a law that ensures all Gambian leaders and legislators must declare their assets to the public who elected them. If this brave step is taken then we will enjoy a new era of transparency in our politics as it will benefit not only the general public but the politicians themselves who could hold their heads high and be free from any slanders that anyone might make against them.

We urge our lawmakers to immediately pass this important law and emulate the courageous decision of our neighbours in Sierra Leone for the sake of all Gambians.

“A few honest men are better than numbers.”

Oliver Cromwell

The newly elected president of the Supreme Islamic Council, Muhammed Lamin Touray, recently presided over the inauguration of a new mosque in Gunjur Kulkodu.

Speaking to The Point, president Touray underscored the significance of daily prayers at mosque.

He revealed that the mosque is the house of Allah Almighty and also used the occasion to thank the sponsors for their initiative. He called for unity, understanding and stability in the country.

For his part, Ismail Manjang, a partner with the sponsors, said that plans are underway to establish more mosques in different parts of Gunjur in the future.

Villagers in Gunjur have congratulated the newly elected president of the Supreme Islamic Council of The Gambia Muhammed Lamin Touray who is himself a native of the village.

Speaking in an interview with The Point, Mr. Lamin B. Jameh prayed for the newly elected president and also for peace, unity and long life. He also prayed that peace and stability will prevail in The Gambia and other Muslim countries.

He said that the newly elected president of the SIC is a good man and always shows sympathy for other Muslims and described him as a peacemaker in society.

Momodou Bojang, a native of Gunjur, said that electing Muhammed Lamin Touray as president of the SIC will promote development and Islam in The Gambia. He finally described the newly elected president as “hard working and committed to his duties”.

Levy Mwanawasa, the President of Zambia died yesterday at age 59. He died in a Paris hospital in France. His death was intially announced by an anonymous family member. It was later confirmed on television by vice president Rupiah Banda.
Mwanawase suffered a stroke while in Egypt in June of this year for an African Union summit, whereafter he was flown to France. His condition suddenly deteriorated on Monday.

"I also wish to inform the nation that national mourning starts today and will be for seven days," said Banda.
United States President George W. Bush expressed condolences and referred to Mwanawasa as "a champion of democracy in his own country and throughout Africa."

Mwanawase whose political career started in 1985 when he was appointed Solicitor General in the Zambian government. He was appointed Vice President of Zambia in 1991. He left office in 1994 announcing gross abuse of office and corruption as his reason. He retired in 1996 but later ran for president in 2001.

He won the 2001 presidential election beating ten other candidates. He sucessfully ran for a second term in 2006. He was one of the first African leaders to critisise Robert Mugabe.
He also criticised the West for its position on doing business with China. "You people in the West redeem yourself before you begin attacking China," Mwanawasa said.

Mwanawasa suffered a mild stroke in 2006. On July 3, 2008 it was reported that Mwanawasa had died, these reports later turnt out to be false. He had been in the French hospital since early July. Rupiah Banda is now the current acting president of Zambia. A presidential by-election will have to be called within 90 days.

Wikinews
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Congratulatory messages to President Alhaji Dr Yahya Jammeh on the 14th anniversary of the July 22 Revolution have continued to reach State House, in the aftermath of an enthralling week-long celebration last month.

Gampost staff
In one of the messages transmitted to the Daily Observer, Nancy Coker Haris, Gimbi Cham Bojang, Therese Joof, and Nyorta Manneh, all staff of Gampost, Banjul Branch, expressed goodwill and prayed to the Almight Allah for the continued blessing of Dr Jammeh.

“May Allah, the Almighty, continue to support and give you all the wisdom, courage and the required resources to realise your vision for The Gambia. We are very much happy and appreciative of your Excellency, Mr President, for inviting us to the State House, on the 21st of July, 2008, for a reception.

We avail ourselves of this opportunity to pray to the Almighty Allah, to grant you and your family long life and good health. We pray that the spirit of July 22nd continues to guide us under your dynamic leadership towards the attainment of our Vision 2020,” they stated.

The Gampost staff then continued: “Your Excellency Sir, it was a dream come true for us as it was the first time that we step into State House and we will continue to contribute to your Excellency’s vision and mission in propelling The Gambia to a model country in Africa. May Allah [guide] and protect you, your Excellency. We remain obedient and wish you and your family to attend and celebrate more 22nd July anniversary celebrations. Amen.”

Gambia Professional  Photographers’ Society
In a similar message, the Gambia Professional Photographers’ Society, also joined the long list of institutions and organisations in congratulating the Gambian leader.
In a letter signed by Dawda Bayo, the secretary general of the society, the Gambian professional photographers expressed felicitation and congratulation on the occasion.

“The July 22nd Revolution [is] worth celebrating as it [brought] education to the doorsteps of Gambians up to university level, infrastructural development, as well as discoveries of mineral resources and a cure for HIV/AIDS, asthma, diabetics and other diseases by His Excellency, Dr Alh Yahya AJJ Jammeh,” they said.

The message continued: “The 14 years [of your] presidency in this country have not only saved Gambians from 332 years of slavery, colonialism and neo-colonialism, but your hard work and your visionary leadership, have also yielded significant achievements in the areas of health, education, agriculture and infrastructural developments.”

“Finally, on this joyous occasion, we pray to Almighty Allah to protect you from enemies and give you and your family long life and good health, peace and tranquility in The Gambia. Please accept Your Excellency, the assurance of our highest consideration,” the message concluded.

JFP Hospital
Mosque Committee
Imam Abubakar Jasseh also congratulated the president on behalf of the Mosque Committee of the Jammeh Foundation for Peace Hospital.

“The impact of this revolution is quite evident to every Gambia. As a result, we pray for your well-being, your family and your government. May Allah the Almighty shower His blessings on The Gambia, our motherland. Once again, rest assured of the support of the mosque at all times,” Imam Jasseh stated.

The Social Security and Housing Finance Corporation (SSHFC) and Ocean Bay Hotel and Resort, on Saturday, the 16 of August, 2008, responded to the president’s “back to the land and help feed the nation” call.

The management and staff of both institutions responded in large numbers. They gave their full support to the president on his farm.

Kanilai is a national treasure and I will urge every Gambian to try and go to Kanilai to see what hard work, determination and pragmatism can achieve. Going to Kanilai in a nut shell will give the individual the following: It gives the Gambian undiluted aim and ambition.

It will teach the individual to try and live a meaningful life and remind the person  that this life is for a reason and one must be determined in life.

The response of SSHFC and Ocean Bay to the president’s call will help in national development. Their show of solidarity and work on the farm will contribute in increasing the output of the president’s farms and orchards which translates into more food for the nation, more scholarships and more resources for the President’s Medical Research and Cure.

I love what I saw at Kanilai. The farms, the orchards, the buildings, the parks, the villagers,  the drums and Jola dances and also the food. President Jammeh is the best thing to happen to The Gambia since independence.

I will advise all Gambians to look up to  President Jammeh and join hands with him to develop this nation as he has the purpose, the drive, the ambition and pragmatism. We have a God-sent president who is willing and able to make this country a model country for the rest of  Africa. Long live President Jammeh, long live The Gambian and long live all men of goodwill, purpose and pragmatism. Amen!!

The Ivorian president, Laurent Gbagbo, last evening flew into Banjul on a “few days private visit”.

On arrival at the Banjul International Airport, President Gbagbo was received at the foot of the aircraft by the vice-president, Aja Dr Isatou Njie-Saidy; the speaker of the National Assembly, Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay; the chief justice, Abdoul Karim Savage and secretaries of state.

The Ivorian leader told reporters that Africa is blessed with all it takes to make a good holiday, noting that since becoming president, he had never spent his holiday outside the continent.

“It is either in Ivory Coast or in other parts of Africa,” said Gbagbo, adding that with the sun, the sea, and all other natural features, it’s better to be “here [in Africa] than to go to Europe or somewhere else”.

FJC Elected President of CPA Africa Region

The Speaker of the National Assembly, Hon. Fatoumata Jahumpa- Ceesay, has been elected President of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) Africa Region for 2008-2010.

She was unanimously elected at the recent 54th CPA Plenary Conference held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

According to a press release from the National Assembly, the Honourable Speaker’s candidature was proposed by the Speaker of Zambia and seconded by Speaker of Lesotho, and there was no other candidate. Her election has made her the 1st African Woman Speaker to hold this position for over 40 years. Male Speakers have always held this position from Africa in CPA’s 100 years of existence. “Among her immediate assignments,” the release states, “are to bring back the Zimbabwe Parliament to the CPA family; lead the campaign of the International Parliamentary Union (IPU) presidency to be held in Geneva in October 2008, at the 119th IPU Conference, where Africa is putting up the Speaker of Namibia as its candidate.”

The 54th conference, held from 1st –10th August 2008, brought together over 800 parliamentarians, Observers, Clerks, Secretary-General/Secretaries of Legislatures, invitees, spouses and accompanying persons from the Commonwealth of Nations, including delegates representing Regional and State branches. Presently, the CPA branches exist in 169 national states, provincial and territorial parliaments, with a total membership of approximately 17, 000 parliamentarians.

The main theme of the 54th Plenary Conference was “Expanding the Role of Parliament in Global Society, Environment, Development and Security”.

Three plenaries and seven workshops were held. Speaker Jahumpa-Ceesay moderated Workshop 7, under the theme “Parliamentary and Civil Society Engagement for Better Policy Making”. 

Also under the leadership for the Africa Region, Speaker Fatoumata Jahumpa-Ceesay led the campaign team of the Malaysian Minister of Unity, Culture, Arts and Heritage, Datuk Seri Abdul Shafie Apdal, who defeated Lord Paul of Marylebone, United Kingdom, for the position of Chairperson of the CPA.

Hon. Jahumpa-Ceesay was accompanied by Hon. Ousman Bah, Hon. Ebrima Jammeh and the Acting Clerk of the National Assembly, Mr. Momodou A. Sise.