Comium, another telecommunications company, over the weekend presented the first of three cars to the lucky winner at their premises on Kairaba Avenue.

The elated proud winner of Comium's first brand new car, Awa Jarra, received the keys and  documents handed to her by Mr. Drammeh of Comium company.

In her speech of appreciation, Awa Jarra, a Senegalese lady who shuttles between Senegal and The Gambia frequently, expressed her delight and said tthat here was no secret behind her winning with Comium. "I always buy Comium credit whenever I am in The Gambia. I did not know I was going to win; I never thought about it. I feel very happy as a winner of Comium's Dream car that has made my dream come true. I still feel I am dreaming as I think about the car I have won, it is unbelievable," Awa Jarra enthused.

Awa Jarra further said that she comes to The Gambia every two or three days. "I was called by a family member of my host, called Lamin Fatajo. He called me saying I had won the Comium car for April." She opined that it is better to call one's friend before visiting than to go in a car to see them. "In this instance," she suggested, "you need to buy Comium to stay in touch."

Rabiatou Ceesay, Communications Officer at Comium, said: "We are giving out our first car among three cars to be won by our valued customers. We ran two campaigns at the same time; Recharge and win and Drive your Dream Car with Comium. Now in recognition of our anniversary, we would be giving out D125, 000 to five winners every week, in addition to numerous prizes.

"We shall be throwing thunder and lightening this May and remember, where thunder and lightening strike, birds will not not fly."

Rabiatou Ceesay then catalogued the numerous prizes won by their customers within a year of service. "We have given 20 people D25, 000 each; we gave monitary rewards from D2, 000 to D50, 000. We gave two tickets to Mecca and have taken part in many loyalty campaigns. We have rewarded Gambians with Talk and Win - One MIllion Dalasis, Guess and Win and now rewarding the people for recharging." She declared that so many surprises have been lined up for May such as Gambians have never seen. She therefore exhorted everyone to get a Comium SIM before it is too late.

Africell Gambia Limited, one of the three cellular companies in The Gambia, has again doled out D1 million to yet another lucky winner in the first draw of the company’s D10 million 2008 promotion.

Mary Jatta, 20, on Saturday 3rdMay, went home D1m richer after emerging as the first winner of Africell’s 2008 mega Thank You prize.

A trainee nurse currently on attachment at Medical Research Council (MRC) and resident in Old Bakadaji Latrikunda, Mary was short-listed alongside Foday Baldeh and an unknown person but edged her way to the prize following what was described as a free, fair and transparent draw.

Speaking to The Point Ms Jatta said: “I thank God for making this possible,” while thanking Africell for what she called their benevolence and steadfastness in helping government eradicate poverty in The Gambia.

As to how she would spend the money, Mary said she would use it to further her educational career as a nurse and help enhance the living condition of her parents, adding that her family is already well-to-do.

“Africell is really here for Gambians. A lot of Gambians are today benefiting from things that they never think of, all thanks to Africell,” she said.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at Africell head office, Mr. Badara Mbye, Africell’s Managing Director, described the occasion as a clear manifestation of the fact that Africell always stand by whatever they say.

“We said that we are going to alleviate poverty in this country and this is a move in the right direction. This goes to show that we are committed. Africell is here for Gambians,” he said.

According to MD Mbye, being an Africell subscriber makes one always a winner, noting that this is the first of a 10 million dalasis to be given out in the space of 10 months. “We have more surprises for you during the course of the year,” he concluded.

"The situation is turning increasingly violent and this worries us, as well as the electorate," Rangu Nyamurungira, projects manager for Zimbabwe Lawyers for Human Rights (ZLHR), told IRIN.

Zimbabwe held combined presidential and parliamentary elections on 29 March, which saw opposition party's win control of parliament from ZANU-PF for the first time since the country won its independence from Britain in 1980.

The opposition party, the Movement for Democratic Change, has claimed its leader, Morgan Tsvangirai won the presidential vote by the required 50 percent plus one vote, that if accurate, would negate the need for a run-off presidential ballot. However, the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), whose executive is appointed by Mugabe, has yet to release the results.

ZANU-PF, which has ruled Zimbabwe since independence, has said there was no clear presidential winner and wants a recount in at least 21 constituencies where it says the party was prejudiced by ‘fraudulent’ counting. Seven ZEC officials have reportedly been arrested.

The recently amended Electoral Act does not provide a deadline for when election results should be announced, but the MDc has resorted to the courts to try and force the ZEC to release the results of the presidential ballot. The presiding judge has postponed judgment until 14 April.

"There is pervading fear that the delay in announcing the presidential results could be because the votes are being tampered with and we don’t believe ZEC when it says it is still verifying the results. The electorate has the democratic right to be informed about the results and the longer it takes, the greater the tension," Nyamurungira said.

Fear of a violent run-off

David Chimhini, the director of the Zimbabwe Civic Education Trust (ZIMCET), said there was "an ominous potential of the political situation getting out of hand" should a run-off ballot be held, which is likely to pit Mugabe against Tsvangirai.

Chimhini, who won the Mutasa North parliamentary seat for the MDC in rural Manicaland province, said ZANU-PF youth militia and war veterans were gathering in his constituency.

"The militia... are re-assembling and holding frequent meetings with war veterans. This is getting people in my area really scared, they are well known for violence," he said. "They refer to a re-run as the beginning of another war."

Nyamurungira said human rights lawyers were receiving reports from across the country of MDC supporters being "tortured by loyalists of ZANU-PF and state agents who want to maintain the political status quo."

Chimhini said despite a heavy police presence in both rural and urban areas, authorities might be overwhelmed should tensions reach boiling point.

"It seems he [Mugabe] can’t come to terms with the fact that he can be defeated, and that is extremely dangerous. We might be going back to the [year] 2000 scenario where... he unleashed soldiers on the people and invaded farms, leading to hundreds of deaths," Chimhini said.

Intimidating the opposition

Takura Muzhingi, an MDC activist in former ZANU-PF stronghold Mhondoro district in Mashonaland West province, told IRIN he fled after a soldier accompanied by youths loyal to Mugabe visited him at his parents home. "They told me that my days were numbered since I had openly campaigned for Tsvangirai."

"They said they had a full list of all the people in Mhondoro who were known MDC supporters and come campaign time for the re-run of the presidential election, they would make mince meat of us," he said.

According to Muzhingi the soldier had paid regular visits to the local headman "telling villagers that when the re-run takes place, each village head will have to lead his people to the polling station and remind them who to vote for."

Muzhingi has sought refuge with his brother’s family in Chitungwiza, a small town 30km south of the capital Harare, and was arrested by riot police for being on the streets after midnight.

"Even though they did not beat us up, I still live with the fear and won’t venture out after dusk anymore. I hope that the situation will not degenerate into total chaos that would give the government the excuse to declare a state of emergency," Muzhingi said.

The government has not officially declared a curfew.

Targeting farms

In 2000, after Mugabe lost a referendum on a new constitution - the first time ZANU-PF had lost any vote - veterans of Zimbabwe’s liberation war led the often violent farm evictions following the government's controversial land redistribution programme. Around 4,000 commercial white farmers were forcibly removed to make way for landless blacks.

At an 8 April press briefing, Tendai Biti, the MDC secretary general, called on the 14-member state regional body, the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC), to act so as to avoid "dead bodies on the streets of Harare [the capital]".

South African President Thabo Mbeki was appointed mediator last year by SADC in talks between ZANU-PF and MDC to agree the conditions for free and fair polls in Zimbabwe.

"There's been massive violence inside our country since March 29 2008...MDC people are being beaten up ... farms with remaining pockets of white people are being invaded. Farms with known MDC supporters are being invaded.

"Militias are being re-armed, ZANU-PF supporters are being rearmed. There has been a complete militarisation of Zimbabwean society since March 29 2008," Biti said.

Serrekunda Lower Basic School in Region One lifted the 12th Edition of the Shell Marketing sponsored football final played against Saint George’s Lower Basic School in at the Serrekunda West Mini Stadium last Saturday.

The grand football final for lower Basic schools in the country was claimed by the Serrekunda School after defeating Saint George’s of region 6 4-2 in a penalty shoot out.

In the 18th minutes of the first half, Essa Mboob, no 9 for Serrekunda School, recorded their first goal and in the 67th minute Saint George’s school equalised through Abdoulie Baldeh.

After playing full ninety minutes an extra time was added but still a winner could not emerge. This resulted in post match penalty kicks.

In the Penalty kicks Serrekunda scored four goals while Saint George’s recorded two.

As champions Serekunda school received D2, 500 with a giant trophy, while Saint George’s went home D1,500.

 Methodist Lower Basic, 3rd position holders received D1000.

Kandembo Islamic Saint Michel and Jamisa Lower Basic School each went home with a consolation prize of D800.

Reacting to the victory, the game Master of Serrekunda School Lamin Fofana told Pointsports that the win was not a surprise to him as believed in the capabilities of his side.

While his counterpart Buramanding MM Touray accepted the defeat in good faith.

The final was graced by high profile dignitaries.