Breaking News:Gambia’s President  To Introduce One Party State Bill Before Parliament- State House Sources Unveiled!!!!

…..Moves Are Underway To Organize National Referendum To Effect Such Major Constitutional Changes

By Senior Staff Writer Modou Gibba and Justice Sam, Banjul

Gambia’s President Yahya Jammeh is planning to introduce a one party state bill before the National Assembly, with the help of his Justice Minister, according to highly placed state house sources. Consultations are currently underway with the view of drafting the infamous bill, which sources warned could  lead to  the ultimate demise of multi-party democracy in the impoverished West African country. Ruling APRC Chief propagandist, Fisheries Minister Yankuba Touray, House Majority Leader Fabakary Tombong Jatta and other party bigwigs are spearheading the nationwide constitutional amendment campaign, sources informed the US based Freedom Newspaper.

With the proposed constitutional amendment, there is likelihood of a national referendum to effect such major changes, sources intimated. The President according to  dependable sources, had instructed his party officials to sensitize voters about the importance of such constitutional changes. He is working on eliminating the existing ailing opposition parties in the country, our sources added.

According to a  senior member of the National Assembly, the President has already succeeded in amending the constitutional provision limiting  the size of his cabinet. Under the new changes, the MP went on, the President can appoint as many Ministers as he wants without any check and balances. Our source said the new changes also eradicate the  title of Secretaries of State. “ From now on, all Secretaries of State will be addressed as Ministers. The next move is to introduce a bill for one party state. Our colleagues are currently busy having meetings with village heads and elders, with the view of convincing them okay the said major amendments if put on a referendum,” said the MP.

The news of the constitutional amendments was leaked to the Freedom Newspaper by a senior official of the Jammeh Government. The official said contrary to claims made by the task force headed by Yankuba Touray that the new changes were intended to enhance democracy and good governance, there was more to the story. The official said there is a bigger motive attached to such changes and would come to light sooner or later.

The opposition is yet to react to such proposed changes. If Jammeh succeeds in his bid to turn The Gambia into one party state, the chances of replacing him through the ballot box would be dashed away. Observers warn that such constitutional amendments will undermine pluralistic and participatory democracy, in a country, which has a population of less than 3 million people.

Yahya Jammeh came to power through a coup in July of 994. He has since taken a strong grip of the country. His decade long rule,  has been characterized by gross human right violations. The US State Department, and other right groups have sharply criticized the deplorable human rights situation in The Gambia.