By: Kebba AF Touray
Alfusaine AB Jarjue, former Chief of Foni Bintang Karanai, has called on the relevant authorities to provide reasons for what he described as his ‘unconstitutional removal’ from office.
The former Chief made this call on Saturday 18th January 2020, during an interview with this reporter, at the Foroyaa Headquarters in Churchill’s Town.
Jarjue said he received his dismissal letter during the last Council’s election from the Ministry of Lands and Regional Government at the time. He added that he was told that his Chieftaincy has been terminated with immediate effect.
He said: “The reason for which I was dismissed and my Chieftaincy was terminated has not been advanced. I later came to know that my removal was politically motivated, because I am an APRC loyalist”.
He said: “I was replaced by Lamin Jobarteh, but apart from that, no reason has been advanced by the Authorities for my unconstitutional removal, and all the Chiefs were APRC loyalists during the former regime of Yahya Jammeh”.
He continued: “I and my fellow Chiefs who were supporting APRC were removed from office.”
He said he has been pursuing the matter and as it stands, no reason has been advanced, to justify and clarify the reason for my removal.
Jarjue said “I came here to remind President Barrow to respond to the first petition I wrote to him, concerning my unconstitutional dismissal. The deputies and the Minister of Local Government have debated on the issue, to ensure that the unconstitutional removal of Chiefs is put to an end”.
He said this is because Ministers have no power or right to remove Chiefs and that only the President has the power to do so.
He said the people of Foni Bintang Karanai are united and are not satisfied with the current Chief, and are calling on the Authorities to conduct Chieftaincy elections, for the people to democratically elect their Chief.
