By Assan Bah
Major Kebba Gibba (Rtd.) has strongly rejected the Defence Minister’s statement made at the National Assembly on March 12, 2025, regarding the discharge of several officers from the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) in 2017. He criticized the Minister’s response, calling it misleading.
Defence Minister Sering Modou Njie had informed the National Assembly that the removal of senior officers, including Major Gibba, was carried out under the authority granted to the Commander-in-Chief, who is the president. The Minister further stated that all affected officers were paid their full benefits. The officers discharged were General Musa Savage, Major Kebba Gibba, Major Karamba Jammeh, Captain Gibril Jammeh, Major Lamin Manneh, Major Alieu Sowe, Captain Abdou Badjie, Captain Sulayman Jammeh, and General Modou Sowe. However, Major Gibba, who enlisted in the GAF in September 2002 and is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Public Administration at the University of The Gambia, has described his discharge as unlawful. He argued that it was motivated by malice and prejudice rather than legitimate security concerns.
“The Minister misled Parliament. There are established procedures that must be followed before the President makes an administrative decision regarding the Armed Forces. He cannot arbitrarily force someone into retirement without due process. Specific protocols and procedures must be adhered to in a democratic state,” Major Gibba stated.
He referred to a letter dated October 6, 2017, from the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Lieutenant General Masanneh Nyuku Kinteh, which stated that the discharge was carried out under the authority of the Commander-in-Chief. However, Major Gibba maintained that in his 15 years of service, he was never subjected to any disciplinary measures or investigations regarding misconduct. He strongly believes that his discharge was driven by personal animosity rather than security concerns, as standard military procedures should have warranted an investigation before any decision was made.
Major Gibba cited several legal and military provisions to support his case. According to the 1997 Constitution and Gambia Armed Forces Act (GAFA), if an officer has a disciplinary issue, the Armed Forces Headquarters must inform the Secretary of the Armed Forces Council, who will bring it to the attention of the Vice President, who will then convene a meeting to take further action. This could include establishing a Board of Inquiry (BOI) to investigate the matter. However, Major Gibba argued that no such processes were followed in his case. He also pointed out that Section 30 of the GAF Act deals with the discharge of soldiers, not officers, and that officers, including himself, should have been retired, not discharged. According to the Armed Forces Act, officers are retired under the President’s power in Section 12(c), and soldiers can be discharged by a competent authority, such as the CDS or Service Chiefs.
Major Gibba further claimed that the Ministry of Defence issued a letter justifying his discharge on the grounds of security concerns after his dismissal. He found this justification inconsistent with the original discharge letter, which did not mention such concerns. The Ministry’s later communication contradicted the discharge letter, raising doubts about its legitimacy.
“If my discharge was indeed based on security concerns, why was I never investigated, questioned, or given an opportunity to respond to allegations against me?” Major Gibba asked. He emphasized that, according to military regulations, no formal directive was issued from the Office of the President or the Ministry of Defence, and the Armed Forces Council should have advised the President before invoking Section 12(c) of GAFA, but this was not done in his case.
Major Gibba expressed deep disappointment over the false allegations made against him, calling for a review of the circumstances surrounding his discharge. He maintained that he has never been found guilty of any misconduct, nor ever investigated for activities that could compromise national security. He affirmed his willingness to fully cooperate with an independent investigative panel to clarify the situation. Major Gibba also asserted that his dismissal was based on malice and personal interests rather than national security concerns.
In his response to the Defence Minister’s statement, Major Gibba raised the following key issues: 1. Lack of Due Process – His discharge did not follow established military procedures, and he was never given a chance to defend himself. 2. Absence of Justifiable Cause – No allegations or investigations were conducted against him during his service to warrant his dismissal. 3. Violation of Military Regulations – Officers found guilty of misconduct are required to face a military tribunal, which did not occur in his case.
As a result, Major Gibba has submitted a petition to the Office of the CDS through the Office of the Ombudsman, but the Ombudsman’s report indicated that they could not investigate the matter due to its involvement with the Office of the President.
