As it stands the appointment and removal of district chiefs is the prerogative of the president. No explanation or justification is required. This has been the case since the colonial era when the governor had the prerogative to appoint and remove district chiefs from office. The same still prevails under the 1997 Constitution. Section 58 of the Constitution states:
“The President shall appoint a DistrictSeyfo in consultation with the Ministerresponsible for local government.” The power to remove a district chief from office is provided for in section 231 paragraph (5) of the Constitution which states:
“Without prejudice to the provisions ofsection 167, but subject to the other provisions of this Constitution, the powerto make any appointment to a public office includes the power to dismiss anyperson so appointed.”
This means that The President also has power to remove a district chief from office. This is what has made it possible for the Chief of the District of Kombo South to be removed from office. The New Gambia has no room for such monarchical arrangement for local government administration which makes it possible for district chiefs to be under the whims and caprices of the executive who can control the people through the chiefs and governors as happened under the previous administration.
