By Yankuba Jallow
Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda of the Kanifing Municipality appeared for the third day before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry on Wednesday, 27 August 2025, responding to questions from Lead Counsel Patrick Gomez regarding the use of council resources and the approval of activities within the municipality. The commission is conducting a comprehensive investigation into the financial and administrative activities of local government councils from May 2018 to January 2023, aiming to strengthen transparency and accountability.
“In protection of the CEOs, I suggested to the General Council for order and good governance. Any activity that requires personnel of the council, that requires money of the council, that requires anything of the council, should first come to the mayor’s office for perusal and endorsement. I look at the merits of the activity. The CEO looks at the merits of the financial requests. It is very clear and this is our debate from day one. It is settled in law,” Mayor Bensouda testified.
He emphasized the separation of roles between the mayor and the Chief Executive Officer, while underscoring the cooperative nature of their work. “The CEO and the mayor both are housed in the council but with two separate roles. But we do try and support each other.”
Gomez said they are not in a debate. “You know, I have reminded you that we are having a debate. I have reminded you that we are doing an interrogation. An interrogation and a debate is different. So what happened here is I ask questions and the Lord Mayor answers questions. That’s all that happens here. And so the role of the lead council is defined, the role of the witness is defined. And so just assist me and the commission so that when I ask the question that requires definitive answers, you just answer them and we move on,” Gomez said.
Bensouda replied: “I believe I’m answering, maybe not the way you like me to answer. Thank you very much. If I can just comment, because yesterday you used the word interrogation and I decided to search it because I believe interrogation is for criminals. I believe you’re in a fact-finding mission and I’m trying to give you facts as much as possible to help the commission. So I’m not sure if that’s the right word to use, but I stand to be corrected.”
The commission pressed Mayor Bensouda on whether requests for council support submitted by councillors required financial resources.
“The support that Mr. Bojang requested, did it require council’s resources as you have stated or not?” Lead Counsel Gomez asked. Mayor Bensouda replied, “Yes, it does.”
When asked about the nature of the resources, he clarified, “Financial resources.”
Gomez asked: “So that when you said that if the request requires council’s resources, then you have to approve, you said that?”
He continued, “No, if it requires any of council’s resources, sometimes it’s a minibus, sometimes it’s municipal police, sometimes they require council spaces such as our town hall, such as our library. So anything that the taxpayer owns or it belongs to the taxpayer, yes.”
Mayor Bensouda affirmed that approval of activities requiring council resources was standard protocol.
“That is why you approve. The activity. Requires financial resources. Endorse that the activity is valid and important,” Bensouda.
“And requires financial resources, correct?” Gomez asked.
“Which need to be determined by the CEO,” Bensouda replied.
“Did it require financial resources?” Gomez asked.
“It did. It’s in the letter,” Bensouda said.
“Thank you, simple,” Gomez said.
The mayor further clarified the handling of supporting documents. “Vouchers don’t come to my office. Memos come to my office.”
“You minuted on that memo, correct?” Gomez asked.
“Yes,” Bensouda replied.
“Now, when you minuted on that memo, did Mr. Bojang present to you any document to support his assertion that he is embarking on an activity?” Gomez asked.
“Lead Counsel, the councillor requests an activity,” Bensouda replied.
“Please answer the question,” Gomez said.
Bensouda replied: “To train youths. I’m answering the question in the manner which I believe is truthful and full. The councillor requests an activity to train youths. He is required by council resolution to come to the mayor for support of the activity before it is authorised by the CEO or (else) it is not authorised by the CEO. . This is a standard in KMC. What we don’t want, I am the political head of KMC. I am a politician. I don’t want a politician to use power over an administrator. So, I will look at the validity of the activity. The CEO is to go and source for supporting documents, do the procurement because he signs the cheques at the banks. I don’t sign the cheques at the banks. Vouchers do not come to my office. They are developed at the finance department where they will get their invoices and do the processes as required by law.”
He said if the supporting documents are not provided, the funds should be refunded.
Regarding specific requests, Mayor Bensouda addressed two separate activities. The first was a youth football final scheduled for May 29, 2021 at Brufut.
Bensouda said he approved the activity and not the finance. He added that the council’s resource was required and the council gave them the funds requested.
“As ambassador of youth participation in sports, I appeal to your humble office to donate an amount of 10,000 for the use of approved funds,” read the request submitted to the mayor’s office.
Gomez asked: “Now, when you approved, were you approving payment or you approving the activity?”
Bensouda said he approved the activity.
“Was the resource of council needed in this?” Gomez asked.
“Yes,” Bensouda said.
“What kind of resources?” Gomez asked.
“Money,” Bensouda said.
“Financial resources, how much?” Gomez asked.
“D10,000,” Bensouda said. Gomez asked: “That is why you had to approve?” Bensouda replied “Yeah, because it’s requiring council support. Council funds.”
The second request involved the provision of transparent face masks for differently-abled and hard-of-hearing students at St. John’s School for the Deaf during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Bensouda explained, “Yes, from the youth budget.” The request was for 100 facemasks by the youth councillor Kemo Bojang.
The mayor wrote to the CEO to provide them as soon as possible.
Mayor Bensouda acknowledged that verification of the actual cost of the masks was the responsibility of the administration.
In the request, the councillor indicated each cost D150. He said he did not verify the cost. He added that the CEO and the finance team should verify.
“Did you verify?” Gomez asked.
“It is not my job to verify,” Bensouda reply.
“Whose job is to verify?” Gomez asked.
“The internal audit unit, the administration, and the contracts committee,” Bensouda said.
“Did they verify?” Gomez asked.
“I wouldn’t know,” Gomez asked.
“Should they verify?” Gomez asked.
“They should,” Bensouda said.
“If they do not verify, would that payment be unlawful?” Gomez asked.
“No, it’s a lapse,” Bensouda said.
“And if the lapse exists, will that not contravene the law?” Gomez asked.
“It’s an administrative lapse. Administrative lapses, I don’t believe necessarily contravene the law. So the bodies that are responsible for pointing out those lapses should point out those lapses,” Bensouda
“And if they don’t point out the lapses, they are not doing their job right,” Gomez asked. “They are not doing their job right. And if they are not doing their job right, they are not doing their job in accordance with regulation.”
Bensouda replied: “Regulation is not law.”
Finally, the mayor conceded on the legal standing of regulations under the Constitution. “Well, if the Constitution says they are laws, they are laws. But from our understanding, policies are guidelines, regulations are guidelines.”
“Do you now change your position? You have always firmly believed in the Constitution, Mr. Bensouda?” Gomez said.
“Yes, if it says so in the Constitution, I would have to agree with you,” Bensouda replied.
“So you are wrong?” Gomez asked.
“Yes, if it says so in the Constitution,” Bensouda answered.
