NEWS
MAYOR JENG'S REMOVAL WAS AS A RESULT OF APRC'S COUNCILLORS PETITION -THE
ALLGAMBIAN GATHERED
BY STAFF WRITER



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September 17, 2005
Highly placed sources close to the Department of State for Local Government
and lands in Banjul have confirmed receiving a petition signed by Ruling
APRC councilors who accused the suspended Banjul Mayor Pa Sallah Jeng of
"abuse of office". Classified information reaching The ALLGAMBIAN online
Newspaper says that the suspended Banjul Mayor was a "victim" of a state
sponsored ploy calculated to smear the image of the politician who defeated
the Ruling Party in the last Mayoral elections.

According to our sources, the reasons advanced for Jeng's removal were
flimsy and misplaced for any right thinking Gambian to buy. "The government
had long been thinking about how to get rid of this man. They were not happy
with his election into office. We received a petition signed by some APRC
councilors, who claimed that Jeng had abused his office. However, these
councilors never presented a single document to prove their charges against
Jeng." said an insider at the Local government and Lands ministry.

Investigations conducted by the ALLGAMBIAN reveal that the state is on the
verge of notifying the Independent Electoral Commission about its decision
to fire Mayor Jeng, even though the President Yahya Jammeh according to
sources lacked such constitutional powers to sack the Mayor. Sources say the
President had directed the Secretary of State for Local government and Lands
to name Mr. Jeng's Deputy to oversee his position pending his replacement
through the process of by elections.

It would be recalled that Pa Sallah Jeng, a former strong supporter of the
main Opposition United Democratic Party UDP won the Banjul Mayoral post some
years ago with his own sponsored independent ticket. Despite the heavy state
machinery and vilification campaign, he defeated the government sponsored
candidate Manukumba, whose nomination was greeted with strong opposition
among the rank and file of the Ruling APRC top brass and supporters. Reasons
for such an opposition to Manu's candidature was attributed to his lack of
popularity and commitment to the advancement for the party.

While Mayor Jeng is patiently awaiting his fate, sources say the National
Intelligence Agency and the Police are jointly investigating what our
sources described as the "bogus conspiracy charges" brought against him by
some self centred APRC supporters. According to our sources, the APRC
councilors had a history of long standing strain relationship.

According to sources, the said councilors have long accused Jeng of being
insensitive to their plight. Jeng, sources said refused to take part in APRC
"reckless" spending spree. "He refused to issue loans to these councilors
who have been demanding building and car loans. He always tell them that the
Council don't have budget for that." said our sources.

The Banjul City Council is said to be faced with serious financial crisis.
The council is experiencing problems in settling its utility bills, for
sometime now. Sources said prior to Mayor Jeng's removal, the country's
President Yahya Jammeh had declared that he can remove such elected local
government leaders not meeting his regime's expectations.

It is not clear whether the state will press any criminal charges against
the suspended Mayor. But sources say the allegations made against him by the
APRC councilors is a subject of police and NIA probe. Mr. Jeng had since
denied the charges describing them as unfounded and totally misplaced.



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