Why GAP Leader Believes He Should Be Elected President Despite Serving the ‘Killer’ Army
The Chronicle has revisited the military life of an aspiring president of The Gambia, Lamin Bojang, and leader of Gambia Action Party (GAP). At some point, he was stationed at the State House as a senior security officer, protecting Yahya Jammeh, the former president who is accused of several human rights abuses such as extra-judicial killings and maiming, inflicting severe torture on perceived enemies, subjecting people to disappearance without trace as well as sexual offences including rape against women.
But in this exclusive with The Chronicle, Bojang has disassociated himself from these alleged conducts and indicated that his mission in the army was to use his already established leadership skills in the medical field to change the attitude in the army. Measuring his achievements in that regard, he believes that he has effected several positive changes including the protection of lives of Gambians.
Meanwhile, he also gave his assessment on the 3 year so far administration of President Adama Barrow. To him, the government has failed to implement its plans it had shared during the campaigns while lambasting the entire leaders of the Coalition 2016 for lack of foresightedness. He accused each of them as ‘not trustworthy.’
Bojang, who also served this present government as the deputy head of mission in Russia, shared his party’s agenda for the country if they are elected in the areas of boosting the poor electricity, dilapidated health services, agricultural mechanisation strategy as well as youth empowerment.
Given the status quo of the Security Sector Reforms (SSR), he stated that the process has failed due the way issues have been taken including the idea of downsizing the army. For the ECOMIG’s continuous existence in the country, he suggested that Barrow should have done better in winning the trust of Gambia Armed Forces and end the services of the regional forces.
Watch the full interview here……
