By Yunus S Saliu
The Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure has recently kicked-start the construction of the late Sir Dawda K Jawara mausoleum in the National Assembly premises where he was buried in August 2019.
The construction of the mausoleum handling by the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure is meant to honour the late Gambian president and as well allow people, visitors and tourists to visit and pay respect to the late president and learn about the life he lived taking into consideration the significant items from his past.
Former President Jawara mausoleum is going to be a place of attraction for everyone whereby individuals, visitors, both national and international tourists can visit to remember or mourn, reflect on the life of the late president in a peaceful environment, mediate and allow people to interact with some of his personal possessions among other things.
Following the death of the late President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara, “the National Assembly expressed desire to have a memorial for his contributions to the country and remember him about what he stood for in term of peace and stability,” Mr Matarr Ceesay, Director of Technical Services, Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure stated.
He added that the mausoleum known as “DK Memorial Centre is very important to the nation and it is in honour of the country’s first president.”
Noting that it is a big project for the country as the National Assembly want something similar to what does exists in western countries like in USA where former presidents are honored with libraries or memorials that symbolizes what they represented when they were alive.
Giving details of the DK Memorial Centre, he said there were about three or four concepts submitted and reviewed, this was done by the Ministry of Transport, Works and Infrastructure in collaboration with the representatives of the immediate family of late president Jawara and National Centre for Arts and Culture – would be custodian of the memorial complex.
The Director of Technical Services disclosed that the mausoleum will cost D25million and will occupy 324sqms with some facilities which will include archive, store, water pools/fountain, cafeteria, and library, stalls/gift shops around it and among other modern facilities.
On the design, “the building is a suspended one which basically sits on top of his burial ground. In designing it, importantly, the cultural and religious aspects, to avoid having any issue on it, were incorporated in the design. So visitors to the place can look down and pay their respect without any interference with the burial ground,” clarified by Mr Ceesay.
The Technical Service Director indicated that the construction will be completed in 13 months and “we are very much looking forward for the progress of the project because the Ministry as from day one has taken it as a legacy project and we are happy and glad that we are entrusted with it.”
Hassoum Ceesay, Director General of National Centre for Arts and Culture said late President Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara really deserved the mausoleum and visitor’s centre as it will serve as museum/library and place of attraction “where generation and future generations can come and pay homage to his remains and also see some of his artifacts materials which he had worked with such as his books, clothes, papers among others.”
Added that “it is for people to learn about what he represented when he was alive in term of stability, peace, rule of law and respect for human rights the virtue which he stood for. Therefore is going to be more than a resting place but a place of inspiration, education and knowledge for the generations of Gambians and non-Gambians today, tomorrow and those to visit The Gambia in future.”