By, Kebba Ansu Manneh
The Youth Wing of the United Democratic Party (UDP) has written to the Inspector General of Police Abdoulie Sanyang seeking a permit to stage a Solidary March for the release of Momodou Sabally, Campaign Manager of the United Democratic Party on 2nd January 2023.
In a letter signed by Haji Suwareh, UDP National Youth President, dated 25th December 2022, informed the IGP of their intentions to march from Westfield Monument to the Paramilitary Headquarters where Sabally is said to be alledgedly detained.
“In exercise of our constitutional rights guaranteed under section 25 (1) (D) of 1997 to peaceful demonstration, and by Provisions of Section 2 of the Public Order Act No. 7 of the 1961 Cap 22:01, we the members of the United Democratic Party’s Youth Wing wish to stage a solidarity march to manifest our dissatisfaction against continuing arbitrary detention of our Party’s Campaign Manager, Momodou Sabally at PIU Headquarters, Kanifing,” UDP Youth Wing Leader Signed in the permit letter.
They added: “We respect the police rights to investigate any suspicion of a criminal offence in this country but similarly expect your respective office, as head of the police, to respect our constitutional rights as citizens to manifest our dissatisfaction against any perceived injustice from the police in the exercise of their legal duties
. We thus, hereby seek a police permit for police protection to hold a peaceful public procession on 2nd January 2023.” According to them, the procession will commence from Westfield Monument to the Police Intervention Unit, Kanifing where they will handover their petition to IGP Abdoulie Sanyang demanding the immediate release of Momodou Sabally, adding that the peaceful solidarity march will last for six hours between the hours of 12 pm to 6 pm on 2nd December 2022.’’