By Binta Jaiteh
The Lawmaker for Kiang West Constituency Hon. LaminCeesay has disagreed with the Government’s motion on the deployment of one hundred and Fifty Gambian troops to Sierra Leone for a peacekeeping exercise following an attempted Military Coup in the country.
The Motion was tabled by Vice President Muhammed BS Jallowseeking the parliament’s approval of this motion.
Kiang West lawmaker said sadly Gambia is a country that has undergone so many attempted coups but there was no redeployment of troops from any member state for peace mission. “After eight years of political impasse, these are the men and women in uniform you cannot trust to protect your President or be at the most important areas,” Hon. Ceesay said.
Immediately, the nominated Member Kebba Lang Fofana raised a point of order 18 saying any member who deviated from the Standing Orders shall be immediately called to order by the Speaker or any member. He noted that this is a motion that seeks for the deployment of Gambian troops to Sierra Leon as part of the ECOWAS stabilization forces.
“This has nothing to do with having trust in those men to serve our President, if the member wants to debate on that he can do it during the adjournment debate”, he reasoned.
“I think is high time to instill manners in members because you cannot take the mic and say whatever you want”, he told the earlier NAM.
He stressed that if it takes 100 points of orders, I will raise it but we will make sure that members debate on the substance with guidance.
The Deputy Speaker overseeing the Speaker sustained the point of order advised members to act by the Standing orders and confined themselves to the matter of the day.
Hon. Ceesay, still, reemphasized that “If you are deploying your troops, you should bestow a lot of trust in them. These are the people you did not trust to protect your President.”
This motion caused commotion to the extent that the National Assembly Member for Serrekunda West Constituency Hon MadiCessay told the members that Parliament does not belong to anyone but the “Gambians and we must talk about the President.”
The Deputy Speaker, Hon. Seedy Njie addressed the matter urging members to behave when proceedings are on. “I don’t want members to continuously make noise, because, here is not a market”, he cautioned.
“This is about the deployment of Gambian troops to Sierra Leone not about creating undue comments that will insight violence, let us avoid using terms or insinuating statements that are in-fine not to only insinuating but sending a wrong signal that members of the security are not trusted by the Commander of Chief”, Deputy speaker instructed.
The Deputy Speaker appealed to Kiang West MP not to repeat that issue.
“I want to submit that to my position as a member that I am not insinuating anything. Let it go to any level if the Commander-In-Chief of this country trusts the men let them protect him at his house”, he frowned.
On the statement of this insisted honourable, the Deputy Speaker off his mic instantly.
The National Assembly member for Jimara Hon. Essa Contehsaid this is not a matter of distrust. “We will not allow any political animal to mislead the public,” Hon Essa Contehshipped in.
Nominated Member, Hon. Kebba Lang Fofana noted that they can all sit down and allow members to say whatever they want ‘that is democracy’ but in Parliament “we make rules. When members are submitting you look into the motive and the intent of their submission.”
He continued “This is a productive document by the Government why should someone soil and shape it in a bad mood if not for political intent, why do you think we are raising point of orders. If the submission were object and progressive let us allow it to go.”
He said if they want to debate on political lines then they should organize a political rally adding that ‘this is Parliament.’
“I think we are losing it”, National Assembly Member for Banjul North Hon. Modou Lamin Bah said.
He divulged that “no one owns Parliament and that is the fact. If we are not here to represent people we should go out with due respect.”
Minority Leader, Hon. Allagie S Darboe said the rule of the Speaker should be respected because his seat is never smooth but always hot, though, sometimes the members have to make the Speaker act like a Speaker.
According to the VP recent events have revealed a security situation in Sierra Leone, culminating in the unconstitutional attempted seizure of power by the military. The Gambia, as an active member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), holds a deep commitment to promoting regional peace, stability, and the protection of democratic values.
He said the ECOWAS joint operation, developed in response to the current situation in Sierra Leone, seeks to enhance peace and security and ensure the maintenance of peace and order in the country. This operational intervention requires the collective efforts of ECOWAS member states to provide military support. By deploying our gallant Gambian troops, trained in peacekeeping operations and equipped with skills to restore order and protect the democratic aspirations of our fellow West African brothers and sisters, we can contribute to the restoration of stability and the protection of constitutional values in Sierra Leone.
However, after a heated debate, Parliament approved the deployment of Gambians to Sierra Leone for the peacekeeping exercise.