About four Gambian Ambassadors, who were handpicked and recommended for appointment by the erstwhile Foreign Minister and leader of the Unite Democratic Party (UDP), Ousainou Darboe, has been informed by The Gambian government via correspondence that their contractual employment with the state had expired with effect from Wednesday 15th May 2019, Freedom Newspaper can reveal. The Gambian government hasn’t demonstrated any interest or willingness in extending the contracts of the affected UDP Ambassadors, according to diplomatic sources familiar with the story. Some of the affected diplomats, even went as far as trying to ask the government to consider extending their contracts, but Banjul wouldn’t entertain their requests. In essence, the expired contracts of the UDP hired Ambassadors will not be renewed, sources said.
Among the Ambassadors to be recalled for home services are: Kemesseng Jammeh, Gambia’s Ambassador to Ankara, Turkey, Amadou Taal, Gambia’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Faye Ceesay, Gambia’s Ambassador to China, and Francis Blain, Gambia’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom.
It has been gathered that Ambassador Ramzia Diab’s contract has been renewed. Razia is Gambia’s Ambassador to Malaysia. She is a close friend of Vice President Isatou Touray. She was among the supporters Isatou Touray during the 2016 Presidential elections.
The Barrow government is yet to find replacement for the aforementioned Ambassadors. “ We are all here sitting waiting for government to send a letter of recall. We were told two weeks ago that our contracts would expire with effect from May 15th,” one of the Ambassadors was quoted as saying.
“Kemesseng, Ramzia, Amadou, Francis, and Faye were brought into the government by Lawyer Darboe. Darboe had played an instrumental role as Foreign Minister at the time to recommend them to the President, so that Barrow could consider them for appointment in the Foreign Service. I want to believe that one of the reasons, why they are still at their stations is because government lacks money to recall all these Ambassadors at the same time. It would require a lot of money to facilitate their home return together with their families,” said our source.
Former VP Fatoumatta Jallow Tambajang also played her part towards Francis Blain’s appointment. She landed her UN local job in Liberia, thanks to Mr. Blain, who was a senior official of the United Nations at the time.
Relationship between Darboe and President Barrow went south, following Barrow’s move to purge the UDP cabinet ministers, including former Vice President Ousainou Darboe himself from his government.
Gambia’s Foreign Ministry could not be reached for comment at press time.
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