Gambian army chief resigns after allegations of misconduct; successor appointed.
The Presidency announces acceptance of the resignation and the appointment of Major General Osman Gomez
Written by: Mohammed Omran
In a notable development within the Gambian military establishment, the Gambian presidency announced the resignation of Lieutenant General Mamat Oa A. Cham from his position as Chief of Defence Staff, following allegations of misconduct and abuse of power.
Gambian army chief resigns after misconduct allegations; successor appointed.
President Adama Barrow accepted the resignation immediately, announcing the temporary appointment of a new army leadership, in a move that reflects the ongoing power struggles within the country's top military hierarchy.
According to a statement issued by the Presidency, President Adama Barrow accepted the resignation, which takes effect immediately on Friday.
The statement added that General Cham, in his resignation letter, acknowledged that he was stepping down from his position following “numerous allegations of misconduct and abuse of office in a manner inconsistent with the Office of the Chief of the Defence Staff.”.
Following the resignation, President Barrow appointed Major General Usman Gomez as acting Chief of the Defence Staff with immediate effect.
Brigadier General Gomez previously served as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff at the Army Headquarters in Banjul.
The presidency announced that the appointment was made in accordance with Article 190 of the Constitution.
The statement added that General Cham thanked President Barrow for the trust he had placed in him during his tenure as the country's ninth Chief of Defence Staff.
Ramaphosa takes legal action to overturn the Farmgate report and thwart his impeachment in South Africa.
In a separate context, the political scene in South Africa is witnessing a new development in the “Farmgate” case, which has sparked considerable controversy recently, after President Cyril Ramaphosa took legal action to challenge a parliamentary report that reopened the possibility of his impeachment.
Ramaphosa’s move came amid escalating controversy surrounding allegations related to the discovery of cash on his private farm in 2020, and the subsequent investigations and conflicting interpretations, which brought the issue back to the forefront of the country’s political and judicial scene.
South African President Cyril Ramaphosa has filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn a parliamentary-commissioned report that reopened the possibility of impeachment proceedings against him.
