(JollofNews) – The Gambia Police Force is yet to issue a permit to enable the country’s former ruling party to commemorate the July 22 revolution, which brought former President Yahya Jammeh to power in 1994.
Mr Jammeh’s party, APRC, which governed the Gambia from January 1997 to January 2017 was booted out in power in the December 2016 election.
The administration of Adama Barrow has accused the APRC regime of committing gross right violations and corruption and has spoken out against plans to commemorate the day.
But the APRC said it wants to mark the day to celebrate its achievements for the country which includes the building of a national television, national university, schools, road networks, modern airport and other basic amenities.
The party has since applied for a police permit in accordance with the country’s public order act, which is yet to be issued.
A spokesman for the Gambia Police Force, Inspector Foday Conta, has confirmed that they have received a permit from the APRC to commemorate the birth of the party and not the July 22 Revolution
“We are looking at the application. However, the date requested for the event is July 22, and our investigations revealed that the APRC as a party was actually formed on August 23 and not July 22,” he told the Independent Standard Newspaper.
“We cannot comment or speculate on that as nothing like that is on out table so far. What is on our table so far is that an application has been received from the APRC to celebrate the birth of the party and they intend to do that on July 22. Let me make it clear again that we have not yet made a decision on the request as it is currently at management level.”