Pa Samba Jow, a political and human rights activist, has said that if the Former Presidents Bill is enacted in its present form, it would increase impunity in The Gambia.

The Gambia administration submitted a new measure in the National Assembly proposing to provide lifelong pensions, gratuities, and other perks for former Gambian presidents and their wives.

The law would create the office of former president, which would exist for the former president’s lifetime beginning on the day he or she ceased to be president.

If enacted, the government must furnish and equip a former president’s office to cabinet-level standards within six months after the president’s departure and employ at least four people, including a personal assistant and personal secretary.
In a Standard exclusive, Pa Samba Jow stated of the law, “As much as I understand the motivation for such a bill, I still find it woefully troubling.” In its present form, the measure fosters impunity.”

He said that no president who is found deficient should benefit from such a lavish pension plan.
“Why should we reward corrupt former presidents who violated human rights with such a large package?” Take Jammeh, for example; he has been held guilty for over 200 fatalities by a panel of inquiry, in addition to pillaging hundreds of millions, but this law seeks to clear his name to the cost of the nation and his victims,” he stated.

The Gambian, who lives in the United States, believes that the best way to start is to make it crystal clear to all presidents and aspiring presidents that if “you respect the laws of the country while serving, we will take care of you after your presidency, but if you fail to do right by the people, you will not enjoy any such benefits.”

“Secondly, if the bill’s motivation is to discourage presidents from self-perpetuating, a constitution with an ironclad term limit will easily take care of that.” “The financial package is overly generous,” he stated.