Dec 14, 2022, 9:41 AM | Article By: Adama Tine

The Supreme Court of The Gambia yesterday in a landmark ruling states that mayors and councillors no longer need the permission of the minister of Local Government to travel outside The Gambia.

This judgement came in a case involving the Kanifing Municipality Council (KMC), Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda and 55 other chairmen and councilors against the State as the plaintiffs challenged some of the powers of the Government under the Local Government Act. 

The ruling further revealed that the President shall no longer appoint interim management to oversee councils three months before elections. The ruling continued: “Councils shall continue to operate until the end of their mandate and just before elections,” the ruling pointed out.

Stating more on the ruling, the Supreme Court highlighted that local government elections will be held every 4 years and not every five years from April 2023. “Local Governments and Municipal Councils will no longer be dissolved three months before elections.”

Reacting to the judgement, Mayou Bensouda described it as a win for democracy and decentralisation!

“I shall continue my quest to transform the municipality and to seek reforms for the remainder of my term.”