By Makutu Manneh
Yerro Mballow, the chairman of the Coalition Mediation Committee, on Wednesday dismissed allegations of bribery, inducement, and a lack of transparency leveled against committee members, calling the claims false and politically motivated.
In a statement issued August 12 following consultations with committee members, Mr. Mballow said the committee had upheld what he described as the highest standards of transparency throughout the coalition process, from its inception to its conclusion.
He praised the work of the committee’s secretariat, singling out its public relations officer, the lawyer Assan Martin, for what he called diligence and integrity in carrying out his duties. Mr. Mballow said Mr. Martin had never been credibly linked to any bribery or inducement claim, allegations he attributed to individuals from parties that withdrew from the coalition talks.
“I urge all those spreading allegations of inducement or bribery against the CMC to stop with immediate effect,” Mr. Mballow said. “Our intention to enter into these coalition talks was clear: we came in as concerned Gambians who wanted a united opposition.”
He said committee members had received no payment for their work from the start of the talks to the present, and had acted in good faith and in the interest of the country throughout the process.
Mr. Mballow also addressed a walkout that occurred at the Metzy Residence Hotel in Kotu on August 8, shortly before a scheduled vote for the coalition’s flagbearer. He said he and the former vice president, Fatoumatta Jallow-Tambajang, left the proceedings to address serious allegations raised in a withdrawal letter submitted by Essa Mbye Faal of the APP-Sobeyaa party, one of three contenders in the flagbearer race.
The walkout, Mr. Mballow said, was not a protest against any individual or party, but a step taken to defend the committee’s reputation and protect the credibility of the broader process in light of the allegations raised by the departing parties.
The committee, he said, remains committed to a transparent, inclusive, and credible process, and he called on all stakeholders to prioritize national unity as The Gambia prepares for the 2026 elections.
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