Gambian President Yahya Jammeh has sacked the foreign
minister, the presidency announced, the sixth cabinet member removed in
three months.
Susan Waffa-Ogoo was "fired from her post with
immediate effect," the presidency said in a short statement released
late Wednesday, without giving a reason.
Jammeh regularly reshuffles his cabinet in what
many observers say is a sign of insecurity and runs several key
ministries himself, including defence, forestry and religious affairs.
Earlier in August, he fired five cabinet members including ministers of transport, energy and education.
Jammeh, who has ruled mainland Africa's smallest
country with an aura of mysticism and an iron fist since seizing power
in 1994, vowed ahead of his swearing-in for a fourth term last year to
eradicate corruption.
Meanwhile, the President has pardoned Lebanese
businessman Hussein Tajudeen, four months after he was expelled from the
west African nation for questionable economic activities.
An official statement issued by the president’s office said the multimillionaire was free to return to Gambia as of October 25.
“The general public is hereby informed that
President Yahya Jammeh has pardoned Mr Hussein Tajudeen (Tajco) who had
earlier been declared persona non grata,” said the statement. “Mr
Tajudeen is therefore free to return to The Gambia as from the 25th
October 2013.”
Tajudeen, who was close to the President, was in June accused of involvement in the sale of foodstuffs past their sell-by date.
The owner of Gambia’s largest supermarket chain
Kairaba and main importer of rice and flour through one of his
companies, Tajco, had lived in the country for 15 years but was asked to
leave within 72 hours.
In the wake of his expulsion the import of frozen chicken legs was banned, but the two decisions were never officially linked.
SOURCE: AFRICA REVIEW
SOURCE: AFRICA REVIEW
