Fatoumatta Touma Njai NAM for Banjul South optimistic to keep her seat without PPP

By Bubacarr Komma January 6, 2022

“Of course, I am ready to defend my seat in the forthcoming April parliamentary election. I have very positive and cordial relation with my people. My mode of communication and contributions in parliament is impressive” She told The Progress Newspaper.

Touma was expelled from the party in March 2021. In a letter signed by party leader Kebba Jallow; “Your actions have proven gross and serious violations of the constitution, principles, norms and decisions of the party. Consequently, acting on the recommendations of the national disciplinary committee, the National Executive Committee of PPP, regrets to inform you that you are expelled from the People’s Progressive Party (PPP) with immediate effect. Touma alleged fraud in the party´s congress which led to the election of Kebba Jallow as leader.

My issue with (PPP) is in court therefore it looks like I will not contest as a member of (PPP). And it was not because of (PPP) I am in parliament, if you look there was a group called “Team Tahawal Banjul” a Wolof word mean “Solidarity Team for Banjul” in 2017. They organised themselves and supported the three female candidate of Banjul. They didn´t do it under the name of any political party. It was a community solidarity group.

That´s why I always see myself as a representative of the whole community and I don´t consider myself as PPP per se. That is the reason why even with this issue with the party, it does not affect my relationship with the people I am representing. That is why going as an independent will not have any effect on me. It will in fact demonstrate the determination in me to help my people, she explained.

‘I am proud of all my contributions in parliament especially when it comes to women and youth issues. Because if you go back to 2020 budget, when we were discussing about it there was a particular statement I made about youths, because they have removed the aspect of sport from the budget of Ministry of Youth and Sport.

I argued what would be the use of Ministry of Youth and Sport if there will be no budget allocated for sporting activities?’ She added that ‘also, when it comes to Ministry of High Education, I make sure the ministry maintains their budget and even get an increase in order for them to clear their arrears for the university and to ensure the students continue with their education. I was one of the members who made a deliberation on this’.