By: Alieu Ceesay
Tensions flared in the National Assembly on Wednesday as opposition lawmakers sharply questioned Vice President Muhammed B.S. Jallow regarding the National People’s Party’s (NPP) recent launch of a D50 million Women Enterprise Fund, with critics raising alarms over potential misuse of influence in an election year.
The session marked Vice President Jallow’s first appearance before the Assembly in the 2026 legislative year, where he stood in for President Adama Barrow to address oral questions on national issues. What began as routine proceedings quickly escalated when National Assembly Member (NAM) Yahya Sanyang of Latrikunda Sabiji zeroed in on the fund, which President Barrow launched in late January at the NPP headquarters.
Sanyang demanded clarity on the source of the D50 million (approximately $750,000), pressing whether any public funds, state-owned enterprises, or government resources had been used to support what he described as a partisan initiative benefiting women affiliated with the ruling NPP.
Vice President Jallow firmly denied any involvement of public money. “No public funds are used in this initiative,” he stated, emphasizing that the fund was a private matter.
The response failed to quell the debate. Ruling party supporters urged the Speaker to intervene and halt further probing, but Deputy Speaker Seedy Njie permitted Sanyang to continue.
The Latrikunda Sabiji NAM questioned why the D50 million was directed exclusively to NPP women rather than channeled through the existing national Women’s Enterprise Fund, managed by the Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Welfare. “Could His Excellency, the Vice President, explain to this Assembly why a D50M enterprise fund was launched specifically for women of a single political party?” Sanyang asked.
Jallow deflected, replying that “that question is for the party to answer.”
Sanyang pressed further, questioning whether the initiative—allegedly spearheaded by the Head of State—complied with the Election Act 2026 and the code of conduct for public officers. He raised concerns about possible vote-buying or improper use of executive influence ahead of upcoming elections.
In response, the Vice President referred the electoral compliance aspect to the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC). “As stated in my response earlier, the enterprise fund of the National People’s Party is purely a party’s affair, and any matter relating to a political party’s conduct in relation to the Election Act should be referred to the Independent Electoral Commission,” he said.
Jallow added that he was unaware of any state resources—such as government vehicles or civil service personnel—being utilized in the fund’s planning or execution.
The fund, unveiled in January as a landmark effort to provide interest-free loans and support to NPP-affiliated women groups, has drawn mixed reactions since its launch. Supporters hail it as a step toward economic empowerment, while critics argue it risks politicizing aid and unfairly favors one party amid preparations for the 2026-2027 electoral cycle.
The heated exchange highlighted deepening partisan divides in the Assembly, with the episode underscoring ongoing debates over the boundaries between party activities and state resources in The Gambia’s evolving democratic landscape.
