The Gambia Democratic Congress’ youth leader has asked President Adama Barrow to send the Senegalese forces out of the State House and to allow Gambian security personnel to guard the country’s seat of power.

Momodou MC Cham was speaking to Gambiana in an exclusive interview and described the presence of the Senegalese at State House as “very serious” adding “because it’s the country’s most sensitive place.”

“I am calling on President Barrow to quickly withdraw all Senegalese Forces from the country’s most sensitive office and give Gambian security personnel the responsibility to secure the State House,” Mr Cham said.

He added that Gambia has professional security personnel who can secure the country without the presence of any foreign forces to help restore stability in the country.

Mr Cham also lashed out at President Barrow for not showing support for The Gambia Armed Forces. He called on the President to “focus more on Gambian security forces than any other foreign security apparatus in the country. I don’t see the president’s confidence in the GAF because he has been in power for almost four years. But we never see him visiting the military barracks.”

Gambian State House has been predominantly occupied by Senegalese gendarme since 2017 when the country’s ex-tyrant Yahya Jammeh fled into exile after losing the 2016 presidential election to President Adama Barrow.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba