Tourism and Culture minister Hamat Bah said on Sunday he stood by his recent statement on tribalism in The Gambia. 

Mr Bah, who was speaking at a political rally at State House on Saturday, is heard saying “there’s something happening in this country, it’s us Fulas that are suffering the most. If you go to look for an ID Card if you’re fair in complexion, they would say ‘you’re a Guinean, you don’t live here. 

“It’s just us Fulas that they pick out and make us suffer over a card. And President Barrow we are part of this country. We have a right in this country, we belong in it and we would stand and make sure that doesn’t happen in this country. 

“Even when you’re in a car and fair, they would look at you and say ‘come down, come down’ – and they would say you’re a foreigner.”

Gambians from all walks of life have condemned Mr Bah for stoking tribalism and called on him to retract his statement.

However the firebrand politician said he stood by his statement. Mr Bah told an online platform on Sunday: “I stand by my comment. I stand by what I have said one million times that people are being dehumanised, marginalised and deprived of their fundamental national rights to document.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba