The Gambian parliament has differed on the government demand to send peacekeeping troops to Sierra Leone.

The troops are part of the regional bloc’s standby force formed to maintain peace and stability in a member-state. More than hundred Gambian army personnel are among the list of regional peacekeepers.

Tabling the motion before lawmakers, vice president Muhammed B.S Jallow told members that the “deployment is intended to contribute to the ECOWAS joint operation aimed at restoring peace, security and stability in Sierra Leone following a recent attempted military coup.

“Whereas acknowledging the situation of the security in Sierra Leone and recognising and upholding of democratic principles, stability and regional peace, the president urgently requested the approval of this assembly for the deployment of Gambian troops to Sierra Leone, pursuant to section 1884 of the constitution of the Gambia, 1997.”

According to him, this comes following an attempted military coup in Sierra Leone which led to the mass arrest of the coupists some of whom are serving and retired army and police officers of the West African nation.

However, national assembly member for Kiang West Lamin Ceesay countered the motion with condemnation describing it as “funny”. 

“For me is that the Gambia is a country which has undergone so many attempted coups but there was no redeployment of troops from any member states restore peace here. So, let’s not use that as a yard stick. In fact, what makes it more funny is that after eight years of political impasse, these are the men and women in uniform you cannot trust to protect your country.”

But the member for Old Yundum Constituency, Abdoulie Ceesay, welcomed the motion while adding that “it’s important for us to give helping hands to each other as countries. We never know what is going to happen and the Gambia could fall under similar situation which I hope would never happened.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba