Kemo Fatty, an environmental advocate and former Project Manager at the Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC), has exposed a web of financial misconduct and corruption at the Bakoteh dumpsite during his 100-day tenure.

Appearing before the Local Government Commission of Inquiry, he detailed his struggle to combat waste mismanagement and protect public funds, highlighting the challenges he faced while raising concerns about systematic abuse within the council.

Fatty’s journey at KMC began in 2020, when he was appointed as Project Manager 2 for the “Mbalit” Project, tasked with improving waste management in the municipality.

However, his initial role as a volunteer overseeing the Bakoteh dumpsite remained his primary focus, where he worked tirelessly to protect the surrounding communities from pollution.

Despite his dedication, Fatty’s tenure was plagued by allegations of financial mismanagement and corruption involving senior KMC officials.

His testimony uncovered that money collected from the dumpsite’s daily operations was frequently mishandled, with funds being diverted before they could be properly deposited into KMC’s accounts.

“There were repeated instances where my superiors would come to the dumpsite, collect the daily revenue, and bypass the proper procedures for depositing it at the cashier’s office,” Fatty revealed.

He named KMC officials, including Lamin Sanyang (Director of Services) and Bakary Singhateh (Project Manager of the “Mbalit” Project), as key players in this alleged financial misconduct.

Fatty’s repeated attempts to address the discrepancies went unheeded, he said, and even the internal audit team dismissed his concerns. When he sought to take action, including halting a problematic payment system at the dumpsite, his efforts were met with swift retaliation, culminating in his suspension without pay.

“The lack of action on the missing D270,000 while I was punished for trying to stop corruption made it clear that my efforts were not welcome,” he said. 

His frustration with the KMC’s failure to address the issues led to his resignation in October 2020. In his testimony, Fatty lamented the lack of accountability and the entrenched corruption that hindered meaningful change.

He also emphasised that his efforts to expose the truth were undermined by powerful figures within the council.

Reporting by Adama Makasuba