Residents of Kololi have slammed the government for attempting to seize their women community garden, describing the action as “selfish”.

They said the government wants to use their garden, the source for income for many poor women, for so-called industrial development. 

Some of the gardeners have already been driven away from their plots, as men were found destroying some planted trees like mangoes, cassavas and potatoes.

The residents have vowed to challenge the action by staging a protest to express their anger and disappointment against the government. 

The group has the support of the Gambia Environmental Task Force who advocates for the protection of the environment.

The group’s member Tamba Jeffang also lashed out at the government for such action despite The Gambia’s commitment to environmental treaties.

Speaking to reporters at the garden, Bai Abdoulie Joof, alkalo of Kololi said: “I know how hard I have struggled here together with these people. 

“I could remember even the national assembly member for Serekunda West came here to have series of meetings with these women. 

“This area is small because they have almost taken everything. And to make it worst, most of these allocations are given to non-Gambians at the detriment of these poor people.”

The councillor for Kololi, Peter Mendy, added: “we the residents of Kololi are not benefitting anything from the community. 

They make us like a zoo, if you are moving around you have to walk with your ID card in a community you’re born in. 

“Since the establishment of The Gambia Tourism Board Kololi has not been benefitting from anything, and we will not sit and accept it anymore. We will take to the street.”

Hawa Ceesay, a gardener, said: “We don’t have anywhere to earn our living other than this garden and anywhere we go they come after us and drive us away. 

“And here is our last option which they want to drive us away again. This is the garden we feed our families, this is the garden we pay for children school fees and lunches. 

“So, we are urging the government to please leave this garden for us. We don’t even have a market.”

Aja Njie-Senghore also said that the garden is their only source of living “but they have been driving us away anywhere we go for gardening, and they are trying again to kick us away.”

Reporting by Adama Makasuba