The mayor of Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Monday faced tough questioning from the Local Government Commission of Inquiry over the appointment of several close associates to key positions.

Appearing before the Commission, Mayor Ahmed Talib Bensouda expressed frustration over his inability to work with all the people he wanted in the council.

Counsel Patrick Gomez pressed him on whether staff appointments should be free from conflict of interest, to which the mayor agreed.

Gomez questioned the appointments of Babucarr Jammeh, Nuru Deen Adams, and Aisha Faal, asking if it was right for them to be hired in the usual way.

Mayor Bensouda insisted there was no conflict of interest, saying: “I knew them. I know many people employed by KMC. I would have loved for people I trusted, including them, to work here.”

The mayor revealed that while he received hundreds of applications, only a few were selected, citing cases like Mariama Bah and Fatoumatta Manneh, who applied but did not get positions.

He maintained that appointments were handled by the human resources department, and he only referred applicants to the right authority.

When asked if the appointments were referrals or headhunting, Mayor Bensouda denied both, clarifying that the individuals had applied through proper channels.

He admitted he was dissatisfied he could not bring his full team, citing trust issues with inheriting employees from previous administrations.

By Adama Makasuba