By Assan Sallah, Security Analyst
PART ONE
The resignation of the ex-Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) Lt. General Mamat O.A Cham on 29th May 2026, has raised public concerns and reactions on the current state of the country’s armed forces. The whole resignation saga is due to corruption allegations, abuse of office and nepotism claims within the Gambia Armed Forces. It also evident that GAF has been facing leadership crisis in addition to divisions based on tribal lines, politics, nepotism, etc.
I will not pre-empt the findings of the investigators into the allegations against Mamat Cham, but looking at the nature of allegations, ex-CDS Cham might be found wanting on only two alleged offences at the end of the investigation. One of these could be on corruption allegations linking him to the sale of the migrant boats seized by the Navy and the second might be about the award of scholarship to his son Muhammed Cham, currently undergoing a military course in Morocco. All the other allegations are cooked and half baked, aimed at tarnishing the images of innocent people, some of whom have worked tirelessly for this country and are still giving their best to the country. Perhaps it is too early to say this, but Cham has been misled and did not get the right advice which resulted into this dilemma. Indeed, his career did not end well, and this could have been avoided if he had proper advice and the competent people around him.
Exactly one year ago, I wrote an article titled: “Analysis: Leadership Incompetence Facing The Gambia Armed Forces: The Urgent Need To Fix The Military” see link Analysis: Leadership Incompetence Facing The Gambia Armed Forces: The Urgent Need To Fix The Military – LamToro News .This article is worth reading today more than ever before. Most of the things that culminated into GAF’s current status which led to Cham’s resignation were signalled but a little attention was given to it for some time and later ignored.Despite the Security Sector Reform (SSR) introduced by the current government since 2018, the lack of implementation of TACOS , lack of Standard Promotion Procedures and the lack of proper regimentation continue to affect the Gambia Armed Forces. These are among some of the huge challenges awaiting the newly appointed CDS Major General Ousman Gomez, his deputy Brigadier General Sait Njie and the army top brass.
APPOINTMENT OF NEW CDS
President Adama Barrow has already confirmed the appointment Major General Ousman Gomez as the CDS, following the line of succession, which is the right action to take. However, shortly after Cham’s resignation, there was some noise on social media regarding who should be appointed as if those making noise are responsible for appointments. Military is no child’s play, and it is all about discipline. The Commander-in -Chief is the only person who can appoint any officer as CDS depending on certain criteria.
The current appointments made by the President and Commander -in -Chief of the Gambia Armed Forces is a strategic and good one. Looking at the appointments, one will notice that it is in Order and proper as well considering the current state of GAF. I will not delve into the security strategies and planning but one can conclude that it is a good decision.
BRIEF BACKGROUND OF THE GAF AND CLARIFICATION ON THE CDS TITLE
The Gambia Armed Forces was established by an Act of Parliament on 24th June 1985. From that period up to 1997, there was a single service setting called Gambia National Army (GNA). During this period, the head of the army was called ‘Commander’ of the Gambia National Army. This was the nomenclature used.
The first Commander of the Gambia National Army was Col. Momodou Ndaw Njie. He was assisted from the inception of the Gambia National Army by the British Army Training Team (BATT). Ndaw Njie served as Commander from 1985 up to the early 90s. He was then re-deployed to the Foreign Service. Then came the late Major Pa Gaye. Pa Gaye is a resident of Tallinding. He replaced Col. Momodou Ndaw Njie briefly but was subsequently replaced by Major Maba Jobe. Major Jobe was born in Farafenni but resident in Bakau. He served as Commander of the GNA from 1991 to 1992.
In 1992, a group of Nigerian officers and soldiers referred to as NATAG, meaning Nigerian Army Technical Assistance Group (NATAG) came into the country upon invitation by the former first president Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara to take over the Command of the Gambia National Army.
However, when NATAG came, the British Army Training Team (BATT) ceased to function in The Gambia and returned to the UK. It was also because of this (NATAG) change that Major Maba Jobe was re-deployed to the Foreign Service at the Gambian Embassy in the UK.
The NATAG team, headed by Brigadier General Abubakarr Dada, arrived in The Gambia in May 1992. The initial team was comprised of 10 officers and 32 soldiers. Brigadier General Dada came to The Gambia with the rank of a Colonel from Nigeria and was subsequently promoted to the rank of a Brigadier General.
Dada and his men took over the Command and Control of the entire Gambia National Army except for the 3rd Marine Company from May 1992 up to 22nd July 1994, when former president Yahya Jammeh and his men (Sanna Sabally, Edward Singhateh, Sadibou Hydara, Yankuba Touray, etc) took over the country.
Immediately after the 1994 take over, Major Modou Badjie was appointed as Army Commander briefly. He was replaced by Major Baboucarr Jatta who was later promoted to the rank of a Colonel.
Major Modou Badjie was then re-deployed to the Civil Service Sector and appointed as Commissioner (Governor) of Lower River Region (LRR), whilst Col. Baboucarr Jatta took over as ‘Commander’ of GNA from 1994 – 1996.
In the same year 1996, the former government of Yahya Jammeh introduced Decree 87 and Decree 88 of 1996. These Decrees transformed the 3rd Marine Company of the Gambia National Army to the Gambia Navy and the Tactical Support Group of The Gambia Police Force to the Gambia National Guard (now Republican National Guard).
Officers like Commodore (Brig. Gen) Assan Sarr; ex-Army Captain Ebou Jallow, who is now based in the US, and others were part of the 3rd Marine Company which metamorphosed to the Gambia Navy.
These Decrees (87 and 88) institutionalized The Gambia Armed Forces with the 3 services of the Army, Navy and National Guard (National Republican Guard).
However, it was during this period that Col. Baboucarr Jatta became ‘Chief of Staff’ of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) from 1996 -2004. So, the title of the head of the Army being referred to as ‘Chief of Staff’ was used from 1996 to 2004.
This means that the former president Jammeh and the military leaders at that time failed to institutionalize the title of ‘CDS’ as stated in the 1997 Constitution of The Gambia until 2005 when Commodore Assan Sarr was appointed.
Commodore (Brigadier General) Assan Sarr, former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF) is the first Gambian army officer to hold the title of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Gambia Armed Forces (GAF). Sarr had served as head of the Gambia’s Armed Forces from December 2004 until 29th November 2005.
As head of the Gambian Armed Forces, Sarr was holding the title of ‘Chief of Staff’ of the Gambia Armed Forces until February 2005 when he advised the former president and Commander-in-Chief of GAF Yahya Jammeh to revisit the dictates of the 1997 Constitution and the 1985 Gambia Armed Forces Act, and use the CDS portfolio which also applies to most of the armed services within the sub-region and beyond. The former president approved his recommendations, promoted him to the rank of a colonel and appointed him the title of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS).
Although there is a provision of the title of CDS and his/her role and responsibilities under Chapter XIII Part 1 Sections 186, 187, 188 and 189 of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia and the 1985 Armed Forces Act Section 11 Sub- Section 2(a), BUT it (Title of CDS) was NOT institutionalized in the Armed Forces until some months after Brig. General Assan Sarr took over the mantle of leadership of the GAF.
It is evident that Chapter XIII of the 1997 Constitution of The Republic of The Gambia clearly states under Section 186 Part 1 that, there shall be the Armed Forces of The Gambia which shall consist of the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and such other services for which provision is made by an Act of the National Assembly. Under this provision, the Chief of Staff is a senior principal staff officer under the Office of the CDS, ie, Deputy CDS.
Again, in the same Chapter XIII of the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia under Section 188, which talked about the Control of the Armed Forces, part 1 stated: “Subject to the authority and directions of the President and of the Armed Forces Council, the Chief of Defence Staff shall be responsible for the operational control and administration of the Armed Forces.”
Also, Section 189 under the 1997 Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia talked about the setting up of the Armed Forces Council, etc, but the title of CDS was not institutionalized in the armed forces until 2005. The former president Yahya Jammeh, who was also the Commander-in-Chief of the Gambia Armed Forces and the military leaders at that time failed to adopt this title until 2005.
It would be recalled that in February 2005, Navy Captain (Lt. Col.) Assan Sarr, while serving as ‘Chief of Staff’ of GAF, was promoted from the rank of a Lt. Col. to a Colonel and was appointed as Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) of the Gambia Armed Forces. It was exactly at this time when the Gambia Armed Forces began to institutionalize the title of CDS and Brig. General. Sarr had served as CDS of GAF until 29th November 2005, when his service was terminated.
See link of the article that I first published in November 2017 and re-posted on LamToro News website in 2022.(Brig. General Assan Sarr: First Gambian Army Officer to be conferred CDS title – LamToro News)
OBSERVATION ON FORMER CDS CHAM’S RESIGNATION LETTER: CHAM WAS GAF’s 8TH CDS NOT 9TH CDS AS INDICATED IN HIS LETTER.
The former CDS Lt. Gen. Mamat O. Cham has made an error in his letter of resignation addressed to the President of the Republic and Commander -In-Chief of the Gambia Armed Forces, following corruption allegations against him and investigations that followed suit.
According to the Government Spokesperson’s press statement, the ex-CDS Lt. General Mamat O. Cham thanked President Barrow for giving him the opportunity to serve as the ‘9th CDS’. For the records, Mamat Cham was the 8th CDS. See link https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1FuhKUjfpX/
The title of CDS was institutionalized in 2005 when Commodore (Brigadier General) Assan Sarr was head of the GAF. Sarr is the first GAF officer to serve with the title of CDS from February 2005 to 29th November 2005. He was followed by Col. Ndure Cham who served as CDS from 29th November 2005 to 21st March 2006. Colonel Ndure Cham was replaced by Colonel Lang Tombong Tamba who served as CDS from 22nd March until 9th October 2009. Tamba was also promoted from the rank of Colonel to Brigadier General Major General and eventually Lieutenant General before he was terminated.
Lt. Gen. Masanneh N. Kinteh was the 4th officer to serve as CDS of the Gambia Armed Forces. He was appointed on 9th October 2009, replacing Lang Tombong Tamba. Masanneh served from October 2009 to 6th July 2012. He was replaced by Lt. Gen. Ousman Bargie. Bargie served from 2012 to 2017. He was replaced in 2017 after the change of government and political impasse.
In January 2017, Lt. Gen. Masanneh N. Kinteh bounced back as CDS, being his second time to serve in that capacity and as the 6th CDS. On 5th March 2020, Kinteh was removed and replaced by Lt. Gen. Yakuba Drammeh as the 7th CDS.
General Drammeh was first demoted to a private and dismissed on Monday, 30th November 2009, by former president Yahya Jammeh when he was allegedly linked to the alleged coup plot by Lang Tombong Tamba and Co. Drammeh was briefly detained and following investigations in his case, he wrote a letter to former president Jammeh, which was published on the Daily Observer newspaper titled: “I WILL NEVER BETRAY PRESIDENT JAMMEH”. Following this letter and clarification on the allegations against him, he was reinstated into the Gambia Armed Forces on 2nd December 2009. Whie serving as Brigadier General, he was subsequently promoted to the rank of Major General and appointed as Deputy Chief of Defence Staff. He acted briefly as CDS for the substantive holder Lt. General Masanneh N. Kinteh who was on study leave. In February 2010, he was redeployed to the Foreign Service until 2015 when he was again re-instated into the GAF. Lt. Gen. Yakuba Drammeh was appointed as CDS in March 2020 following Kinteh’s removal.
The 8th CDS of GAF was Lt. Gen. Mamat O. Cham. He was appointed as the CDS of GAF from 29th September 2023 to 29th May 2026. He was forced to resign amid corruption allegations and subsequently replaced by Major General Ousman Gomez. Gomez is therefore the 9th CDS of GAF. He is a nice gentleman and a fine officer, and expectations are high that he can drive the GAF to a higher level. Although there are challenges, but if the new CDS Major General Gomez and his entire team are supported, accompanied with good advice, and putting the right people in the right positions, they will surely excel in protecting and defending the territorial integrity of the country, as well as raising the armed forces to a more professional level, as enshrined in the Constitution of the Republic of The Gambia, National Defence Policy and TACOS.
Wishing him and his new team all the best.
BELOW IS TABULAR DATA EXPLAINING THE HOLDERS OF VARIOUS CAPACITIES OF GAF LEADERSHIP (CHIEF OF STAFF AND CDS TITLES) FROM 1997 TO DATE
ARMY CHIEF OF STAFF OF THE GAMBIA ARMED FORCES 1999 -2004
CDS OF GAMBIA ARMED FORCES 2005 – TO DATE
ALLEGATIONS LINKING EX-CDS CHAM & SULEIMAN ABUBAKARR JENG, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISER
Allegations were made in some corners on social media, linking the alleged corruption activities of the former CDS Lt. Gen. Mamat Cham to the country’s National Security Adviser, Suleiman Abubakarr Jeng. Some even circulated fake news about NSA Jeng’s resignation following such rumours.
However, such rumours are fake and purportedly being circulated by people who couldn’t even verify information. Considering Mr Jeng’s rich background, profile and experience including sensitive positions he manned both in The Gambia and abroad especially in the UN System, he will not spoil his rich career with such flimsy claims. Mr. Jeng is a man of integrity and pragmatic personality. He is professional has always served the country to the best of his ability.
Whenever reports of the investigations into the allegations against Mamat Cham are released, everything will be clear before the public. Until then, let’s watch out for part two of this analysis in the coming days.
Part Two will feature REASONS FOR THE TERMINATIONS OF FORMER ARMY CHIEFS AND CDS, REGIMENTAION IN THE ARMED FORCES, ADVICE TO THE NEW CDS etc
