Dr. Ismaila Ceesay Is More Trustworthy Than David Kujabi A Man Who Helped Dictatorship

By Yaya Dampha, NPP Diaspora Coordinator

The recent commentary by David Kujabi, attempting to question the integrity of Dr. Ismaila Ceesay, is not only unconvincing—it is profoundly undermined by his own record in office.

I write not from speculation, but from lived experience.

As a local contact for Amnesty International, I can vividly recall numerous instances in which we reached out to David Kujabi in his capacity as Police PRO, seeking urgent clarification on the whereabouts and conditions of individuals held in police custody. These were not casual inquiries—they were matters of human rights, often involving detainees held without due process under the regime of Yahya Jammeh.

Yet, time and again, those calls went unanswered.

On several occasions, they were outright rejected.

This was not mere administrative delay—it was a pattern of deliberate silence at moments when transparency and accountability were most needed.

Even more troubling are the memories surrounding the case of Alagie Abdoulie Ceesay, a respected radio journalist who, along with his brother, was detained and reportedly held incommunicado under conditions that raised serious fears of torture. During this period, families, journalists, and human rights actors sought answers. The public needed reassurance. The international community demanded clarity.

But again, silence prevailed.

Ceesay was eventually released, but tragically passed away only months later—an outcome that continues to cast a long shadow over that episode and raises serious moral questions about the treatment he endured in custody.

These are not distant or abstract issues. They are part of a documented period in our national history when fear overshadowed freedom, and when those entrusted with public communication often chose silence over truth.

It is against this backdrop that Kujabi’s current attempt to lecture the nation on “principle” and “political truth” must be assessed.

Today, he speaks loudly, casting doubt on the credibility of a sitting minister who operates in an environment where criticism is not suppressed but openly expressed. Yet, when he himself occupied a position of authority—one that demanded courage, clarity, and accountability—his voice was conspicuously absent.

This is the contradiction that cannot be ignored.

Dr. Ismaila Ceesay represents a different trajectory—one of engagement, reform, and institutional openness. His transition from critic to policymaker reflects growth and responsibility, not betrayal. In contrast, Kujabi’s trajectory reflects a troubling shift from silence in times of repression to selective outrage in times of freedom.

The Gambian people deserve honest discourse, grounded in facts and consistent principles—not revisionist narratives shaped by convenience.

Before David Kujabi positions himself as a moral authority, he must first reckon with a simple and unavoidable question:

Where was his voice when citizens were detained, when journalists were silenced, and when families were desperately seeking answers?

Until that question is answered, his criticisms will continue to ring hollow—drowned out by the echoes of a silence that history will not forget.