Kanifing Municipal Council (KMC) Mayor Talib Ahmed Bensouda has raised concerns about persistent conflicts in local councils caused by unclear divisions of authority between mayors and chief executive officers (CEOs).
Testifying before the Local Government Commission on Monday, Mayor Bensouda said the lack of defined roles has led to โdysfunctionality across councils,โ citing frequent disputes over decision-making. He argued that mayors are not given the legal tools to exercise their authority, while CEOs often claim accountability only to the Ministry of Local Government.
The dispute came into focus over a controversial loan deal involving former KMC CEO Sainabou Martin Sonko, who allegedly used the council as guarantor for a loan without proper authorization. Bensouda said he intervened by warning the bank that the transaction would be illegal, later escalating the matter to the General Council.
Counsel Gomez, questioning the mayor, suggested that Bensouda exercised authority when convenient but ignored it at other times. The mayor rejected this, insisting his actions were within the law and necessary to protect taxpayersโ funds.
Bensouda maintained that until laws clearly define the powers of mayors versus CEOs, operational conflicts and inefficiencies will continue to undermine local governance.
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