New CDS Ousman Gomez Begins First Nationwide Tour of Military Installations

Written by: Seringe S.T. Touray

The Gambia’s new Chief of Defence Staff, Major General Ousman Gomez, has begun his first nationwide tour of military installations since taking over the leadership of the Armed Forces, meeting troops, community leaders and regional officials while inspecting conditions at military bases and border posts.

Gomez, a lawyer and longtime military officer, previously served as head of the Military Police, Commander of the Gambia National Army and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff before President Adama Barrow confirmed him as CDS on June 30th.

The tour began on Monday and has so far taken Gomez to military posts in the North Bank Region, including Njongon and Kerr Pateh. On Tuesday, he also visited the Kerr Ali border post, where Gambian and Senegalese security officials discussed cooperation and security along the two countries’ shared border.

But Gomez has also been using his first tour to speak directly to soldiers about welfare, discipline, tribalism, professionalism and their relationship with the public.

“There is a cancer that tries to eat away at armies, especially in Africa: tribalism,” he told troops, before declaring: “Our only tribe is the Gambia Armed Forces.”

He also reminded soldiers of how they should treat the population they serve: “You are protectors of the people, not their oppressors.”

For a CDS still relatively new in the job, Gomez has certainly wasted little time getting out of Defence Headquarters and meeting soldiers on the ground.