Belinda Bidwell

Belinda Bidwell (22 April 1936 – April 28, 2007) was the first female Speaker of the National Assembly of The Gambia. In 2002, Bidwell, who was previously a teacher, was nominated to serve in the National Assembly, and she became deputy speaker.[1] In April 2006, following an attempted coup d'etat in March, Speaker Sheriff Mustapha Dibba was arrested and removed from his position for alleged involvement, and Bidwell became speaker.[2] Fatoumatta Jahumpa Ceesay replaced Bidwell as speaker in February 2007,[3][4] and Bidwell died of a heart attack in April.[1]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Gambia’s first female speaker laid to rest", African Press Agency, May 5, 2007.
  2. ↑ "Gambian parliament gets new speaker", AngolaPress, April 20, 2006.
  3. ↑ "Gambia: Fatoumatta Jahumpa-Ceesay is New Speaker of National Assembly", Progressive Africans (allafrica.com), February 5, 2007.
  4. ↑ Alhagie Jobe, "Gambia: 53 NAMs Sworn-in", The Daily Observer (allafrica.com), February 9, 2007.