The Gambia’s rugged parliamentarians connived with the Barrow administration to deprive Gambian diaspora their voting rights. GFA asserts!
It was on 27 January 2021, that the highest court in The Gambia made a landmark ruling, quoting section 39 of the 1997 Constitution, which affirms the rights of Gambians living in the Diaspora to be eligible for registering and voting in Independent Election Commission (IEC) conducted elections throughout the country. The case, which was spearheaded by Hon Bakary Bunja Dabo, and some prominent Gambian diaspora activists, was meant to direct the attention of the Coalition government, which was then headed by President Adama Barrow, to proactively facilitate and ensure that the voting rights of Gambians living in the diaspora were respected and achieved.
Like the diaspora of many other nations, for example, Senegal, our closest neighbour, The Gambian diaspora is a significant player in our country’s socio-economic well-being. The Gambian Diaspora plays a crucial role in the country’s economy, contributing at least $775 million, approximately 32% of GDP. This level of economic activity by Gambian Diaspora has not gone unnoticed by the Barrow Administration. Yet when it comes to recognizing the legitimate rights of the Gambian Diaspora to be treated as fellow citizens with equal rights, this administration for purely political reasons decides to derail the granting of voting rights to Gambian Diaspora. This is complete and total betrayal of Gambians living in the diaspora. The notion that granting voting rights to Gambian Diaspora using 1997 Constitution will violate this constitution is laughable at best and is just an excuse. The function of any parliament is to introduce amendments where necessary to right wrongs against citizens, in this case the the wrong against Gambian Diaspora. The Barrow administration if it so wishes, can introduce a bill that will create the Gambian Diaspora as a new voting block of The Gambia. It is that simple! Let us not therefore hide behind constitutional legalese and deny our fellow citizens their constitutional rights to vote.
GFA is not surprised that the Government has disingenuously used the office of the Attorney General and Minster of Justice to seek the collaboration of the national assembly to attempt to nullify the landmark supreme court ruling. The continuous ignoring of the important supreme court’s ruling on our democratic rights is deliberately orchestrated by President Barrow and his APRC allies. This is purposely designed to render meaningless, the heroic struggle of The Gambian people, and to stifle the democratization process that started in 2016 and made the defeat of the dictatorship possible.
Without hesitation, GFA will be on record condemn those National Assembly members that connived with the Executive to deprive Gambian citizens of their democratic rights to be registered for voting in Gambian elections. To the Executive headed by President Barrow, GFA recognizes that a clear line has been drawn between those who want to continue on the democratic trajectory started in 2016, and those who, for personal power rather than patriotic reasons, want to reverse the gains accrued since the emergence of the post dictatorship era.
GFA calls on all Gambians and friends of The Gambia to support efforts by concerned Gambian citizens to prevent the country from sliding back to the bad old ways of the Jammeh era. Eight years in power, without a constitution to show for legacy, and with key institutions reforms largely stalled, it is fair to say that president Barrow and his allies are on the wrong side of history. Their betrayal of fellow citizens who live in the Diaspora will not be forgotten nor forgiven. It is time to treat The Gambian Diaspora with respect and to accord them their due rights!
