The Justice Minister Is Now Repeating What the Diaspora Has Been Suggesting All Along
By : Ndey Jobarteh
The The Gambia National Assembly’s refusal to reintroduce Clause 14 of the Elections Bill is not just disappointing, one that once again sidelines thousands of Gambians abroad who continue to demand what is already theirs: the right to vote.
What’s even more frustrating is that the Justice Minister is now echoing proposals that the diaspora has been making for years. In Standard Newspaper The Gambia, Minister Dawda Jallow stated:
““They don’t necessarily have to return home to enable them to exercise these political and civil rights. If you don’t demarcate the diaspora into National Assembly constituencies, the only option you have is to go find them there and register them under their home constituencies and that is to say a Gambian from Tumana, Wuli East, Kombo East or Kombo South and living in London or in Berlin can be registered under that home constituency.”
This is not a groundbreaking idea, this is exactly what diaspora advocates have proposed repeatedly. At committee level, we even addressed the issue of undocumented Gambians, suggesting a practical attestation process through designated embassy officials. This would enable verification and registration without unnecessary barriers. Again , practical, legal, and inclusive.
Let’s be clear:
Finance is not the problem.
Logistics is not the problem.
Political will is.
Through MSDG and the leadership of Professor Gibril Faal, there has been consistent, technical, and evidence based work done to make diaspora voting possible. The diaspora has submitted proposals, suggested constituency models, and identified how implementation can be done cost-effectively. Yet time and time again, these contributions have been ignored, only to be echoed by those in power when it’s politically convenient.
The IEC itself has acknowledged its responsibility to register diaspora Gambians, citing resource constraints. But with MSDG’s support and diaspora engagement, those constraints have already been addressed with viable alternatives.
The National Assembly’s rejection of Clause 14 was not just procedural, it was political. And to those who stood in the way, history will remember your vote.
Democracy is not location dependent.
Gambians abroad are Gambians still, and our votes must count. We will not stop.
Our rights are not up for negotiation
