Hon. Omar Jatto Jammeh, the National Assembly Member representative for Jangjangbureh, Hon. Musa Cham, the National Assembly Member representative for Serekunda, and Hon. Modou Lamin B. Bah, the National Assembly Member representative for Banjul North, all firmly expressed their backing for clause 14 of the Election Bill, which safeguards the voting rights of the Gambian diaspora, during this interview with AG Radio. All three members of the National Assembly have expressed their dissatisfaction with the statement made by Justice Minister Mr. Dawda Jallow, labelling them as both incorrect and misleading.
The rejection of the Gambian Diaspora vote on March 4th 2025 will be etched in our memories as a moment of deep disappointment. Clause 14 was eliminated from the draft legislation due to the disagreement of certain National Assembly Members regarding the inclusion of diaspora voting during the debates on the Election Bill.
On March 4th, legislators engaged in an extensive debate over the paragraph; some expressed concerns that these measures could potentially breach the constitution, while others supported granting Gambians residing abroad the right to vote. The Commission will register a Gambian residing outside of The Gambia as a voter if they fulfil the registration requirements specified in this Act. Clause 14 of the bill offers further details on the procedures for registering Gambians living abroad.
Justice Minister and Attorney General Dawda A. Jallow referenced the Supreme Court’s ruling in the case of Bakary Bunja Dabo, Cherno M. Njie, Pa Samba Sadaga Jow, Jeggan Gerald Grey-Johnson, and Sidi Muhammed Sanneh, which upheld the right of Gambians to register to vote. He clarified that Section 39 is a recognised law that mandates voter registration for a National Assembly seat. For diaspora voting to be put into effect, it is essential to amend Section 88 in order to establish a diaspora constituency, which does not currently exist. Mr. Dawda Jallow remarked.
The Honourable Sainey Jawara, a representative of the Lower Saloum National Assembly, stated that the Constitution currently prohibits voting from the diaspora. He stressed that a constitutional amendment would be required to incorporate such a measure. Hon. Musa Cham, Hon. Omar Jatto Jammeh, and Hon. Modou Lamin Bah contend that these statements were intended to mislead the public.
Hon. Sulayman Saho, a member of the National Assembly of Central Badibou, expressed strong disagreement with this position and accused Hon. Jawara of misinterpreting the Constitution. He presented Section 39, which permits all Gambian nationals aged eighteen and above, who are in sound mental health, to participate in voting for the National Assembly and presidential elections. He emphasised that Gambians living overseas ought to have the freedom to exercise their voting rights and asserted that the Constitution does not stipulate residency as a prerequisite.
Honourable Omar Jatto Jammeh, present on the floor of the National Assembly during the debate, remarked that section 14 could potentially be reintroduced, as the Election Bill remains in the reconsideration stage.
“We are committed to taking all necessary measures to reinstate clause 14, as it is imperative that we act fairly by guaranteeing the diaspora’s right to vote,” Hon. Bah stated.
Hon. Musa Cham highlights the importance of the diaspora and asserts that it would be a serious mistake to deny them the right to vote, considering their significant contributions to the development of the Gambia. While Hon. Cham and Hon. Bah were both overseas during the National Assembly debate, they expressed their support for the diaspora’s right to vote.
