The People’s Democratic Organization for Independence and Socialism (PDOIS) National Assembly Members (NAMs) have stated their support for the 2024 Draft Constitution and urged their fellow legislators to move the issue forward for further legislative review.
The approval occurred at the second reading of the Justice Minister’s proposed constitution. In order to forward the process, Hon. Musa Cham, Member for Serrekunda, and Hon. Suwaibou Touray, Member for Wuli East, both urged for national unity and consensus.
Hon. Suwaibou Touray discussed the ideas and benefits of the law, emphasizing that it is crucial to allow the text to pass the second reading in order to facilitate wider participation and possible revisions. He stated, “You won’t like everything, and you won’t hate everything, so we must take and we must give. However, if we think that the process we are following will improve our democracy and our laws, then we should let this go to the second reading so that we move like all the other bills and put what is there.”
He urged his colleagues lawmakers to put aside their partisanship and personal interests in order to advance the country.
In order for us to work together peacefully, reach a consensus, and create a new draft constitution that we can offer our people, I implore all of my colleagues—we are friends, we are countrymen, we are compassionate—to set aside all of our individual interests and focus on the interests of the country. Keep in mind that we are depriving ourselves of information if we reject this. We are arguing that since we are aware of everything and what is best for our people, they don’t need to have a voice,” he stated.
Touray contended that permitting the bill to move forward would enable the pertinent parliamentary committee to interact with the public and solicit their opinions.
However, if we proceed to the second reading, a committee will have the chance to visit the public and re-ask them about their goals in order to gather their opinions. However, if we eradicate it here, we are stealing information and denying our people the chance to participate in the creation of their nation’s constitution,” he said.
The 2024 Draft Constitution was endorsed by Hon. Musa Cham, the PDOIS National Assembly Member for Serrekunda, echoing Hon. Touray’s stance. In order to give every person the chance to take part in the constitutional change process, he urged the National Assembly to thoroughly examine the measure through appropriate legislative procedures and pushed for it to pass the second reading.
“If we let it proceed to the committee stage after the debate, the committee will consult with citizens and interest groups, and anyone who feels that something needs to be changed can also present their position papers,” he continued.
“Honorable Speaker, we can make amendments to the committee of the entire house, but for many of us, that’s where we’re worried because we’ve seen some members on the majority side also playing those powers, but this document doesn’t require that,” he continued.
Cham also urged members to follow their conscience and sense of national duty rather than political pressure, voicing concerns over excessive influence over parliamentary choices.
As members of the national assembly, we ought to be guided by national interest and conscience, but in the Gambia, poverty has left many people weak financially, unable to stand on their own, and unable to support their campaigns, forcing them to give in to those who provide funding. “This is about the country, Honorable Speaker,” he remarked.
