By Muhammed MS Bah
Gambian Law makers on Tuesday February 28th, 2017, held an extraordinary session to consider two bills put forward the New Administration in the Gambia. The two controversial bills believe to have been forced into becoming law to favor the dictator in the 1997 Constitution were named Amendment Bill, 2017 and Elections Amendment Bill 2017.
These two bills were tabled before the National Assembly by the Minister for Interior Mai Ahmed Fatty and the proceedings were witnessed by representatives from UN agencies, Minister of Water Resources and National Assembly Matters James Gomez, members of the Press and Civil Society organisations among many other dignitaries.
The first bill which was the 1997 Constitution Amendment Bill 2017 according to the Minster of Interior, seeks to amend section 62(1)(b) of the 1997 constitution which stipulates that a person must be no less than 30 yrs old and not more than 65 years old to become President. This provision affects the appointment of VP as the Vice President is the immediate successor of the President should he become incapacitated or unable to perform the duties of head of state. This constitutional amendment effectively extends the age at which a judge should vacate his or her office from seventy to seventy five years and removing the upper age limit for holding office of the President and Vice President of the Republic of the Gambia. Minister Fatty said that this will facilitate and encourage qualified, competent and experienced Gambians to be appointed as judges of the Superior Court or be elected to Political office.
The bill was seconded by Hon. Buba Ayi Sanneh Kombo Central.
After the passing of the first bill by Law makers, which was said to be none controversial, the Hon. Minister Mai Ahmed Fatty also tabled Election Amendment bill 2017. This bill he said is seek to encourage the widespread participation of the ordinary citizenry in the new democratic dispensation. “It does so by amending the elections Act to reduce the current deposit payable by candidates for elections to the offices of President, member of the National Assembly, Mayor or Mayoress and Councillor to the previous deposit figures”. This bill was enacted into law by the same house of parliament under Yahya Jammeh whose intentions were to keep as many Gambians as possible from being able to afford to run for political office. It was seen as an attempt to discourage or keep those who cannot afford large sums of money from participating in politics.
The bill was seconded by an APRC sitting member Ebrima Solo Bojang of Foni Bintang Karani. Law makers doing themselves a favor passed the bill without opposition knowing they are all subject to pay a hefty amount before running for re-elections. The new election fees now stipulates that the President’s nomination fees will be D10,000 from D500,000, Parliamentary fees is now to D5000 instead of D50,000 and Mayoral for D2,500 instead of D50,000 and Councillors from D10,000 to D1,250. The amendment of these bills clears the way for Gambian citizens to contest for elections without the constraints of paying large sums of money. This is seen as an encouragement for women and young people to contest for political office. Both bills were supported by all aw makers without opposition.
Political observers of the amendment of the bill were quick to indicate that the APRC dominated National Assembly has once again capitulated to a sitting government without much resistance. One would have expected that there would be rigorous debate in the House before such a bill was passed. Critics on social media are quick to call the passage of the new amendments as “rubber stamping” by the same Parliament who deliberately amended these bills to favor the former government. One commentator said “I wonder if these National Assembly will not do anything to keep their paychecks”. For now President Barrow and the coalition appears to have gotten their way by listening to critics of controversial appointment of VP Fatoumatta Tambajang. She is now cleared to be sworn in as VP which was put on hold due to the controversy.