The people of the West African State of the Gambia are today headed to the polls to elect National Assembly representatives for the first time in two decades without the influence of a dictator. This tiniest nation made unprecedented history three months ago when voters peacefully voted out an entrenched African dictator who ruled the country with iron fist for 22 years. The election was historic and has been referenced around the world as the model for defeating a dictator and ending tyranny peacefully.
Once again, the Gambian people are headed out to the polls today April 6th to elect members of the National Assembly. By all accounts the campaign which has been going on for almost three weeks has been very contentious but peaceful. The Independent electoral commission which presided over the controversial defeat of Yahya Jammeh at the polls in December reports that over 239 candidates are nominated to contest the elections along party lines and others as independent candidates. The new coalition government of Adama Barrow has largely stayed out of the contest and have urged voters to elect candidates who they deem better qualified regardless of what party they belong. Many supporters of the government including some coalition parties had advocated for National Assembly candidates to contest under a coalition ticket. However, this proposal was defeated when majority of the parties opted to contest the elections along partisan lines. Many constituencies have multiple candidates contesting against each other which may give the opposition GDC and APRC a chance to win some seats.
The highly contested NAM elections are likely to produce interesting results across the country. For the first time in two decades, the parties appear to have a clear level playing field to contest the elections without the undue influence of an incumbent or subject to intimidation and threats from the sitting government. Pundits suggest that the results are likely to produce clear positions of each party which has been in contention for the longest time. Many predict that the UDP might win the majority seats but that PDOIS is likely to win more seats than their traditional two national Assembly seats they ever had occupied in Parliament. The former ruling party of the first Republic the PPP is also likely to secure some seats for the first time since the Jawara government was ousted in 1994. The Gambia Democratic Congress (GDC) headed by Mamma Kandeh himself a one time Member of parliament under the APRC is likely to also win seats across the country. The NRP whose traditional voters have been taken by the GDC is at best likely to retain its Niamina Dankunku seat occupied by Samba Jallow the outgoing minority leader. The clear message voters might send is that the former ruling APRC party headed by Dictator Yahya Jammeh is likely to receive another political blow at the polls. Apart from Jammeh’s native Foni constituencies, it would be surprising for them to win a single seat across the country.
Whatever may happen, Gambia is once again poised to make history by peacefully going through very contentious elections without major incidents of violence which is unprecedented in Africa. The elections will finally open a new chapter for the new coalition government to embark on its reform agenda. How the House shapes up will determine President Barrow’s ability to deliver his reform agenda for the Gambian people. Though traditionally NAM always back and the President’s agenda, it is anticipated that with stronger personalities from other coalition members present in the House, they might be able to scrutinize the executive agenda much closer this time around. We join all Gambians and friends of the Gambia across the world to wish the Gambian people peaceful and historic elections once again.
Gainako will have live courage of election results all night with a high profile panel who will analyze and give historic context to the results. Please tunein to Gainako.com or call 917-383-3643 to listen. Please join early as the servers may be full and you may not be able to get in as it happened during the Presidential elections. We promise you an independent coverage and analysis of the results as they come in.
Report filed by Demba Baldeh .. For comments and or questions contact the author at [email protected] or send stories and comments to [email protected]