Facebook Twitter Instagram
    RSS Facebook Twitter LinkedIn
    GAINAKO
    • Home
      Featured
      By GainakoJanuary 18, 20160

      Profile of Sankulay Jallow – Gambia’s techology man

      Recent
      By Yusef TaylorApril 19, 20210

      12 “Founding Clubs” to join New European Super League

      By GainakoApril 19, 20210

      Premier League condemns European Super League proposal

      By GainakoApril 19, 20210

      UEFA Joint Statement Condemns “Cynical So Called Super League”

    • News
    • Covid 19
    • Politics
    • Human Rights
    • Business Economy
    • Investigations
    GAINAKO
    IEC at engagement with CSOs and Media
    IEC at engagement with CSOs and Media

    IEC says Justice Ministry’s Elections Bill Contains Serious Errors

    0
    By Yusef Taylor on April 1, 2021 Electoral Reforms, News, Politics

    By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT

    The Gambia’s Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Chief Electoral Officer, Mr Sambujang Njie told the media when the Elections Bill “was sent to Parliament there has been some serious errors in the Bill”. Mr Njie made these revelations at a stakeholder’s engagement with the Media and Civil Society Organisations today, 1st April 2021. Earlier in the day, the IEC held an engagement with Political Party representatives.

    It can be recalled that the Ministry of Justice published a press release on Tuesday 23 March 2021 saying that “the First Schedule of the Elections Bill 2021 tabled before the National Assembly contains an inadvertent [sic] error”. The press release explained that “the Attorney General’s Chambers and the Ministry of Justice has been in contact with the Independent Electoral Commission and the National Assembly and this inadvertent error has been rectified.”

    Announcing some of the latest appointments at the IEC, Mr Njie said that “Mr Pa Makan Khan has been appointed newly as Director of Training, Communications and Public Affairs at the Independent Electoral Commission. He substitutes Joe Colley who was the holder of the position until last month when he was appointed as a commissioner and Vice-Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission.”

    Turning his attention to what he described as misinformation “circulating in town” he explained that “we want to clarify that information to you”. First Mr Njie clarified that there are currently only 17 Political Parties and more importantly that the Elections Bill that was tabled at the National Assembly on 22nd March 2021 had serious errors with regards to the number of constituencies.

    IEC's Sambujang Njie at engagement with CSOs and Media
    IEC’s Sambujang Njie at engagement with CSOs and Media
    Serious Errors on Ministry of Justice Elections Bill

    Distancing themselves from the Elections Bill that was submitted by the Ministry of Justice the IEC CEO announced that “The IEC did not give that to the Minister of Justice” and that “the bill as it is presented to Parliament is the Bill of the Ministry of Justice”. “This is not from the IEC. We can inform you that when we completed the last validation with the Minister of Justice everything was given to them in order,” he said.

    According to Mr Njie “what has been seen when it was sent to Parliament is that there has been some serious errors in the Bill.”

    Explaining one of the main sticking points Mr Njie said “one of the issues when it came out last week. Was the demarcation of constituencies. Where it said 41 constituencies and we have 53 constituencies. It seems they have brought it up from the old elections decree which gives 41 constituencies. We cannot and must not downgrade the number of constituencies from 53 as they are to 41 that is not from us.”

    The Ministry of Justice press release noted that “the first schedule contained in that Act which consists of 41 constituencies was inadvertently attached instead of the current schedule which contains 53 constituencies”. This means that the Ministry of Justice and the IEC are both singing from the same hymn sheet with regards to rectifying the number of constituencies.

    Delegates at CSO and Media Consultation
    Delegates at CSO and Media Consultation
    Issues Agreed Not Reflected in Bill

    Most importantly the IEC has commenced engaging the National Assembly over the Bill which Parliamentarians must approve before becoming law. IEC CEO Mr Njie says that the IEC “requested an invitation through the office of the Chair of the Select Committee on the National Assembly for the IEC, Ombudsman and Local Government so that we can sit together and complete this document before it is passed”.

    Another observation highlighted that “some issues that were agreed upon are not reflected on the bill. The rest of the other issues we hope they will call us and we sit together and put them through because this was done in consultation with the stakeholder and the media was also represented and even the civil society. So, it would not be fair for them to proceed and what people have agreed upon is not reflected”.

    It can be recalled that Gainako published an article on the stakeholder consultation where the Elections Bill was validated.

    IEC: 14 registered parties & counting, Electoral Reforms validated

    Only 17 Registered Parties

    Another clarification made by Mr Njie is that there are “only 17 registered political parties. The last party that was registered before our last meeting [4th March 2021] was the Democratic Party. From our last meeting to date we did not register any political party contrary to media reports that someone has registered a new political party”.

    Warning people announcing new political parties to desist he said “whoever is going in town saying he or she has registered a new party we are saying that is not correct from the IEC. The number of parties that are registered are 17 even though we know there are three that are being processed.”

    Post Views: 2,760
    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    Yusef Taylor
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    Yusef Taylor, commonly known as Flex Dan is an editor and practising journalist based in the Gambia with a keen interest in human rights, the economy and good governance among many others. He continues to break news on the economy, human rights violations and is highly engaged in security sector reforms, constitutional reform and the transition of the Gambia from dictatorship to a democracy, the NewGambia. Yusef has been working with Gainako as a media practitioner from 2015 to date. He has a degree in Civil Engineering with 5 years of Design Consultancy experience.

    Related Posts

    President of Gambia’s Young Journalists attacked by Prison Guards

    Foroyaa Journalist attacked outside Court House by Prison Guards

    12 “Founding Clubs” to join New European Super League

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Gambia Participates on NAMs D54 Million Loan

    2021 Draft Budget features D35 Billion Dalasis Expenditure

    • RECENT
    • POPULAR
    • NEWS
    By GainakoApril 20, 20210

    President of Gambia’s Young Journalists attacked by Prison Guards

    By GainakoApril 20, 20210

    Foroyaa Journalist attacked outside Court House by Prison Guards

    By Yusef TaylorApril 19, 20210

    12 “Founding Clubs” to join New European Super League

    By GainakoApril 19, 20210

    Premier League condemns European Super League proposal

    By GainakoFebruary 16, 20179

    Editorial: Photo Ops with Isatou NJie-Saidy is Insensitive to Jammeh’s Innocent Victims

    By GainakoJanuary 20, 20176

    Madi Jobarteh: ECOWAS and Gambia Government must Capture Yahya Jammeh NOW!

    By GainakoDecember 15, 20165

    Dr. Baba Galleh Jallow’s Open Letter to the Gambia Armed Forces

    By GainakoJanuary 30, 20175

    Fatou Jaw Manneh says Halipha should get what Halipha wants

    By GainakoApril 20, 20210

    President of Gambia’s Young Journalists attacked by Prison Guards

    By GainakoApril 20, 20210

    Foroyaa Journalist attacked outside Court House by Prison Guards

    By Yusef TaylorApril 19, 20210

    12 “Founding Clubs” to join New European Super League

    By GainakoApril 19, 20210

    Premier League condemns European Super League proposal

    About

    GAINAKO

    GAINAKO is a news platform that serves you up to date news from Gambia, Africa and the World.

    FOLLOW US:

    Twitter LinkedIn RSS
    Recent Posts
    By GainakoApril 20, 20210

    President of Gambia’s Young Journalists attacked by Prison Guards

    By GainakoApril 20, 20210

    Foroyaa Journalist attacked outside Court House by Prison Guards

    By Yusef TaylorApril 19, 20210

    12 “Founding Clubs” to join New European Super League

    Most Viewed Posts
    • Breaking News: Gambia Gov’t Cancels over 270 Gambian Diplomatic Passports Issued by the Former Regime (63,853)
    • Breaking News: Jammeh threatens to Shutdown Banjul Airport ahead of January 19th Inauguration (52,968)
    • News Alert: Opposition Leaders meet to counter Jammeh’s Televised tribal tirade (50,552)
    A Creation of NEXT DESIGN LAB | Copyright © 2021 Gainako Online Newspaper.
    • News
    • Politics
    • Entertainment

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.