By Yusef Taylor, @FlexDan_YT
The Chairperson of the Independent Electoral Commission (IEC) Alieu Momar Njai has urged Gambian Political Parties to nominate at least 35% female nominees as candidates for the upcoming Parliamentary elections scheduled for 9th April 2022. Chairperson Njai made this declaration at a consultation meeting with National Assembly members (NAMs) organised by the CSO Gender Platform on 15th January 2022.
Speaking at the Sir Dawda Kairaba Jawara OIC Conference Center Chairperson Njie said “we’ve been trying to impress on the political parties to make sure that their nominees to contend for elections you have to include at least 35% female”.
Giving reasons for the requirement Mr Njie explains that “women are not there because they are not being selected. This new bill now that we are now discussing will take care of those things because we are very particular, we are very keen really to see female participation”.
The topic of discussion in that meeting was the Constitution Amendment Bill for NAMs which in its current form will reserve 16 seats for female NAMs, maintain the 53 constituencies and reduce the number of nominated members from 5 to 2.
If Gambian Parliamentarians approve the Bill in its current form, it will increase the number of seats from 58 to 71.
Speaking to a room full of Parliamentarians, Chairperson Njie exclaimed his surprise that parties could not find female candidates to contest. “But I’m surprised that you cannot find females in their constituencies to participate in parliament. That’s a surprise to us. Again, what we can do legally to make sure that women which form 53% of the voters are represented in parliament we appreciate that,” said Chairperson Njie.
IEC Regulations Guiding NAM Gender Quota?
Following the IEC’s Chairperson’s declaration, our reporter followed up to ask the Chairperson about the existence of any regulations or guidelines put in place to regulate the NAM Gender quota requirement for the upcoming Parliamentary elections.
According to section 134 of the Election Act, the Commission has the power to make rules. Section 134 (1) states that “the Commission, with the approval of the National Assembly, may by Order published in the Gazette, add to, rescind, vary or otherwise amend the First Schedule and the various forms contained in the Third and Fourth Schedules”.
Section 134 (2) further adds that “the Commission may make Rules generally for the better carrying out of the provisions of this Act and shall, in particular, make Rules ….”
However, judging from statements from the IEC it appears that there is no regulation put in place to guide the regulation of a gender quota for the upcoming National Assembly elections.
At a stakeholder’s meeting with the press and political party representatives, the IEC Chairperson responded to our reporter’s query and explained that “there’s another [aforementioned Constitution Amendment] bill we’re trying to at least approach or appeal to the authorities on this Bill they are trying to pass. Where there will be elections only for women. Two per region so that minimum fourteen (14) women [sic] will be in parliament but also women form the majority of voters but yet they are not selected to go and contest”.
Besides the fourteen (14) reserved seats the bill also recommends for an additional two elected members by the Disability Society with one being a woman and another two NAMs being nominated by the President with one being a woman. These together bring the total number of 16 seats reserved for female NAMs as recommended by the Constitution Amendment Bill.
Chairperson Njai continued to explain that “we want to impress on these political parties to make sure that they at least nominate 35% of their candidates to us as women”.
“It’s something that personally I feel about it because they are the majority voters yet how many are in parliament? Four out of 53 [sic]. It’s not on so we are trying to do that to make sure that the political parties make sure that those who are sent to contest elections, 35% of them are women” said Mr Njai.
After conducting some checks on the number of female NAMs it can be seen that currently there are 6 female NAMs with 3 elected NAMs namely; Hon Fatoumatta Njai of Banjul South, Hon Kaddy Camara of Foni Bondali and Hon Fatoumatta Jawara of Talingding. The three nominated NAMs are Hon Speaker of the House Mariam Jack Denton, Hon Ndey Yassin Secka from the Disability Society and Hon Yakumba Jaiteh.
6 female NAMs out of a total of 58 NAMs means that only 10.3% of Gambian Parliamentarians are female.
Where are the Women Returning Officers?
Former Minister of Information and renowned Gambian Journalist Demba A. Jawo shared a picture of the press release from the IEC announcing the National Assembly Elections 2022 with the question “where are the women?”
The press release listed seven regional officers of which all are men. The statement issued by the Commission on 17th January 2022 highlighted that “the public is hereby also notified under section 5 (2) of the Elections Act that the appointed Returning Officers for the elections are as follows; 1. Sulayman Joof – Banjul Administrative Area, 2. Joseph Colley – Kanifing Administrative Area, 3. Robert Anthony Secka – Brikama Administrative Area, 4. Essa Baldeh – Kerewan Administrative Area, 5. Lamin J. Jadama – Mansakonko Administrative Area, 6. Ahmadou Taal – Jangjangburreh Administrative Area and 7 Lamin Cham – Basse Administrative Area”.
The Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) of the IEC, Mr Sambujang Njie responded to our reporter’s questions that a former Minister of Information, Mr Demba A Jawo is asking “where are the women?” amongst the designated returning officers for the upcoming National Assembly elections.
According to IEC CEO, Mr Njie “even our presiding officers it is now that [the women] are queueing. In our last Presidential elections, if you see the type of people who applied to work for us. People with masters and bachelors, in those days those people did not even bother to look at us when we called”.
Unfortunately, “at the moment we don’t have [female returning officers], we are trying to recruit, we thank God that we have three [female] assistant regional officers that can be pushed up and as we have vacancies, we bring them up,” said Mr Njie.
“Our intention is to have as many women as possible but qualified,” concluded Mr Njie.
16 Parliamentary Seats Reserved for Gambian Women in Validated Bill