By: Mariama Njie & Nyima Sillah
National Youth Council in partnership with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Independent Electoral Commission on Wednesday started two-day capacity training for political parties on peaceful campaigning and political transition in the Gambia.
The two-day training that brings together campaign managers, mobilisers, leaders of women and youth wings of registered political parties aims train them on how to organize peaceful campaigning, also to encourage youth involvement in party leadership and decision making.
Konrad Adenauer Stiftung residence rep Thomas Volk described the training as key, noting that it is a great success because all political parties are represented at the training.
He said Konrad Adenauer Stiftung is a German Political foundation, that is running 100 offices worldwide.
“We as German Political foundation we really want to support the democratization and peace transition in the Gambia,” he said.
He said they need strong political parties that know how campaigning strategies are for the leading presidential election 2021.
“We want to give them capacity tools to how political campaign can be organizing, for a peaceful campaign without fake news. My biggest advice to political parties is for them to remain peaceful, it is not about political party interest only it’s about the future of the Gambia republic, “he said.
Dembo Kambi, NYC chair said the role of campaign managers in the successful conduct of peaceful campaigning, election and political transition remains a key cause of concern for many people.
He said the Gambia’s political landscape is becoming highly competitive, adding that recently with number of registered parties increasing significantly from 9-14 different parties and expanding.
He said, personal attacks between some leaders of political parties and their supporters are an alarming wake- up call for all Gambians.
Alagie Jarju, program Manager NYC said: “we are hopeful that this two days’ capacity building will help to enhance peaceful campaign when the participants go back to their various parties.”
“We want to bring all political parties to have dialogue among themselves and understand that political pluralism is part of democracy,” he added.
He further said development and politics go together you cannot separate them, if there has to be development, it has to be through politics and if there is no peace in the country, political parties cannot be at peace.
He said: “we know that all the political parties are peaceful but there will be a sort of road map after this workshop in terms of how they will able to campaign peacefully and they will able to see themselves as partners in development.”