By: Mariama Njie
A two-day electoral law reform summit that brough together all political parties of the country is underway at Kairaba hotel will end today.
The summit spearheaded by Ministry of Justice and Attorney General with support from IDEA and UNDP aims to ensuring a fair and credible electoral process going forward, to improve election Act through a highly consultative, inclusive and transparent process to strengthen democracy.
Speaking during the opening ceremony Justice Minister Abubacarr Tambedou said “the idea of convening this two-day workshop came about as a result of the proposals that were summited to my office by the Independent Electoral commission to assist in amending the Election Act.”
It is a quit interesting proposal and I thought that the process of amendment must be inclusive, consultative, he said.
He said this s the first time in the history of the country that the electoral process is been sharp in a consultative and inclusive way.
According to him, the only change they had in terms of the election act was to revise downward the deposit that were payable by candidate in the last parliamentary elections, because they want a quick fix, and to give many access to political office, adding the constitution was amended to remove the requirement of a second ballot where a presidential candidate fails to obtain 50 percent plus of the vote cast in a first ballot.
“When political players take ownership of an electoral process, and they shape that process it become theirs, everyone has a stake in it, there is credibility and trust but when that is not the case then you create home for doubt and then it’s out of control,” he said.
IDEA rep Sead Alihodzic said they will continue to support democratic processes in the Gambia, noting that “it is one of many events in which international IDEA is partnering with national actors and International Actors”.
He described electoral processes are dispensable instrument in democratic transitional and development.
And UNDP rep Nessie Golakai-Gould said “this meeting is an example of how development partners have been working together with the government and the people of the Gambia to ensure that key elements of government are supported.”
