Bundungka Kunda MP has lashed out at fellow lawmakers who voted against the draft Constitution as people of self-interest in supporting President Adama Barrow’s interest to defeat the general aspirations of Gambians.
The draft Constitution faced a blow at the National Assembly after 23 of 53 lawmakers voted against the bill which attracted much criticism among Gambians both home and abroad.
Speaking on the rejection of the draft Constitution, Bakary Njie described the decision of his fellow lawmakers, who rejected the bill as “betrayal” to the nation,
“I was very disappointed with some of my colleagues who voted against a document which is very important that could have ushers the third Republic which we are all yearning for, but unfortunately few of our colleagues who are the minority who are looking for their own interest and also to serve the interest of the president.
“The 23 NAMs who voted against the draft, none of them consulted their people, they have betrayed their people and the nation as well. I know that if they consulted their people I am sure that they will not vote against it. If you look at it, they voted against it because there is only one clause that says the president’s first term should not be counted in the two-term limit. The CRC commission members have gone throughout the country to consult the Gambians people about this new draft Constitution spending D116 million with all that only few NAMs say no to that. Which meant that we are now continuing with the 1997 Constitution, and they themselves have been complaining bitterly about that Constitution, and now they want us to continue with that because it does not favor President Barrow,” he said.
Meanwhile, he reacted to criticisms that say the draft Constitution favor United Democratic Party more than the 1997 Constitution as “completely wrong”
He added: “We the UDP NAMS in fact should vote against this new Constitution because the 1997 Constitution favors us in terms of elections than this new one, because the new Constitution can lead us to second round, and we know that the old Constitution we can win the elections very easily without going for the second round.”
According to him, he said if the UDP looked at the interest of their party that they would not have voted in support of the new draft Constitution. “But we are looking in the interest of the Gambian people,” he added.
“I am calling on all Gambians to come together in 2021 to remove President Barrow and his NAMS and replace them with people whom they have trusted and can represent them better so that the new government can reintroduce the draft,” he said.