By Landing Colley
Nafamara Jawneh, chairman of Civil Society Platform for human rights The Gambia has strongly warned non-Gambians to stay away from the forthcoming elections.
He vowed legal action against any non-Gambians one found liable, stressing to monitor the entire election process.
“We will take legal actions as civil society if non-Gambian acquires our voter’s card to vote for 2021 presidential election,” Chairman told The Voice in an interview on Thursday.
Mr. Jawneh, who doubled as the executive director of Beakanyang Organization added: “if you at the border waiting for the registration to start thinking that you can come and acquire our voter’s card, that will not work and whenever the registration starts the process will be monitor by, we the civil society from karting to Koina ensuring that non-Gambians doesn’t acquire our voter’s card.”
He also said: This is a clear message to non-Gambians interested in our election to know that they are heading toward committing a crime which is punishable under the law of the country.”
The outspoken human rights defender stated that has trust in the IEC considering its previous elections conducted especially the 2016 presidential election which clearly indicates that it is an independent institution and he believes and hope they will be responsible to the Gambians expectation.
He said: “If any politician or political party is not satisfied with IEC to conduct the 2021 election, that party has the liberty to express concerns but they should not wait after losing the election and starts blaming IEC.”
“We have election code of conduct which is to ensure that every political party abides by the ethnic because at the end of the day if the people break the laws this wills under mind our democracy,” Jawneh added.
Gambians should make sure that they participate as active citizens by registering which will enable them to vote and they should ensure that the election is conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, he said.
He urged Gambians to participate in this national exercise as it a fundamental right for every citizen of this country to participate in the election process, saying “I encourage Gambians to exercise this right with responsibility and high sense of maturity.”
The Gambians will head to the polls on 4th December to elect a new president.
