By Yunus S Saliu
As debate and call for diaspora voting continue in The Gambia, Mr. Sulayman Junkung Sawaneh, a Gambian philanthropist based in Denmark has joined others in the diaspora to urge the Gambia government to give a thought to this important issue and allow diaspora voting.
Mr. Sawaneh, in a brief interview with this medium, said many countries in the world which African countries are not an exception are recognizing the massive contributions of their people in diasporas to their people back home, especially when it comes to remittances, and now allowing them to participate and vote in their national elections.
He said it is important for the government to recognize its people in diaspora as legitimate members of its collective identity and socio-political order, adding they constitute an important tool to maintain connections with citizens at home and the progress of the country.
For the people in the diaspora, he said, “it is important that the government know that voting is another means of preserving their national belonging and of strengthening their identity,” and for this population to continue making significant contributions to the growth and development of their country, it is important to allow them to exercise their voting rights through diaspora voting.
According to him, The Gambia diaspora population is not small but a large number scattered around Europe, America, Asia, and other parts of the world where they continue to make giant strides in the Gambia’s economy.
