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Momodou
Denmark
11624 Posts |
 Posted - 16 May 2011 : 20:38:20
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Foroyaa Editorial: THE IEC IS THE REFEREE POLITICAL PARTIES SHOULD OBEY THEIR RULES
16-05-11
Foroyaa has noticed that political parties which should assist the IEC to register voters irrespective of party affiliation are promoting their agendas while registration is going on. Some of them are providing food and green tea to council of elders to situate them near registration centres to serve as attestants. Such people are seen loitering at the registration centres and are directing those who acquire their voter’s cards to go to their tables for the recording of the numbers of the card.
The IEC has made it clear that all parties are entitled to send one party Registration agent to monitor the exercise, gather information and take cases before revising courts should they detect that some people have been registered who are not qualified. Attestations are not meant to be filled by any group. This is why no person other than the staff of the registration team, the security personnel and the party agents should stay at registration centres. Those who decide to be attestants should stay at home and be met by claimants.
If attestants stay at registration centres they could be identified with the registration teams and thus put the Independence of the IEC into question. This could lead to impersonation of the IEC staff and the collection of bribes.
Foroyaa has witnessed that while some parties are insisting that the registration centres should be free from all party intruders except the appointed agents and their supervisors who pay short visits to monitor their situation, others are accusing the IEC of favouritism for allowing them to establish a party machinery at registration centres to be in charge of attestations and thus influence the claimant who does not have the stipulated National documents.
What all parties should do is to cooperate with the IEC; safeguard its Independence and go into the community to encourage Gambians to register as voters. None should try to manipulate the registration exercise. If all parties stick to rules and procedures no party will appear to be favoured by the IEC. Those parties which adhere to the rules stipulated by the IEC would always appear to be in the good books of the IEC. Those who wish to interfere will always be confronting the IEC to create space to influence the process to their favour.
Source: Foroyaa
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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