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Momodou
Denmark
11513 Posts |
 Posted - 08 Mar 2012 : 12:17:46
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Foroyaa Editorial : ALKALOLU ALSO HAVE NO SECURITY OF TENURE
By Publisher
07-03-12
The Kanifing Municipal Council Area is becoming urbanized. However, the land tenure system combined with a stone age system in identifying residents of given communities has given rise to many roles being played by village heads such as issuing certificates to confirm that a person has been born in their village.
Section 12 Subsection (2) of the Elections Act states among other things that a person’s name shall not be entered in a register of voters in a constituency unless he produces any one of the following documents:
A birth certificate,
A Gambian Passport,
A National Identity Card,
A document certified by five elders that the applicant is a citizen of the Gambia, or A document certified by the District Seyfo or an Alkalo of the village of birth of the applicant stating that the applicant was born in the district or village.
This confirms that a document certified by an Alkalo is as important as a Passport and a National Identity Card in the case of getting a Voter’s Card.
What is worrisome is that such people who could provide documents to tens of thousands of people to get voters’ cards have no security of tenure. Under normal circumstances such a person should only be removed from office in the case of misconduct or infirmity of mind or body. This misconduct should be determined by a tribunal headed by a judge and infirmity of mind and body should be determined by a medical practitioner.
The APRC administration has amended the constitution which had combined the consensual approach to selecting an Alkalo/village head and elections and in its place a monarchical provision is put which reads:
“(1) The Minister responsible for Local Government shall appoint an Alkalo in consultation with the Divisional Commissioner and District Seyfo or Chairperson/ Mayor of the Kanifing Municipal Council, as the case may be.
“(2) The Secretary of State shall, in making an appointment under subsection (1), take into account traditional lines of inheritance.”
In short, traditional rulers are now appointed by political representatives.
The original provision reads:
“(1) Where the office of Alkalo is to be filled by election, the election shall be conducted by or under the supervision of the Independent Electoral Commission in accordance with this Constitution and any Act of the National Assembly for the regulation of such elections.
(2) All persons who are necessarily resident within the village in which an election is to be held for the office of Alkalo and who are registered as voters for National Assembly elections within the constituency in which such village or any part of it is situated shall be entitled to vote in an election of an Alkalo.
(3) The election of an Alkalo shall be by secret ballot.
(4) A candidate for election as an Alkalo shall require to be nominated in such manner as the Commission may prescribe.”
We hope those who call for a monarchy could now understand the implications. Power leads to impunity. Absolute power leads to absolute impunity in administering the life of a society.
Source: Foroyaa
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2012 : 18:36:13
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"In short, traditional rulers are now appointed by political representatives."
But, a question,no other system of managing the affairs of a country fairly appears to exist !  it is also a fact that recently some Alkalo have been unconcerned with their people and more concerned about themselves.
Hmmmmmmm........read my signature  |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 08 Mar 2012 19:30:30 |
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Janyanfara
Tanzania
1350 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2012 : 19:53:53
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But toubab 1020,
What do you expect the Alkalos to do when they were hanmd picked by the state regardless of if the villagers want them or not?
When this devil came to power in the Gambia, he not only seized the nation and its well accepted laws, he changed all laws to his favor and one of these laws was he abolished the election of Alkalos and replaced it with the executive having to select Alkalos.
I know for a fact in so many villages, rude boys of the Green Boys movement of Yahya Jammeh were selected as Alkalos and forced on the people. Example the Alkalo of Bwiam is my student who is so young and rude that ,many residents fear him more than they fear the president.
Is this what he(the President) called avoiding chaos because another example is the alkalo of makanding in Niamina west whose father even asked him to leave his compound if he did not return the Alkaloship to it rightful owners.
EVERY WRITTEN IN THAT CONSTITUTION HAS NEVER BEEN FOLLOWED
Therefore no one should even coate such a constitutional clause as it does only exist on paper and has never been followed.
In wuli where Sedia Jatta came from, his elder brother was Alkalo as his father, grand father and great grand father. The village is traditionally ruled by the jattas. But Yahya Jammeh and kanda Kasseh Juwara with commissioner Omar Khan decided because that Alkalo's brother has been a thorn in Yahya Jammeh's flesh and has always won elections since the second republic, they decided to remove him and replace him with a brother of Duta Kamaso former MP who herself was later jailed by Yahya Jammeh. But those villagers were no fools. They refused to be forced into submission and likewise also avoided confrontation with the authorities.
When they collect the taxes, they would compile all and take it to Basse to the commissioner's office and when the commissioner ask them to take it to the new Alkalo, they would respond that let the commissioner himself give the taxes to the new Alkalo as he the commissioner not the villagers chose him. These has gone on for years until at such a time when Jammeh in a twist like a snake, went to wuli on his so called meet the people's tour after having problems with Duta Kamaso publicly removed the new Alkalo and told the villagers he has been wrongly informed and let the villagers choose their own Alkalo. Can you see how the devil operate? Gosh Yahya is a snake and anyone who supports him is even worst. |
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2012 : 23:04:43
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| Janyanfara,I read what you say,it does make perfect sense for villagers to elect their own Alkalo,agreed,but if they make a "mistake" can he be removed and another elected in his place? I can see this bring total confusion to a village,some believing that the man has done no wrong others believing that he should go, all tinged with a little bit of jealousy,that will bring no stability to anyone, however if that power is taken away from them and passed to politicians then under the "new" system they can replace the man and no villager has a problem except to moan about the politician,who also CAN BE REMOVED IN A FAIR DEMOCRATIC VOTING SYSTEM,or let the villagers have their own SECRET vote for those willing to stand as Alkalo,these are only my thoughts this is a very long standing cultural system that SHOULD have been refined by now and SHOULD work,you know very much better than me the working of the system.In all walks of life and cultures there are good men and bad men, and women of course. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 08 Mar 2012 23:07:16 |
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kobo
United Kingdom
7765 Posts |
Posted - 08 Mar 2012 : 23:34:34
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RELATED BANTABA TOPIC: Chiefs And Alkalos Removed
Foroyaa National News: Editorial : THE HEADS OF CHIEFS ROLLING BEWARE OF MONARCHICAL POWERS!!!
Foroyaa Editorial : Editorial : THE HEADS OF CHIEFS ROLLING BEWARE OF MONARCHICAL POWERS!!!
By Publisher
07-03-12
"The Governor of North Bank Region before the Presidential elections, Mr Seckan is gone. Chief Kinteh and Chief Dibba are also waiting to receive their dismissal letters. This is because of the amendment of section 58 of the Constitution in 2001 to give powers to the President in consultation with the Minister for local Government and Lands to appoint Chiefs and Section 231 gives powers to the President to dismiss chiefs.
Section 58 subsection (1) of the Constitution reads:
“The President shall appoint a District Seyfo in consultation with the Minister responsible for Local Government.”
Where is the traditional element in appointing and dismissing chiefs? There is no traditional element. What has been done by amending Section 58 of the Constitution is to remove the democratic element introduced during the constitutional review exercise in 1995/96 and introduce the monarchical content. In short, the provision which has been amended read:
“Subject to the provisions of this Constitution and any Act of the National Assembly, the Independent Electoral Commission shall be responsible for the conduct and supervision of elections to the office of District Chief.
(2)All persons who are ordinarily resident within the chieftaincy district in which an election is to be held for the office of District Chief and who are registered as voters for National Assembly elections within the constituency in which such chieftaincy district or any part of it is situated shall be entitled to vote in an election of the District Chief.
(3)The election of the District Chief shall be by secret ballot.
(4)A candidate for election as District Chief shall be nominated by not less than one hundred and fifty registered voters.
(5)An election to fill a vacancy in the office of District Chief shall be held within one hundred and twenty days of the date the vacancy occurred.”
The insecurity of tenure of Governors, District Chiefs and Alkalolu (Village Heads) has made it difficult for them to treat all sides of the political spectrum equally. The Executive must become fully resolve on such matters before appointees to such positions could display impartiality and independence when it comes to electoral contest. If such insecurity could prevail under a Republic one could imagine what it would be under a Kingdom ruled by a King. It appears that before the Kingdom is declared many of its advocates would be swept away." |
Edited by - kobo on 08 Mar 2012 23:35:25 |
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2012 : 00:47:00
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"The insecurity of tenure of Governors, District Chiefs and Alkalolu (Village Heads) has made it difficult for them to treat all sides of the political spectrum equally. The Executive must become fully resolve on such matters before appointees to such positions could display impartiality and independence when it comes to electoral contest. If such insecurity could prevail under a Republic one could imagine what it would be under a Kingdom ruled by a King. It appears that before the Kingdom is declared many of its advocates would be swept away."
http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/article.php?storyid=9112
Foroyaa have trod this path before, see below:
http://www.foroyaa.gm/modules/news/article.php?storyid=8975
"Foroyaa has observed that the state is an instrument and that a special instrument is needed to be able to protect all rights. Foroyaa argued that there are many forms of state, such as one based on the Muslim, Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, etc, religion. There is the atheist state and the secular state. There is the absolute monarchy, The Constitutional Monarchy and the Republic." |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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Edited by - toubab1020 on 09 Mar 2012 00:47:44 |
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Janyanfara
Tanzania
1350 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2012 : 15:28:47
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quote:
Originally posted by toubab1020
Janyanfara,I read what you say,it does make perfect sense for villagers to elect their own Alkalo,agreed,but if they make a "mistake" can he be removed and another elected in his place? I can see this bring total confusion to a village,some believing that the man has done no wrong others believing that he should go, all tinged with a little bit of jealousy,that will bring no stability to anyone, however if that power is taken away from them and passed to politicians then under the "new" system they can replace the man and no villager has a problem except to moan about the politician,who also CAN BE REMOVED IN A FAIR DEMOCRATIC VOTING SYSTEM,or let the villagers have their own SECRET vote for those willing to stand as Alkalo,these are only my thoughts this is a very long standing cultural system that SHOULD have been refined by now and SHOULD work,you know very much better than me the working of the system.In all walks of life and cultures there are good men and bad men, and women of course.
Toubab1020,
The system of villagers choosing their own village chief has been the norm since time immemorial and it has never created any problems infact throughout Gambia's history since colonization, no one not even the British have tried to tamper with the little right the towns and villages had in choosing who rules them.
I agree with your notion that you knew very little about the system. That is a fact and that explains all. The government's decision to choose village/ town head was only meant to control people's allegiance nothing else.
Now lets go by your notion that they did it to avoid confusion amongst supporters and non supporters of such heads, why is it that only die hard supporters of the government are appointed heads of such villages/ Towns even if such a village is an opposition stronghold?
You can now see what I am talking about? Gambia had never in its history argued about village/town head since time immemorial and no one would tell you otherwise. Infact it is just like your British monarchy it is more ceremonial than political. Remember these are families whose fore fathers/mothers found the town/villages and to take away that such traditional roles from them is just like to abolish the Monarchy totally. I hope you will agree with me that while some British are in favor of such move but majority are with the view that it symbolizes the very British history.
Some traditions are better left untouched for they crumbles the very foundations of ones history as a nation. If you most know some of those removed had their parents done a huge loads of sacrifices for our very existance as a nation called Gambia and if it were Britain they would have been knighted into the lords you know that.
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toubab1020
12240 Posts |
Posted - 09 Mar 2012 : 16:49:05
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| Thank you Janyanfara for your explanation,additional knowledge is never a wasted commodity. |
"Simple is good" & I strongly dislike politics. You cannot defend the indefensible.
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