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Momodou
Denmark
11823 Posts |
 Posted - 15 Aug 2006 : 12:20:59
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Foroyaa Editorial
WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE MOU SIGNED BY THE PARTIES?
The IEC has decided to set the date for elections without any regard to the constitution of the Republic. The IEC cannot justify why it has selected 22nd September 2006 to be the date for election. The institution could not even conduct registration of voters satisfactorily not to mention the conducting of elections. Nomination is around the corner. Yet no voter education is taking place to explain why political parties are sending nomination forms around for people to fill in. It is not clear to many Gambians that a person cannot be a presidential candidate unless his or her nomination forms are signed by 5000 voters. At least 200 must be from each of the seven administrative areas. The IEC should have financed programmes over National Radio and Television to explain the requirements of the law for the nomination of candidates and for elections so that the voters will be aware of what is happening.
The Memorandum of Understanding signed by the various political parties states under Article 17, which deals with Dialogue and Cooperation, that "A party that has subscribed to the Code will
1. make every effort to maintain communications with other political parties and with the Independent Electoral Commission
2. participate constructively in the inter-party committee established as a forum for dialogue and cooperation between political parties and promote adherence to this code."
FOROYAA has reliably learnt that the IEC was approved by the Inter party Committee to convene a meeting with the members of the Inter party Committee to explain all matters pertaining to the forthcoming elections. Apparently, the excuse of the IEC was that its Chairman had not been sworn in to assume official duties in a constitutional manner.
During his swearing in ceremony President Jammeh referred to the MOU many times. He may not have known what FOROYAA knows; that while the Inter Party Committee is struggling to be relevant, the IEC is not showing any sign of establishing dialogue and cooperation with it.
The meeting between the IEC and the Interparty Committee was postponed. Now that the Chairman is sworn in, what is holding the meeting?
The IEC should realise that neither the minority nor the majority should dictate what the IEC should do. Only the law, natural justice and fair play should dictate what the Commissioners should do. At the moment when the voices of the Commissioners should be louder than any other voice, they cannot be heard. Article 5 states that all parties "will refrain from using civil servants and public funds for campaign purposes.
Civil servants should have been educated by the IEC and the National Council for Civic Education that they are not compelled to buy party materials; that any circular written by any department for civil servants to participate in politically motivated programmes could be against the letter and spirit of the MOU. IEC wake up to your responsibilities and preside over a free and credible election. The peaceful Gambian people deserve this in 2006.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No.65/2006, 14-15 July, 2006
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