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Momodou
Denmark
11765 Posts |
 Posted - 25 Jan 2007 : 12:58:24
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Foroyaa Editorial
National Assembly Elections
Tomorrow the Gambian people will once again express their sovereign will in accordance with section 1 of the constitution which states in subsection (2): "The Sovereignty of The Gambia resides in the people of The Gambia from whom all organs of government derive their authority and in whose name and for whose welfare and prosperity the powers of government are to be exercised in accordance with this Constitution."
On 22nd September, 2006 the electorate elected Yahya Jammeh as president. He and his cabinet have the responsibility to raise revenue and pursue policies that will promote the prosperity, liberty and dignity of this nation.
Now, the people are to elect a National Assembly which has the function not only to make laws but to scrutinize the government and other public institutions.
It is crucial for every voter in deciding who to vote for to take into account the quality of the candidate they wish to vote for, not the blood relation or ethnic or other sectionalist considerations.
A voter should even be ready to vote against his/her party's candidate where that candidate serves no purpose in the National Assembly.
Section 112 of the constitution is quite instructive for the electorate. It states: "The responsibilities of the members of the National Assembly shall include the following - (a) all members shall maintain the dignity of the National Assembly both during the sittings of the National Assembly and in their acts and activities outside the National Assembly;
(b) all members shall regard themselves as servants of the people of The Gambia, desist from any conduct by which they seek improperly to enrich themselves or alienate themselves from the people, and shall discharge their duties and functions in the interest of the nation as a whole and in doing so shall be influenced by the dictates of conscience and the national interest."
The electorate should also realise that a rubber stamp parliament is a defacto one party state.
As for the IEC, they are expected to conduct the election freely and fairly. They must make all effort to be impartial and be seen to be impartial.
Source: Foroyaa Newspaper Burning Issue
Issue No. 010/2007, 24-25 January, 2007
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A clear conscience fears no accusation - proverb from Sierra Leone |
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