By Fatou Sillah
The mayor of the Kanifing Municipality, Talib Ahmed Bensouda, said in a recent interview that the government’s continued reliance on local chiefs and Alikalos attestation to validate voter eligibility allows undue influence over the registration process.
Speaking in an interview with Kerr Fatou, Mr. Bensouda argued that the practice of requiring attestation from an Alkalo creates openings for political manipulation, because those officials operate under the authority of the Ministry of Local Government.
“The reason they refuse to stop Alkalo attestation is that it gives the government the flexibility to register whomever they want, however they want,” he said. “As long as the minister has the power to remove an Alikalo, that authority can be used to influence the process.”
Mr. Bensouda pointed to a recent incident in Nyagen, where, he said, an Alikalo’s official stamp was taken and given to another individual perceived to be independent, raising concerns about the integrity of the verification process.
More broadly, he described voter registration as the most critical phase of an election, arguing that any irregularities at that stage could undermine the credibility of the outcome.
“That is where the cheating happens,” he said. “Voter registration is the most important part of the election; the rest are largely a formality.”
He also criticized what he described as a disproportionate focus by the ruling party on registration efforts rather than policy messaging and voter persuasion, suggesting that such priorities could distort democratic competition.
In his remarks, Mr. Bensouda urged young people to take part in the ongoing registration exercise and to vote in the next presidential election, emphasizing the importance of civic participation.
“We are seeing many young people registering, and I hope they understand its importance,” he said. “I urge all youths to register and vote—it is your voice, and it is what you have.”
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